If it is important to you, you will find a way. If not you will find an excuse.” ― Anonymous
As a financial writer, I’ve heard countless reasons people give for not paying off debt, not saving, delaying retirement, or skipping travel and other life goals. Some situations are genuinely difficult and deserve compassion, but often I encounter people who simply make poor financial choices and justify them with excuses.
I understand that some people face far tougher circumstances than others. Still, I’m addressing those who repeatedly defend bad money habits with explanations that keep them from living the life they want.
Examples include insisting you “need” a brand-new car or a large house. Choosing those things isn’t inherently wrong, but letting them become the reason you can’t pursue more important financial goals is a problem.
If you want to improve your finances, you must stop making excuses and start making smarter choices—right now, not tomorrow or next year.
Think about the last time you said, “That won’t work for me because…” Fill in the blank. While legitimate setbacks exist, many people use excuses to avoid taking responsibility for their finances.
This post is a straightforward, no-nonsense look at changing your mindset so you stop sabotaging your financial life.
Start improving today. Don’t wait. When you read on, consider the excuses you’ve used in the past and recognize they won’t help you make better decisions; they only hold you back.
Have you told yourself any of these reasons for why you’re bad with money?
When was the last time you said one of these:
- What if I fail? I don’t want to look foolish.
- Someone else started earlier than me, so there’s no point in trying.
- I can’t pay off my debt because ______.
- I need a brand-new car or I can’t get to work.
- I don’t have time to earn extra income.
- They had everything paid for by their parents; that’s why they’re successful.
- I deserve or need the things I buy.
- I love my job and can earn later, so I don’t need to save for retirement now.
- The city I live in is too expensive to save—good luck doing that on the east (or west) coast.
- It’s too late for me to start saving.
These are all real excuses I’ve heard. Some are based on legitimate circumstances, but when you use them as reasons to stop trying, they become self-defeating.
Remember: “If it is important to you, you will find a way. If not, you will find an excuse.” If something truly matters, you’ll find ways to make it happen. Excuses can become bad habits that prevent you from reaching financial and life goals.
Put simply: excuses keep you from living the life you want. You’re giving up before you’ve begun.
To reach your goals and stop being bad with money, you’ll have to work hard and stop making excuses. No life is perfect; using that as a reason to avoid effort is a waste.
I used to be bad with money myself—buying clothes I never wore, eating out too often, and rationalizing impulse purchases. Now I plan purchases and weigh them against other priorities. Occasional splurges are fine, but if they aren’t budgeted, they derail progress.
Excuses are a complete waste of your time.
I often ask myself and my husband: will I spend more time thinking about doing something than it would take to actually do it?
Too many people dwell on excuses, regret, and “what-ifs.” That’s time and energy you could use to change your life. Stepping outside your comfort zone and challenging yourself can be transformative.
Making excuses wastes time and prevents you from trying. Instead of listing reasons not to pursue a goal, create a practical plan to achieve the life you want.
Next time you’re about to make an excuse, remember that negativity is a huge time sink—and you’re better than that.
Don’t use averages as an excuse for why you’re bad with your money.
Many financial averages illustrate how much work most households need to do. Examples include:
- Most people—about two-thirds—live paycheck to paycheck.
- A large share have no emergency savings.
- The median retirement savings for many is well below what’s needed for a comfortable retirement.
- Average credit card and student loan balances can be substantial.
These statistics show that many people are behind, but they’re not an excuse to accept poor financial habits. Some fall into these categories for valid reasons, but others use them to justify not working toward improvement.
If you want to break the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle, build emergency savings, and prepare for retirement, you’ll need to accept responsibility and take consistent action. Don’t let averages be a reason to stay where you are—use them as motivation to do better.
Stop trying to keep up with others.
One major reason people struggle financially is keeping up appearances. You see a friend with a new car or a colleague’s vacation photos and feel you deserve the same. But you don’t know their financial choices or the trade-offs they made.
The only thing that matters is your situation. If you want a vacation, save for it. If you want a new car, plan for the payment and consider how it affects long-term goals like retirement.
You don’t “deserve” something because someone else has it—you deserve it when you can responsibly afford it.
Find out why you make excuses.
People make excuses for many reasons. Identifying the root causes helps you address them. Common reasons include:
- Fear of failure or hard work
- Being frightened of change
- A belief that life is unfair
- Low motivation or lack of genuine desire
- Lack of confidence
Often these patterns come from past experiences or ingrained beliefs. Once you understand what holds you back, you can take targeted steps to move forward.
Believe in yourself.
Being bad with money now doesn’t mean you can’t change. To take control, start by believing you can succeed.
Reflect on your strengths and past successes as evidence that you can overcome new challenges. When “that’s not possible for me” pops into your head, counter it with what you’ve already accomplished and how you can turn current goals into reality.
Admit you’ve been making excuses—acknowledging that truth is the first step to breaking the cycle. Changing your mindset is hard at first, but over time you’ll see excuses for what they are: wasted time and energy.
Reaching financial goals takes time and you’ll face setbacks—that’s normal. It only becomes impossible if you quit.
Can a person’s mindset affect their financial success? What excuses have you used in the past?