Managing Money

[ailbhe]

Some people are good at it, some people are ok as long as there's plenty of money, and some people are dreadful at it. I have never really worked out what makes people so. I know people from poor backgrounds and wealthy backgrounds in all categories, as well as people from varying degrees of comfortable backgrounds.

Some people seem to learn to manage money by living in fear of poverty (raises hand) and some people seem to learn by good example (raises hand) and some people seem to learn by being involved in the financial planning and management of their families as they grow up (like good example but more hands-on) (raises hand again) and most people probably have some combination of all three going on.

But the part I can't work out is what makes people who know what bad management does, up to a point (a point between stress and hunger, say) nonetheless continue to manage badly. What do Groups A, B and C learn which group D can't seem to? Let's not assume that group D are delusional, or want to rely on other people in their lives to pick up the pieces - let's assume that their desire and intention is to be able to spend only 252 pence in the guinea and not forever hanker after the half-a-crown that isn't there.

Comments

[ailbhe]

Because I am not interested in that discussion, which in my experience ends up being a long-drawn-out swapping of stories and doesn't teach anyone anything. For a start, if the delusional participate, they do not recognise their delusions.

[the0lady.livejournal.com]

Agreed that as a way of changing the behaviour of the person doing the delusional spending, that sort of conversation isn't much use; but you're talking from the point of view of an observer, and from that vantage point listening to lots of swapped stories about how delusional people are delusional and what that looks like in reality can be a really useful tool towards getting the fuck away (or at least getting one's finances away).

[ailbhe]

Um, yeah, but that's more of an escaping-toxic-relationships talk than a discussing-finances talks.

Also, I am, in my life, tired of thinking about people who are deluded about money.

[rosefox]

Fair enough.