Money Mistakes are Temporary

Money mistakes are temporary and rarely have permanent consequences, so worrying about them is usually a poor use of attention. The author, who paid too much for an item and felt bothered for a day or two, ties this to loss aversion, which the article describes as the psychological principle that people are irrationally afraid of losing. After talking with a friend, Amanda, who said "you can always get more money," the author concluded that the mistake would not matter years from now. The article also notes that rich people worry about money as much as poor people do, and it suggests asking "What's the worst that can happen?" when money stress arises.