Not many people think about their relationship to money.
But we all have one, and it’s different depending on your personality and your experiences in life.
Here are four different money attitudes.
Which one are you?
And which one would you like to be?
1. The Survivor
This person is playing not to lose – or maybe not playing at all, but sitting on the benches, watching others play on the field.
The Survivor is living paycheck to paycheck and just getting by.
This person rarely invests in stocks because they don’t think long term.
They prefer to buy a lottery ticket.
This probably won’t be you, as The Survivor isn’t interested in reading blog posts about investing.
2. The Thrifty Type
This person operates from a mindset that wealth is about saving money and keeping money – and they avoid using it as much as possible.
If you are here, you focus on reducing expenses, chasing deals, and saving.
This person will embark on a lot of DIY projects to save money, but in the process, they’ll waste time.
Typical signs of The Thrifty Type:
- They are always looking for things on sale.
- They’ll buys Christmas presents on Black Friday or Cyber Monday.
- They don’t mind getting up at 5 a.m. to fight the crowds if they can save a couple hundred bucks.
- They’ll do all the household chores themselves.
- They have a tendency to hoard when they see things on sale.
Their operating system tells them that money is more important than their time.
3. The Pleasantly Wealthy
This type no longer has a fixation on money. The Pleasantly Wealthy has let go of the idea that saving money is the answer to everything.
Money becomes a tool used to solve problems and make life more comfortable.
This person has a mindset that makes it easier to enjoy life and get the best out of it.
This person wouldn’t dream of spending half a day hunting sales, because time is much more valuable than money.
Instead of price, this person focuses on content, quality, and good experiences.
The Pleasantly Wealthy doesn’t hesitate to hire staff such as cleaners, a nanny, and a gardener to overcome all possible inconveniences in life.
4. The Abundantly Rich
The Abundant Rich believes that there is always enough money. They see money as an infinite resource.
This person operates on the belief that money spent comes back manifold.
This is the person who books first class and who spontaneously buys an upgrade.
The Abundantly Rich doesn’t look for deals and doesn’t like to haggle over the price. It would ruin the experience. It would be like a dirty stain, and this person knows instinctively that bargain hunting is toxic to their money mindset.
This is also the friend who loves to give things away because it creates joy.
It’s the friend who spontaneously pulls out the credit card after dinner and says, “It’s on me”.
Beneath the surface is a belief that when they give something away, it comes back many times over – without them being able to see how.
They don’t expect to get anything back from the person they’re giving to – that would be a transaction and not a true gift. They just know that it will probably come back.
Their operating system tells them that they get everything back energetically. That’s why they don’t like sales and bargains.
When The Thrifty Type meets The Abundantly Wealthy, conflicts arise because their mindset and operating system are in opposition. If they are married, this will be directly problematic.
One will go after deals while the other will splurge on first class to get the most out of experiences.
Can you recognize yourself?
What was it like discovering who you are?
I can recognize myself in several places.
I have organically moved through the different levels.
That’s reassuring: it’s not static. You can decide to change your money mindset.
How do you feel about billionaires?
How do you feel about people who live first class?
Does it irk you?
That’s a sign that you perceive money as a limited resource.
You subconsciously think that if someone gets a lot, there is less for you.
What’s the problem with that?
The problem is that you are repelling money.
If you believe money is limited, you will feel bad about receiving wealth because subconsciously you’ll think you’re taking something away from someone else.
How do you progress?
It starts with you being aware of what level you’re at and deciding to upgrade.
If you’re The Thrifty Type, you need to spend money on solutions that buy you more time.
Hire a cleaner, a gardener, or a nanny. Pay someone to do something that you would normally do yourself. Use that extra time you get to make more money or improve your skills.
Quit pursuing deals.
It’s a pattern you should stop. Take pride in paying full price – especially if it makes life a little easier for you.
Always ask yourself: what’s the easiest / most comfortable / most fun solution?
If you are The Pleasantly Wealthy now, you want to look for more luxury in your life.
Ask yourself: how do I get the very best experience? Where is first class here?
Exercise: The Billionaire Mindset
Next time you pay for something, imagine how the money flows.
Let’s say it’s a service, like a trip to the hairdresser.
Imagine how the money you pay makes your hairdresser happy and how she spends the money in her life.
Be specific. Visualize all the good the money creates as it’s being spent again and again. Go full circle by letting the money come back to your life.
Can you see that money isn’t a limited resource?
Can you see that the same money can be spent multiple times?
Can you see that money is like energy?
Do this exercise every time you spend money. It will create little miracles in your life.
Both type 3 and 4 are good at making money grow by investing in stocks. You can learn how to invest with my free e-book here.
