1. Activity Sheet:
Your Relationship With Money
NAME: Tiffany Malcolm
Your Relationship with Money
Getting a handle on money anxiety starts with an honest examination of how you relate to it.
BUILD BASIC SKILLS. Analyze yourself as a money manager. Look back to Key 11.1 on page 297
for a description of what influences how people handle money. Make notes about your personal
specifics in the following areas.
I most value spending money on . . . my family. My kids are constantly growing so my money
goes to clothes, baby diapers, shoes. I rarely spend my money on myself.
As a money manager, I would describe myself as . . .frugal. I don’t spend money unless I have
to, and when I do spend money I will go places that has sales, or somewhere I can use a
coupon.
My culture tends to view money as . . .prize individual accumulation. My culture likes to show
off they have money, sometimes they spend money they can’t even afford to spend. My culture
seem like they have to have the latest in things whatever the cost may be without thinking
twice.
In handling money, my family and friends tend to . . .Most of my family and friends seem to
save money for raining days and emergencies. We still go out from time to time but the
majority of our cash is spent on family necessities or savings.
TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL. Generate ideas about what you want to do with your money. If you had
enough money for your expenses and then some, what would you do with the extra? Would you save
it,spend it, or do a little of both? Imagine what you would do if you had an extra $10,000 to spend this
year. Describe your plan here:
__ If I had an extra 10,000 I would save it automatically because next year summer I would
like to move. So that would be a down deposit and a few months’ rent. I would pay for my
kids daycare for a couple of months also. Pay the lights, gas and cable bill for about 6
months so any money I did make with my actual paycheck I could use on things we need or if
I want to take my kids out somewhere.
MOVE TOWARD MASTERY. Look for practical ways to move toward the scenario you
imagined. Realistically, how can you make that $10,000 a reality? You may need to change how
you operate as a money manager. You may need to make some sacrifices in the short term.
Come up with two specific plans here about changes and sacrifices that will move you toward

2. your goal.
1. _ I am already making sacrifices so I believe the only thing else I could be able to do is try to
work more hours.
2. _ Try to use less when it comes to utilities so the bills are lower and I do not have to spend
so much money on those bills.
Part II
Answer the Following Questions:
1. Nearly 3 out of 4 people in the U.S. cite money as the top stressor in their lives.
Do you spend now or save for the future?
-I use to spend now but since I have kids now and me and my boyfriend are planning to get
married I have taught myself to plan for the future, because I don’t want to have to struggle
all my life especially when my kids get older and they will need more going into high school
and college.
2. How good are you at differentiating between needs and wants and on prioritizing needs?
-I am very good on prioritizing my needs from my wants. A roof over my head, food on the
plates, lights and gas on, clothes on my family back and gas to make to work to make
money are all I need, everything else is things I feel we can live without until we have extra
cash to spend I few do feel the person needs it.
3. Everyone has a weak spot; some people like new clothes, others like fancy restaurants.
What can you do to make financial sacrifices seem worth your feelings of deprivation?
4. – When I save up and there is something that my kids want and I am finally able to buy it,
the smile on their faces make everything I wanted but choose not to have worthwhile
because to me my kids are my everything and they deserve the best no matter what.
When you put these ideas to work, save or invest the money to reach for your goal.
CHAPTER 11: Managing Money