What’s Your Money Story?

Have you ever thought about why you do what you do with money? What makes you behave and interact with money the way you do? We all have a money story that’s made up of how we interact with money. What we might not be fully conscious of is how our experiences might have come from what we saw our parents do or say about money.

Here’s an example of how a private client of mine was living someone else’s money story and not her own. My client, who I’ll call Julie, always wanted to be a teacher. When she shared her dream with her parents from a young age, the response was always the same–teachers don’t make much money. Julie did follow her dream of becoming a teacher and believed she’d never make enough money. Working for a private school Julie was making a nice salary, but she was spending more than her income and wasn’t saving for emergencies. Whenever an unexpected expense occurred, Julie would reach out to her parents to save the day. And whenever she had to ask them for money, it just reaffirmed her parents’ story about teachers and money that had now become her story.

What did your parents say about money? Have you been influenced in some way by their behaviors or beliefs about money? These questions are in no way asked to place blame on anyone in your family for your current situation with money. They are meant to get you to look at your relationship with money on a deeper level and to become more aware of your interactions with money. Taking a closer look at your relationship with money can help you see whose money story you’re living–yours or someone else’s.

Back to Julie. Once she realized her parents’ money beliefs had influenced her beliefs about money, she began to write her own money story. It was impressive. She began saving for emergencies and became an intentional spender allowing her to live below her means. When her car needed new tires, she called her Dad, not to ask for money, but to ask his opinion on what type of tires she should buy. She became a financially independent woman living her own money story. A money story that she became very proud of.

This is your financial journey. You must take time to write what you want it to look like and then begin living it!

Share Post:

Picture of Cindy Parran

Cindy Parran

Money Sense for Life. Cindy Parran is a financial expert, author, and founder of Money Sense for Life. With her proven financial coaching method, she empowers people to take control of their financial life and helps them clear the path to prosperity.

Most Popular Posts