Money Scripts

What are money scripts? In short, it is a way that we interface with our money similar to the stories we tell ourselves. They are generally unconscious. Research has shown there are four main types of money scripts.  There is generally a correlation between some scripts and net worth.

There's money avoidance, essentially the idea of money is bad, and money corrupts, and there may be a cognitive distortion such as having less money is virtuous. Generally, this script is associated with many financial woes, such as credit card debt, financial fear, and overspending.

Money worship is the idea that nothing is more important than money, and that money will be the key to everything. The idea is that you can never have enough money. Money worshippers can be over workers, and intense in their behaviors.

There's money status, which links your self-worth and your net worth. This is the idea that money is what makes you valuable, it means that without money you are less important than people that have it.  Often people with this script will lie about their net worth and people with a lower SES background can be more prone to this script.

Lastly, we have money vigilance. This script includes a bit of anxiety ad frugality. Generally, this script means you have a slightly more skeptical outlook on people that ask you about the money and are probably prone to underspend.

Having a certain money script doesn’t make you better or worse. Money scripts aren’t bad but acknowledging which script feels right for you can allow you to find awareness of your decisions. You can dig deeper by scheduling an appointment with a financial therapist and taking an assessment.

What three things were taught to you about money? What’s your earliest memory? What is your most joyful belief? How has your money script helped you? Has it also hurt you?