What were your first experiences with money?
My first experiences with money were in the form of gifts or visits from the tooth fairy! It was then that I realized that money was something to be desired and it allowed me to have things that I wanted.
What were the key messages around money that your family instilled in you?
The primary message concerning money in my house was that it was something that had to be earned- either as a reward for good grades or through completion of chores around the house to earn a weekly allowance. In my family, money was rarely something that was given on-demand.
What is your current relationship with money like?
I would say that my relationship with money is sort of like the one who got away! Having a teenage daughter means that there is never enough money to be had and it is a source of anxiety, especially as college looms on the horizon. But I also see it as something that allows for the pleasurable things in life, such as travel or a great meal now and then. Experiences are more important to me than material things, and money helps make a lot of that happen.