Discover Your Money Personality

Understanding your money personality can greatly impact how you manage finances. Each personality has its strengths and weaknesses, and recognizing them can help develop a more balanced and effective approach to financial management. The five money personalities are: the Shopper, the Saver, the Big Spender, the Investor, and the Debtor. We talked with a few of our employees to create this 5-part series. This month, we are featuring the Shopper Personality.

Money Personality: The Shopper

Shoppers are known to develop great emotional satisfaction from spending money and can buy things they don’t need. Coulee Bank employee, Kayla Stuhr says, “I am a cautious shopper and spender with taste.” Here are her two cents on what that means. She writes:
I’ve got one foot in “treat yourself” and the other in “let me check my account first.” I love feeling secure, but I also value experiences, aesthetics, and little joys. Of course, I’m not reckless—I just want a balance between living now and preparing for later. Because being financially responsible is the new glow-up.

Here are my personalized tips to help you thrive.

1. Build a “Fun Fund”
You’re happiest when you don’t have to feel guilty for spending. Set up a separate account just for fun purchases—coffee dates, candles, Target hauls, concert tix. This gives your spontaneous side space to play, while your saver side still feels in control.

2. Use the 24-Hour Rule (for Big Buys)
If something is over $75 (or whatever your limit is), give it 24 hours. If you still want it? Get it. If not? That’s money saved, and you avoid regret.

3. Automate Your Stability
Put your savings, bills, and investments on autopilot so you don’t have to think about them. That way, your default behavior becomes “responsible” without extra stress.

4. Give Yourself Grace
You don’t have to be all-in or all-out. Some months are for stacking cash, others are for living life. The key is intentionality, not perfection.

5. Celebrate Little Wins
Whether it’s skipping a takeout order or finding a deal on something you were already going to buy, give yourself a moment to feel like a money genius. Because you are.

6. Curve Impulse Buying
Often, while I’m doom-scrolling before bed, I’ll see items that pique my interest (my targeted ads are spot on!) To give me that dopamine boost while being realistic, I will add items to my cart, admire and adore my finds, then close my browser tab! Emphasis on do not click to checkout. 
Thank you, Kayla, for sharing insights into your Shopper Personality. Next month, we will feature the Saver Personality.