If thinking about money makes you anxious, you're not alone. According to a recent Money Moves study by R29 Intelligence, 62% of women feel negative about their finances — using words like “stressed” and “worried” — while nearly 70% of men report feeling “motivated” and “confident.” For women, this emotional weight goes deeper: 43% say their financial situation hurts their self-esteem.
A major reason? History. Until the 1970s, women couldn’t even open credit cards or bank accounts without a man’s approval. That means many women today grew up with little generational financial guidance. “We’re just one generation removed from women being locked out of the system,” says financial therapist Lindsay Bryan-Podvin.
Cultural norms haven’t helped either. Women are often discouraged from talking about money or taught it's rude to ask financial questions. That silence creates shame and insecurity. “When you feel like you don’t know enough, you tend to avoid it altogether,” says therapist Aja Evans. This can lead to missed opportunities, anxiety, and a fear of making mistakes.
Men are more likely to take risks and bounce back from financial missteps. Women, by contrast, are taught to avoid risk — often using savings in emergencies instead of credit, out of fear they’ll do it “wrong.” Many women internalize money mistakes as personal failures, rather than learning experiences.
The first step to change? Talk about it. Evans encourages women to open up to trusted friends or start by learning privately through books or financial creators on social media. “The more we normalize money conversations — and mistakes — the more confident and empowered we’ll feel,” says Bryan-Podvin. “You’re not bad with money. You just haven’t been taught yet.”
Source: Refinery 29
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