https://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/how-to-talk-about-money/ Wed, 30 Jul 2025 12:06:40 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.3 https://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/how-to-talk-about-money/#comment-11006 Wed, 30 Jul 2025 12:06:40 +0000 https://www.thegoodtrade.com/?p=63945#comment-11006 Having grown up in relative poverty as a child and always feeling like the “poor” kid, followed by becoming a single parent following a divorce, I have always felt very ashamed about my lack of money. It drives you underground as you don`t want to admit to anyone that you don`t have any, and you end up going into more debt to almost hide the fact that you can`t afford to join in, or go places others are.
Having worked very hard, I am now in a comfortable place, but do still suffer from scarcity issues.
It was refreshing recently to hear some younger friends talking about implementing a period of austerity to help raise money for their new home. They are proud that they are actively not spending and not ashamed to talk about it either.
My own children are much more open about money than I ever was, and I actively encourage this with them. I know they share with their peer groups too and they discuss savings accounts, and credit card deals etc
A lack of money developed into a secretive shameful mindset for me, but it is good to hear that others are now talking about it openly.

]]> https://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/how-to-talk-about-money/#comment-11005 Wed, 30 Jul 2025 11:21:33 +0000 https://www.thegoodtrade.com/?p=63945#comment-11005 I love this so much, thank you for sharing it. I was brought up by solid working class parents who were quite conservative and whose favourite phrase when it came to money was “don’t ask don’t tell”. What they earned and spent was considered top secret and I never learned about money until I left school and muddled through university. The idea of an open and shared approach to money matters would be anathema to them. But why?! If it’s shrouded in secrecy how will we ever develop a healthy relationship to money management? Only now, since my dad passed earlier this year, has my mum opened up about her finances, very late in her life. I’m going to approach a couple of my close friends and see if they would be interested in opening a dialogue about this. Thank you again.

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