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How would you describe your relationship with money?
In this week’s blog, we’re sharing some thought-provoking questions designed to help enlighten you and your money story.
Whether you answer these questions with a friend, family member, or simply by yourself, the purpose of asking these questions is to challenge any beliefs about money that may be holding you back.
If you're ready to do the deeper work and start making better financial decisions, grab a pen and paper and work through the questions below: who knows what you’ll learn about yourself?
1) What was your first money memory?
The first question on our list is all about your first memory of money.
This one may require a few minutes of pondering, but we promise it’s worth it! Think back as far as you can remember and try to pinpoint what your very first memory of money was. Perhaps it was a conversation with your parent when you desperately wanted a toy and they had to explain how it wasn’t in their budget?
Or, maybe your first memory happened later on an outing with friends from school and you noticed some differences in what each of you could afford/whether some of you were more ‘well-off’. Dig deep!
2) How do you feel when spending/saving/earning money?
Our first memory of money has likely shaped how we feel when interacting with money in our present. For example, do you feel guilty when you spend money? Do you feel in control when you save it? Or how about a sense of pride when you earn it?
All of these questions are valid and can reveal very interesting things about the way in which you view money. It can also be interesting to compare this with another person’s answers as their feelings could completely differ!
3) How was money talked about in your home growing up?
If you notice that you feel a sense of dread, stress, or apprehensiveness when merely talking about money, this could have been influenced by your early money experiences.
Ask yourself how money was talked about in your home, and then ask yourself how money is talked about in your home now. If you now have a family of your own, what messages are you passing down?
If you struggle to discuss money with others, it’s never too late to improve: check out our guide here on How to Open Up about Money.
4) What does the term ‘wealth’ mean to you?
In the dictionary, the word ‘wealth’ is defined as "an abundance of valuable possessions or money" or "a plentiful supply of a particular desirable thing".
However, we know that wealth can mean something different to everyone. For some, it may be equated to happiness. For others, it simply means financial freedom and the ability to live life on our terms.
If the notion of wealth brings up negative feelings, it’s important to ask ourselves why this is and what associations we’re making with being wealthy to feel this way. See ‘What was your first memory of money?’ above!
5) If you received £1,000 right now, how would you best utilise it?
Finally, let’s ask ourselves a hypothetical question: if you received £1,000 right now (no catch, tax-free), how would you spend it?
Better yet, how would you utilise it and make the most of this free cash? If your instinct is to spend the cash on an all-inclusive holiday with nothing to spare, you may find that you have problems with impulse spending (or you just really need a break!).
On the other hand, if your answer falls more in the sensible approach of saving or investing the money to potentially make more, you’re likely more financially savvy and strict with your income.
Neither of these options is necessarily bad, but it’s an interesting way of getting to know ourselves and our mindset towards money. And if your answer is to donate it all to charity? Well, you’re evidently a very generous person!
Looking to uplift your financial journey and achieve financial success? Check out our blog post The Roadmap to our Financial Goals.
If you struggle with overspending and your money story so far has been a little messy (no judgement here!), the ImageNPay app could help.
With an allowance you set, you can make budgeting a pain-free process with your very own digital prepaid card. Tap the button below to find out more and download FREE on the App Store and Google Play Store!
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Credit to Lia at @financialliasecure for these great question ideas