You Can Usually Determine 6 Specific Things About A Person By Looking At How They Spend Their Money

If you've avoided the topic of money in your life, there are compelling reasons to change your approach. Money is a reflection of ourselves on both a superficial and a deep level. It expresses who we are through our appearance and reveals our thoughts, behaviors, and choices.

How we feel and think about ourselves and our place in the world is reflected in how we handle our money and spending habits. For many people, it can be the last or the greatest barrier to overcoming internal resistance and self-growth. Still, it's seriously uncomfortable to talk about for some reason, but if you take a long, hard look at how you and the people you care about spend money, it can be quite revealing.

Here are 6 specific things your spending habits reveal about you:

1. The patterns you follow

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Your spending habits are like a fingerprint, revealing the patterns you tend to follow over time. Where your money goes shows what you inherently prioritize, whether it be convenience, luxury, security, or something else.

Your routines and planning style are also reflected in these habits. What you spend on automatically or repeatedly, if you tend to overspend or keep a strict budget, all of these choices paint a picture of how intentional you are with your finances.

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2. Your values

Money is a representation of valuation. Your core values represent what you consider your most important life principles, and even how you value yourself. It shows what you are willing to spend limited resources on and how (or if) you choose to further yourself and your objectives.

You put your money into what you truly care about, and it can be extremely revealing. Even small purchases show how you balance your wants and needs.

3. Your self-limiting beliefs

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When you examine how you self-sabotage, you uncover your underlying fears. You can see how your attitude, beliefs, and emotions contribute to your behaviors towards money and how you might be holding yourself back from reaching the best version of yourself.

Once you understand and acknowledge those, you clear the resistance to prosperity. From there, you can encourage new potential and foster growth.

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4. Your accountability

Your spending habits reflect your accountability by showing how closely your intentions align with your actions. If you set financial goals like saving money or sticking to a budget, your actual spending will reveal whether you follow through or make excuses.

What makes or breaks you is your willingness to take responsibility for your choices. Do you recognize your mistakes and adjust your habits, or do you blame circumstances and continue to act on impulse? Getting to your desired result requires you to be accountable for the actions that lead you there.

5. How you enforce boundaries

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You wouldn't let others overstep on your boundaries, but how often do you do it to yourself? Do you let yourself splurge on ordering takeout every night, or do you stick to your carefully crafted money-saving meal plan?

Consistently saying no to impulse purchases shows discipline and self-control, but giving in to pressure and frequently making exceptions suggests that your boundaries are flexible. Making intentional financial decisions demonstrates that you can set limits even when it's uncomfortable.

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6. Your potential for growth

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With money as a tool, we can express our preferences. It can help us connect with others and even expand our world. The choice is ours to make. Even when we think we are avoiding finances, the situations it creates or halts are reflective points from which we can learn truths about ourselves. It is, in fact, a powerful key to self-growth.

Money is a common barrier for many of us. And yet, money is also a powerful tool. By itself, it isn't very sensible. Joined with intention, it has the potential to help others.

Money answers don’t necessarily come easily or automatically, even when we are in alignment with our lives. By staying within our values and integrity, we can unravel our attitudes, uncover our resistance and blocks, and actually help others in need.

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Jan L. Bowen is an author, coach, keynote speaker, thought leader, and facilitator with over 25 years of successful corporate leadership, specializing in helping individuals find their balance.