If the state of your finances is stressing you out, you're far from alone.
This week Capital One released the results of a new CreditWise survey, in connection with National Get Smart About Credit Day. The results found that finances are the number-one cause of stress (73%) — more than politics (59%), work (49%) and family (46%).
Younger generations are even more stressed out about finances than older generations with the majority of Gen Z'ers (82%) and millennials (81%) saying finances are at least somewhat stressful.
The survey unsurprisingly found that major life events can trigger financial stress as well. More than half (62%) were stressed about their money in relationship to buying a house, 61% were stressed because of a car purchase.
Despite finances being a major cause of stress, respondents are optimistic about their financial future. Roughly two in five (42%) said they expect to be better off financially in a year from now.
However, they may not know how to achieve those goals. Only 16% of respondents are very familiar with how to improve their credit score, but more than half of the respondents (59%) are interested in learning more.
Capital One provides a free credit score and report dashboard, CreditWise. It's free to use, and anyone can join — you don't need to have a Capital One account.
With CreditWise, users can learn more about the key factors that impact your credit score, get email alerts whenever your credit report changes and monitor your credit information. There's also a simulator feature that allows you to see how certain actions may impact your credit score, such as paying off debt, carrying a balance or applying for a loan. The simulator only provides estimates of the potential negative or positive impacts and the actual results may differ. (Check out our CreditWise review.)
"There are millions of CreditWise users, and hundreds of thousands of those users who had a score of zero when they enrolled have since established a credit score," Chris Gatz, head of CreditWise at Capital One, tells CNBC Select.
It can be smart to use a credit monitoring program to keep an eye on your credit score, as that three-digit number can have a big impact on the kind of credit cards you will qualify for. Typically, the higher your credit score, the better card offers you receive.
If you have good or excellent credit, you may qualify more for the best rewards credit cards, such as the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.
If your credit is subpar, you're not out of luck. Secured cards are a great way to build credit, and CNBC Select recommends the Discover it® Secured Credit Card.
For rates and fees of the Discover it® Secured Credit Card, click here.
