I'm hesitant to write this because of the potential responses, so let me start with this caveat: I know many people are doing their best and are still barely sc

I'm hesitant to write this because of the potential responses, so let me start with this caveat: I know many people are doing their best and are still barely scraping by, and that what I'm writing below does not apply to many people, etc. Ok: For a few years I was in position to help review families' finances and offer counseling and direct them to community resources, and here are some things I learned: 0) comparison is the thief of joy 1) people are wasting huge amounts of money on credit card interest payments 2) spending less than you make is the main factor in not being constantly stressed by your finances, not having any debt is a close second 3) being stressed about your finances really sucks the fun out of life (and is super hard on most marriages) 4) getting a raise but not increasing your standard of living is often the easiest way to accomplish #2 (and fixing #1 if needed) 5) most people either overlook meaningful spending cuts they can make, or they want other things more than reducing financial stress (see #0) - these choices can be hard (e.g. move away from HCOL area) but those who are willing are almost always able to achieve #2 and are much happier as a result