by Stacy Francis, CFP®, CDFA
One of my hubby’s friends works with statistics. He’s one of those people who take an honest interest in how many pets we have per capita in different states, and how many more children families produce in Arkansas than in New York. His latest thing is spending habits. I perked up when he told me his findings. After spending years and years analyzing who spends how much on what, he has started to divide spenders into six different categories.
1. The frugal spender. I know it sounds like an oxymoron. My hubby’s friend defines a frugal spender as “a person who spends as little as possible.”
2. The impulse spender. This person aims to be frugal, but can’t resist pulling out the plastic when he or she spots a good deal.
3. The indulgent spender. While this person may keep tabs on money spent on staples, he or she loves the sweet things in life: spas, vacations, designer clothing, five star restaurants, etc.
4. The balanced spender. This person buys mostly cheap things, with a few luxury items thrown into the mix.
5. The continuous over spender. This is the most dangerous kind of spender. Always in the red, this person fails to learn from his or her mistakes and continues to rack up more debt.
6. The guilt trip spender. This person is often a divorced parent or a cheating spouse. He or she often tries to mend a bad conscious by shelling out the big bucks.
Any of these sound familiar?
For additional reading on the topic of money personalities, check out What Is Your Money Personality?
Stacy Francis is president and CEO of Francis Financial, Inc., a fee-only wealth management practice dedicated to investment advisory services for women, couples and those experiencing divorce. She is also the founder of Savvy Ladies®, a nonprofit organization that educates and empowers women to take control of their finances.
