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

[mssociallyinept.livejournal.com]

My brother belongs in group D, and it drives me bloody mad. He just assumes that after he's spent all his money, that everyone else should and will help him out. But then he's always been a spoiled brat, I blame it on the fact he was raised by our grand mother, who really did wait on him hand and foot. Which is strange, you'd expect someone from that generation to have known the importance of money management (especially when she was widowed at a young age with 3 kids). I can be a mix of them all at times. Sometimes I'm great with money, other's I'm not so good and we're living off cheap Iceland food (but in my defence, I am on benefits and most of the poorer times are due to countless direct debits coming flying out of my account, not because I've over spent, more because I just haven't had enough money to keep back for direct debits before they're due). But atleast we still have something to live off, unlike my brother who can sit without anything for weeks sometimes. My money management really is going to have to improve though, seeing as I'll soon be a student, and that means less money coming in, more money going out. Eep!