Your 'Money Personality' Says A Lot About How You Spend

Understanding your personal relationship with money can be difficult. It's a complex tool that unlocks many aspects of our lifestyles, and certain aspects are less clear than others. In January 2026, Steph Wagner wrote for CNBC Make It about the six "money personalities" she has encountered in her work as a financial advisor. Among these six money personalities, many consumers might find pieces of themselves in a few buckets. Everyone is unique, and it's unsurprising to find a bit of crossover, but these general categories can help you determine the overarching type of consumer you might be. Importantly, knowing this can help you counteract some of the weaknesses that type might be susceptible to.

One money personality type, for instance, is "the Skeptic.'" These individuals suffer from a financial bout of imposter syndrome. They feel that chasing after increased wealth is something only vapid or rich people do, and as a result, they often leave opportunities on the table. They don't want to be seen as or feel greedy, and they don't already have enough financial heft to pursue the same kinds of money moves and investment strategies that wealthy people often leverage. This can leave them falling behind on things like retirement savings, emergency reserve building, and more. In addition to the Skeptic, other money personalities include Penny Pinchers, Trailblazers, Givers, High Rollers, and Avoiders, who shy away from budgeting and other financial tasks.

The term "penny pincher" doesn't always evoke negative thoughts. It's a good thing to be frugal with your money, after all. But Penny Pinchers, while diligent savers, often miss the boat when considering big decisions involving their finances. Wagner notes that "typically, they are debt- and risk-adverse and fear losing it all, which can cause them to miss out on opportunities to effectively grow their wealth or benefit from valuable experiences."

Individuals with a Penny Pincher personality type are always thinking about the stability of their finances, sometimes to detrimental extremes. The 50/30/20 budgeting framework is a great example of a balanced savings approach that aims to direct 20% of your net pay toward debt repayment and savings goals. Penny pinchers will have little to no debt looming over them, so much — if not all — of this allocation will pour into savings accounts; however, many end up letting these categories bleed together, limiting spending power on everyday essentials or other important purchases like wardrobe updates. 

Some people who subscribe to this financial line of thinking might be part of the FIRE movement. These are individuals who save as much as they can and limit their spending to an extreme degree in order to retire decades ahead of schedule. Unfortunately, part of the reality of retiring in your 30s is a decision to trade away free time and experiences like collegiate years as a young person. Similarly, you'll likely be limited in your financial mobility after quitting the rat race, since tools like Social Security remain unavailable for decades. On both ends of your working life, a penny-pinching lifestyle can be exhausting and even a little boring.

The Trailblazer is a money management archetype that's all in on finding the next best thing, ideally before others stumble upon it. They're entrepreneurial in their pursuits, whether in the business world or as investors. The are confident risk takers who are searching for game-changing opportunities. They take their research seriously and always look to beat the pack to trends in the marketplace. Trailblazers are critical thinkers with an eye for detail and an adventurous spirit that helps them succeed in developing new and exciting opportunities.

Within the market, risk-tolerant traders might look for penny stocks on the upswing. These may be companies returning from a bankruptcy restructuring, or startups that are new to the market and may be pioneering some kind of new technology. Penny stocks, as a whole, offer the potential for massive gains, but also come with a significant risk of total insolvency. Momentum trading is another common strategy that these kinds of investors might utilize. It's a high-risk approach to high-density trading, in which investors focus on stocks already performing well. They try to buy the market sentiment on its upswing and sell before the market starts to view the asset as overvalued.

Wagner notes that Trailblazers are well-positioned to find and utilize opportunities, gaps in the market, and dense datapoints to their advantage. But she adds that "managing [the wealth they create] requires a much different skill set ... By recognizing your limitations and leveraging the expertise of others, you can maximize the potential of your hard-earned money." If you identify with this personality type, getting advice from a qualified financial professional is your key to success. 

Wagner notes that people with the Giver personality type have "a heart of gold and a generous spirit." They're quick to act when a friend or loved one is in need, including offering financial support. They're donors and lenders, but this generosity can lead to overspending on things outside the Giver's budgetary needs. Givers may end up stretching themselves thin and losing sight of their personal goals. This can lead to frustrations and even resentment of the close friends and family members they've helped in the past, especially if that support isn't reciprocated when the shoe is on the other foot.

Givers can become financially unstable over time, missing out on their savings needs and lacking the funds to support their occasional splurges or big-spending desires. A 2019 Bankrate study found that 61% of older Americans had or were actively tapping their retirement savings to help support adult children. The trend hasn't slowed much in the years since. In 2025, Savings.com found that 50% of Americans with adult children regularly provide financial support, with an average of $1,474 flowing to each of their loved ones monthly. Moreover, 23% offer assistance with no terms or conditions attached to the gift. It can be hard for anyone to say no when a loved one asks for financial help, but Givers will often feel particularly guilty when denying support. Setting realistic boundaries and maintaining your own financial stability before reaching into your pocket to help someone else is a rational and reasonable thing to do. 

The High Roller is a money personality that can easily be swayed by outside factors. Emotions rule the day for these individuals, and Wagner notes that they "... live for the moment! Fancy things light them up. Saving for the future? Not so much." Those who are primarily contained within this money personality are susceptible to heightened debt loads, splurge spending, and things that deliver instant gratification over sustained value and long-term benefits.

Slickdeals found in 2022 that the average American spends $314 per month on impulse purchases. Of the survey's respondents, 73% also noted that most of their routine purchases were spontaneous rather than carefully planned action items on a budget. In the same vein, Wagner notes that an internal quest to understand your emotional states is key to reigning in unchecked impulse spending. 

In another study from 2021, MIT's Sloan School found that using credit cards to make purchases, in particular, creates a mental feedback loop akin to "step[ping] on the gas, driving more spending." This is such a potent force multiplier that credit card users can find themselves spending as much as double what they would've spent had they made cash payments. Therefore, a simple change like moving to the use of all cash for your transactions or passing all your spending through a budgeting app can help turn the tide if you find yourself behind the eight ball as a High Roller.

Among the more problematic money personalities outlined by Wagner is the Avoider. Avoiders are anxious about their standing, and they frequently choose not to look at their bank accounts and investment portfolios out of fear that they're doing it wrong. Avoiders may end up in greater debt than others because they put off handling a manageable bill or balance until it grows out of control. They also miss out on investment and saving opportunities because they may not know what to do, and so they simply shut down on even basic money management tasks.

Wagner suggests that Avoiders should act now to alter their path. "The more they avoid their situation, the more anxious they become," she warns. This may be a far more common archetype than most would like to admit. About 70% of Americans say they're stressed about their personal finances, according to a 2023 CNBC survey. Avoiding the problem is the easiest course of action. This behavior can manifest in small ways, like leaving a letter briefly unopened, or in large ways, like failing to call your credit card issuer out of fear or embarrassment if you get behind on payments. Regardless of what you're facing, one of the most powerful tools at your disposal is the creation of an emergency fund. Prioritizing even a small cash buffer can give you the headspace you need to think clearly about your next steps, building a strategic approach to recovery and minimizing the urge to avoid hardships as they arise.