Gary Chapman wrote an international bestseller in 1992 titled The Five Love Languages: How to Express Heartfelt Commitment to Your Mate. He writes about the five ways to express and experience love between romantic partners which he calls “love languages.” They are gift giving, quality time, words of affirmation, acts of service and physical touch. Over the years, there have been a few variations of this book and the most interesting one I’ve found is the personal finance spin. Tarra Jackson from The Patch wrote the following in her 2014 article:
Financial Love languages are identified by behaviors that represent individual financial value systems. By understanding these behaviors, couples can improve communication and establish a collective financial value system. The four Financial Love Languages are Saving, Giving, Investing and Spending.
- Saving is not only an action of financial security, but for some it is an act of fear or control.
- Givers have a philanthropist heart.
- The Investor takes relative risks and enjoys watching their money grow
- Spending deals directly with the “Pleasure Principle.”
I recently came across a very interesting blog post in Mint life regarding love languages and how they affect your finances. The flow chart they created will help you discover your love language and they provide tips on how to use that to craft a better relationship with money. It may help you as well, as we wrap up the month of love.
