Failing to save or invest enough is the third biggest financial worry for UK adults this year, just behind the impact of Brexit and rising cost of living.
That is according to new research by GoCompare, which shows 40% of people think 2018 will be a financially challenging year, with 12% admitting to being "seriously worried".
Failing to save enough for retirement is the fourth biggest concern, with just under half of British adults saying they need to try and reduce their outgoings, and one-tenth expecting to carry credit card debt for most of the year.
"The level to which people are worried about their financial situation is a real concern, and we know this can impact on our work and mental health," GoCompare consumer advocate, Georgie Frost, said.
"This can cause us to make poorer financial decisions, which in turn could make our situation worse. With the rising cost of living, it's no surprise many are expecting to have to make sacrifices."
The findings show inflation is the greatest concern this year for those aged 65 and over, while young people aged 18-24 are most concerned about their ability to find sufficient work.
This comes after research from MoneySuperMarket earlier this year found that over 13.8 million people in the UK cite daily money worries as their main cause of stress.
It shows that 51% of British adults are regularly concerned about their finances, with 65% of 18-34 year-olds stating they worry about this constantly, compared with 36% of those aged 55 or over.
Almost half of adults believe their financial anxiety will get worse in 2018, with 84% of those that are worried planning to make cut backs to get their finances in better shape this year.
"It's little wonder people are worried about their finances," MoneySuperMarket consumer affairs expert, Kevin Pratt, said.
"Inflation crept over 3% in December and the economic outlook for 2018 is at best uncertain, given concerns about wage stagnation, Brexit and the possibility of further interest rate rises."