Ask HN: I have $27k in my bank account, but I have constant anxiety about money

But ever since I started working for myself, I can't seem to shake the anxiety I have concerning money. It never feels like I have enough. I can never relax. Is this normal? Before quitting my job, I had about $60k, which slowly dwindled down to $2k until my new business was able to give me a livable wage.

Savings are slowly growing again, but I still have constant anxiety about money, which I never had before. Having watched my savings dwindle so far probably attributes to my subconscious anxiety.

What can I do? Any advice?

This is how corporations reason.

Basically, opex is the money flowing out of your bank accout (sorry if that phrasing gives you anxiety) because of ongoing life. coffee, groceries, gas, you name it. anything mundane is going on that tab.

Anything you are investing in though, is Capex. you are buying a new car? capex. new watch? capex. new computer? capex.

clothes? if they are mundane and necessities - opex.

recurring income is your salary or whatever you can get by per month.

capital is your 27k in savings.

now, if a big company has 200bUSD in capital, and they get hit with the economic downturn, what do they do? layoffs. they do not mix capital (200b) with opex (salaries). it can and should never flow that way.

i know that infuriates some people "they got money! they should spend it!" nope, they shouldnt. thats why they got 200b, and those who complain, dont. if they do they wont have 200b for very long, not because salaries constitutes a lot of money per se, but because that behavior will translate in any and every new idea to spend money on.

basically, long story short, you only spend what you get each month. max. tops. you dont touch your capital. youre better off borrowing from friends than spending it on opex.

because spending accumulated funds is pointless, contrary to its purpose, and quite simply a waste.

once you do this, i believe after 2 or 3 months you will start to feel better.

Let's say that it's founded based on your budget. You can either up your income (work more, more clients, whatever), but I think the easier thing can be to be more frugal. Look at your expenses and see if there's anything you can lower. Eating out or delivery is a prime example of something you might be able to lessen.

Sometimes the act of saving money itself can be a good feeling to fight against the feeling that you don't have enough. At least it feels like you are doing something to fix the problem.

It is good for you that you’re back on the uptake. You should have ten times that before you feel you’re your own master, and not a slave to the whims of fate.