Most people have powerful feelings about money.  Sometimes, these feelings can make it hard to arrive at rational decisions. One person’s  feelings about money may make it harder to keep a relationship harmonious.

It’s common for people to have a variety of feelings about money at the same time, and even to switch from one set of feelings to another.

Just as feelings about money vary, so, too can behaviors. Some people hoard money; others spend it freely. Some are able to attend to daily financial tasks, while others avoid these tasks as much as possible.

Certain individuals don’t invest their money at all while others invest conservatively and still others take great financial risks.

In the next section of the course, you are going to do an activity that will help you think about your own attitudes and behaviors about money.

To start, you are going to be making two lists, one positive and the other negative.  On the first list, note two or three areas of your “money life” that are a source of pride or pleasure. Here are some typical responses:

• I make enough money to live on.
• I balance my check book regularly.
• I’m a generous gift giver.
• I have more than $10,000 in savings.

On the second list, identify two or three aspects of your money life that cause you discomfort or demonstrate your difficulty with money.  Some typical responses might be:

• I live beyond my means.
• I’m always late paying the bills.
• I bounce checks from time to time.
• I’m in debt.

Click next to start the activity and come up with your own list of financial positives and negatives.