What Type of Spender Are You?

We all spend money, but the way we spend it can actually vary by personality type. In fact, your money habits are intrinsically linked to your other personality traits, and we all have our own ‘money story’ that speaks to the reasons behind why we are the way we are with our dollar.

There’s no one right way to manage your money, and ultimately you’ve got to do what’s right for you, your budget and your spending personality. But, getting to know more about that spending personality can help you find financial strategies that suit you. Check out these four spending personalities and see which you identify with the most.

The Frugal Fairy is a budgeting hero. They love a bargain, aren’t afraid to haggle, and really only splash any cash when it’s something they need, or have heavily researched to get the absolute best price possible. They rarely spend on non-essentials, and when they do, it’s often on special or discounted.

The good: The Frugal Fairy is never left fretting over balancing their budget, and they’re generally super smart with money, ensuring their savings balance is always on the up!

The bad: The downside to being a Frugal Fairy is they can find it tough to spend on things that’ll pay off in the long run. Whether it’s higher quality clothing or getting into mortgage debt to buy a property, some Frugal Fairies struggle with parting ways with their cash. Great for saving, less for wealth creation.

Sir/Ms Splurge-A-Lot is our classic big spender. The Splurge-A-Lots might have what they call ‘expensive taste’, and find it hard to keep hold of their cash because income burns a hole in their pocket. Well, bank account. But, that’s not to say Splurge-A-Lots can’t be great budgeters, savers and investors – quite the contrary. They just simply need to keep an eye on their spending, diarise regular reviews of their budget, and ensure they’re allocating their money to the things they love, rather than splurging for the sake of it.

The good: The Splurge-A-Lots never struggle to spend, which can make them great investors with a greater appetite for risk and/or a greater ability to part with their cash for future gain. They’re also more comfortable splashing out on long term value by buying higher quality, instead of always looking for the bargain.

The bad: Unsurprisingly, there are some pitfalls that Splurge-A-Lots often run into. Without careful attention to their spending habits, they can find themselves splurging more than they’ve budgeted for, or transferring from savings to make bigger purchases regularly. Splurge-A-Lots may also use credit to fund their splurges, which could impact their credit score .

Leaky Larrys aren’t big splurgers and may seek value and discounts in the same way as a Frugal Fairy. But, Leaky Larrys aren’t very on top of their money, and are often left wondering where all their cash went by the time payday rolls around. Money leaks out of their lives due to disorganisation, habit spending and mindless purchases, leaving them with not much to show for their hard earned dollars.

The good: The good news for Leaky Larrys is they’ve not got a big splurging problem that needs to be rectified. With some attention to detail and boundaries put in place, Leaky Larrys can plug their leaks very quickly, and start funnelling that leaky cash into a savings or investment account with little to no impact on their lifestyles.

The bad: Unlike the Splurge-A-Lots, Leaky Larry doesn’t even have much to show for his spending, making this one of the most frustrating financial personalities to identify with. If leaks aren’t identified early, they can cost Leaky Larrys big in the long term.

Discerning Daisys are financial powerhouses. They’re discerning in their spending and rarely run into problems with mindless purchases, but they maintain their ability to spend when it’s beneficial to do so. Purchases are well thought-out, savings accounts well organised, and there’s generally an overarching financial strategy in place with a longer term view than simply the next overseas trip. They’ll keep on top of their credit score, interest rates and fees without becoming obsessive, and have a great state of awareness about where they’re at financially.

The good: Discerning Daisys maintain the ability to be proactive with their money, while also reacting to slip ups well. This makes for a well-rounded approach to finances, that balances spending and saving without sacrificing lifestyle goals.

The bad: None! Be a Discerning Daisy!

Want to be more Discerning Daisy and less Leaky Larry or Sir Splurge-A-Lot? Start by checking your credit score and report with ClearScore. By checking your credit report, you can see what you're doing right or what spending habits you can change to improve your credit score.