Psychology says adults who feel guilty spending money on themselves learned these 7 things growing up that wealthy people never experienced - Silicon Canals

"Ever catch yourself standing in a store, holding something you genuinely want, only to put it back because that familiar knot forms in your stomach? You know the one-that creeping guilt that whispers you don't really need it, that you should save the money instead, that spending on yourself somehow makes you selfish or irresponsible. I used to think everyone felt this way about money."

"It wasn't until I started interviewing people from vastly different economic backgrounds for my work that I realized something profound: wealthy people rarely experience this guilt. Not because they're morally inferior or more materialistic, but because they learned fundamentally different lessons about money growing up. After diving into psychological research and conducting countless interviews, I've identified seven specific beliefs that those of us who struggle with spending guilt absorbed during childhood-beliefs that people raised with financial security simply never encountered."

"1) Money was always running out Growing up, did you ever hear phrases like "money doesn't grow on trees" or watch your parents stress about bills at the kitchen table? For many of us, scarcity wasn't just a concept-it was the backdrop of our childhood. We learned that resources were finite, precarious, and could disappear at any moment. This creates what psychologists call a "scarcity mindset," which research from Science magazine shows actually changes how our brains process financial decisions."

Interviews across economic backgrounds and psychological research identify seven childhood beliefs that predispose people to spending guilt. A primary belief is that money was always running out, reinforced by phrases like "money doesn't grow on trees" and parental stress about bills. This scarcity mindset alters brain processing of financial choices, making every purchase feel like a threat to security. In contrast, those raised with financial security internalize abundance lessons and feel comfortable spending on themselves. The differing early lessons explain why wealthier individuals often lack spending guilt while others experience chronic anxiety around buying for personal enjoyment.

Read at Silicon Canals