money scripts
Unconscious beliefs about money formed in childhood that drive adult financial behaviour.
Example
“Her money script that rich people are greedy was keeping her from pursuing higher income.”
Memory Tip
SCRIPTS — lines learned as a child still being performed as an adult.
Why It Matters
Money scripts shape how you earn, spend, save, and invest throughout your life, often without your conscious awareness. Understanding these deeply ingrained beliefs is essential because they directly influence your financial decisions, from whether you pursue higher income to how you handle debt and retirement planning.
Common Misconception
People often think money scripts are simply conscious financial habits they can change through willpower alone. In reality, these are unconscious beliefs formed during childhood that require awareness and deliberate work to identify and reshape, not just surface-level behavior changes.
In Practice
A person whose parents struggled financially might unconsciously believe that money is scarce and dangerous, leading them to hoard $50,000 in a low-interest savings account rather than investing it, even though they earn $100,000 annually and could comfortably invest $20,000 without affecting their emergency fund.
Etymology
Coined by financial therapist Brad Klontz — scripts running in the background.
Common Misspellings
Build a budget and track your spending
Related Terms
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See Also
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