Canadians spend, on average, about two hours each day fretting about their finances, according to a poll commissioned by Scotiabank.

The survey revealed that Canadians age 18-35 worry the most about their finances, at 2.4 hours a day, while those aged 55 and older worry an average of 1.4 hours a day.

Not surprisingly, Canadians with lower household incomes worrying about their finances more often than those households with higher incomes, the survey found. Households making under $50,000 are worrying an average of 2.25 hours a day, while those making between $50,000 to $99,000 are worrying an average of 1.85 hours a day. Households making $100,000 and above spend, on average, just over an hour a day worrying about their finances.

Looking for advice

"Many Canadians are feeling rudderless when it comes to managing their finances, as they try to balance savings and spending, while paying down debt," said D'Arcy McDonald, SVP, Retail Deposits, Investments, and Payments for Scotiabank. "They're increasingly seeking trusted sources of advice and support to make sense of the overwhelming amount of information available to them."

He added that “Canadians can spark change and energize their finances starting with a few simple steps, like meeting with an advisor and creating a weekly budget."