What’s Your Financial Personality?

Most of us have a general idea of what our financial personality is, usually defining ourselves as savers or spenders. But maybe you’re neither a saver nor a spender and you want to know what other category you might fall into. Or maybe you’re just curious about what your economic profile is. Well, wonder no more. We’ve developed this handy financial personality quiz to help you discover whether you’re a Savvy Spender, Super Saver, Impartial Investor or Superb Sharer. Each of these four personality types is very distinct and has their own pros and cons that we’ll explore. But first, grab a piece of paper and a writing utensil so you can jot down your answers to the following questions. Tally your answers up at the end to reveal which category you fall into.

1. Your favorite store is having a huge sale but you don’t get paid until next week. What do you do?

A) Go to the sale and buy everything I need. I’ll be saving so much money!

B) If the sale’s still on, I can go after I get paid. 

C) I don’t follow sales, I just buy things when it’s necessary.

D) I’d go and get all my holiday shopping done.

2. If your car needs emergency repairs, how do you pay?

A) Probably a credit card.

B) I have an emergency fund for these things. 

C) Just my regular bank account, I guess. I don’t really pay attention to where the money comes from, just as long as I have it. 

D) I ask my friends to help out if they can, since I often help them out.

3. How often do you do your budget?

A) Every few months or so. 

B) At least once a week.  

C) I don’t really do my budget. 

D) After I’ve loaned my friends money that I didn’t plan for. 

4. Aside from essentials, what do you spend the most money on?

A) Anything that strikes my fancy at the moment.

B) I don’t like spending money, I’d rather save it. 

C) Keeping track of what I spend money on is not my strong suit. 

D) I spend money on my loved ones and favorite causes. 

5. If you had 100 million dollars, what would you do with it?

A) I would go all out! Buy a house and a new car, go on a huge vacation.

B) I’d put it towards my retirement and kids’ college funds. 

C) 100 million dollars? That’s way more money than I’d ever need!

D) I’d love to help out my community in some way.

6. Thrift shopping – yay or nay?

A) Absolutely! I can buy even more when I go thrifting.

B) Thrift shopping is a great way to find nice clothes at a fantastic price.

C) Sure, why not? I think it’s fun to thrift. 

D) I go thrifting and find gifts for my friends all the time.  

7. If you were an animal, which one would you be?

A) Probably a crow. I see something special and I just have to grab it. 

B) I would be a beaver. They like security, so they build their own homes.

C) The sloth is actually a very cool creature, because it’s so laid back.  

D) A golden retriever! They’re super friendly to everyone!

8. When you grocery shop, are you a coupon clipper?

A) I do. With coupons, I save so I can spend that money on other things. 

B) Of course I do! It saves me money that I can use for a rainy day.

C) I just wing it and go for the sales in the store. 

D) I share coupons with my neighbors so we can all get the best deals on what we want.  

9. How do you feel about your financial future?

A) I’m not sure about the future, because I focus on the present. 

B) I think about the future a lot. Sometimes I forget to stop and smell the roses.

C) As long as my bank account has money, that’s all I really focus on.   

D) My financial future is bright because my community will always support me in times of need.

10. One last question: coffee or tea?

A) Coffee, finely crafted using this French press I just bought. 

B) Tea! I like taking a few minutes to think while the tea is steeping.

C) Either. I don’t really have a preference.  

D) I always have iced tea at home for visitors. 

All finished? Ok, tally the number of A’s, B’s, C’s and D’s you got. Once you’ve done that, see your results below. 

If you answered mostly A’s:

You’re a Savvy Spender and enthusiastic about the value of a dollar. For you, a purchase is a little more than just “buying things”. It’s about investing in something worthwhile that will add to your life, whether it’s a new winter coat or a French press. You live in the moment when it comes to your finances, sometimes sacrificing the future in terms of saving. You may also need to be cautious about being too impulsive about your spending. With a little balance, you can get the most out of your economic habits. 

If you answered mostly B’s:

Well, hello there, Super Saver! You’re a guru when it comes to squirreling away your well-earned dollars. Always on the lookout for the best deals and discounts, you’re a master when it comes to thrifting and coupon clipping. Plus, you have savings tucked away for a rainy day or emergencies. When it comes to personal financial planning, meeting long term financial goals is one of your strengths. If there’s something you desire, such as a fund for home improvement, you set your objective and work hard to put money away. Your kryptonite, however, is that you can be a little too frugal at times. It’s ok to splurge now and again. 

If you answered mostly C’s:

The Impartial Investor is a bit different. Instead of spending or saving, the Impartial Investor’s trademark is believing that money is not really a big deal. Your attitude is very go-with-the flow. As long as you have cash in your bank account to cover your expenses, you feel you’re pretty well off. This way of handling certainly has its merits because it keeps you down-to-earth about your finances. The drawback is that you don’t monitor your money as closely as you should. You can certainly organize your finances, which will help you both in the present and the future, while still keeping your laid-back attitude. 

If you answered mostly D’s:

Last but certainly not least is the Superb Sharer. You believe in showing gratitude and giving abundantly in life. You do this by being very financially generous. Constantly buying gifts for loved ones, giving out small loans to friends, and donating to causes you believe in are all things you do regularly and with joy. And if you have it to give, why not share? Just be sure to reserve enough for yourself. After all, if your tank – or bank account – is not full, you definitely won’t have enough for yourself, much less for everyone else.

Go the Extra Mile

Well, now that you’ve explored your financial personality in more detail, hopefully you have a better grasp of where you are. And ideally you have some ideas on how you can make some improvements. Because the best part of knowing more about your financial personality is understanding where you can grow. That way, you can fully take advantage of opportunities to enhance your economic style. Whether that’s learning how to save for a rainy day or keeping a budget, you can go the extra mile to become financially stronger.