What Does Your Money Say About You?

Articles & Advice

What Does Your Money Say About You?

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Posted Sep 3rd 2009 12:00PM

by Debbie Magids, Ph.D., for Match.com

You can learn a lot about yourself from your relationships - and your relationship with money is no exception. Money talks, and it speaks pretty loudly to your dates, friends, business associates and family - as well as to anyone for whom you need to leave a tip!

Your money behaviors - how you spend it or how you choose to save it - were shaped by your past. They are a reflection of the impact growing up rich, poor or middle class had on you, as well as your parents' spending and saving behaviors and how they made you feel.

Here are 10 clues into your emotional world that your relationship with money reveals.

1. Power
Are you an extravagant spender, always the one picking up the bill in the best of places? Do you always have the best new car? Do you pick up the tab for luxurious weekends?

2. Love and acceptance
Do you give gifts that are beyond your means, buying things for people you wouldn't buy for yourself?

3. Self-worth
Do you spend beyond your means and buy yourself the best of everything?

4. Undeserving
Do you have money but never allow yourself to buy things you want?

5. Safety
Do you hoard your money? Do you avoid spending at all costs, so to speak?

6. Deprivation
Do you refuse to spend money on relatively inexpensive extras or conveniences, such as not buying an item in a supermarket you want now because you know it will be on sale next week?

7. Guilt
Do you buy what you want and then obsess about it for days?

8. Freedom
Do you spend your money, but put aside extra into an "I'm-outta-here" fund?

9. Self-love
Do you enjoy spending your money to nurture yourself when you can?

10. Healthy relationship
Do you live within your means, invest wisely for a good future, spend money on things you want, have perfect credit ratings? Congratulations - you have a healthy relationship with money! To you, money means living the best life you can, now and in the future.

Whatever your relationship to money is, it's good to keep tabs on it. Your romantic relationships will be affected by the value you place on money. It's worth spending a little time thinking about that. They do.

Debbie Magids, Ph.D., is a freelance contributor to Happen.

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