The why behind your money habits
My friend Amanda has always loved to shop. Finding good deals is a sport to her. But for a while, her shopping habit made things stressful in her marriage.
No matter how much money she and her husband made, Amanda almost always spent more than they had. Her husband tried to be understanding, but he was deeply frustrated. Knowing her marriage was on rocky ground, Amanda went to counseling to figure out the root of her problem.
What she discovered was eye-opening! Her shopping habit was actually a reaction to growing up with excessively frugal parents. They were humble people who had learned to survive with very little, but they’d do things like save the bags out of cereal boxes “just in case.” After 18 years of living like this, when she was on her own, Amanda started shopping just because she could.
Once she realized what was behind her shopping habit, she began to permanently shift her buying habits from that point forward. Amanda still enjoys shopping today, but she’s no longer driven by the impulse to do it — and it’s no longer a source of conflict in her marriage. She figured out the why behind her behavior, and it changed everything.
There are many reasons why we spend or save money the way we do. Some factors might be:
— How we experienced money (or the lack of money) growing up.
— What our parents told us or modeled for us about money.
— The natural way we’re wired.
— Our emotions in the moment.
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