Three-quarters of Americans (75%) feel in control of their day-to-day finances, according to NerdWallet’s August Financial Resilience Index, indicating that many feel an overall sense of financial security. But the index also finds that a third of Americans (33%) couldn’t cover an unexpected $1,000 expense, and around the same percentage (36%) say they’ll have to rely on credit for at least some of their expenses this month.

Is financial security measurable, or simply in the eye of the beholder? While there’s something to be said for feeling good about your money, if that just means that you’re able to pay your bills on time in a normal month, your actual financial security may be lacking. These three gut checks can reveal whether your good vibes are backed up by your bank account balance.