Ipseom

There are probably as many money styles as there are fashion styles. Of course, this doesn’t come as much of a surprise when you factor in the different influences that shape each of us. The irony, of course, is that when it comes to money-related tendencies, opposites frequently attract. Pete and Eleanor are a perfect example. So don’t be surprised if you and your partner find each other diametrically opposed. Instead of sweeping those differences under the rug or fighting about them, try discussing them. Once you and your family have talked about your values—and started to articulate your dreams and goals—your next step is to examine more closely your feelings about money and decide how involved you want to be when managing your finances. Your money style can be tracked on two continuums. First, you’re either a spender or a saver, or you’re a bit of both, which means you fall somewhere in between. I admit that I get a charge out of going shopping. Just ask my husband, Gary. “Like a runner’s high, Carrie gets a shopper’s high,” he says with a smile. Still, my commitment to my family dictates that the money I spend never cuts into our budget for other things, our savings, our investments, our vacations, or anything else that’s important. We save and invest as much as we can every month. That comes first, no matter what. So I’m definitely both a saver and a spender at heart.
It’s necessary to balance those opposing tendencies when you are constantly confronted by the question “to buy or not to buy?” In Chapter 2 we talk more about how to spend your money so you wind up buying what you and your family really need, while not scrimping on investing. For now, whenever you’re in doubt, just remember that keeping a long-range perspective about what’s important to you and your family will usually steer you clear.