Attitudes surrounding money should never be underestimated. Positive or negative money attitudes are vital to the way any couple successfully handles money, and to the way you relate to life in general.
This quiz asks for responses to 10 statements based on your partner’s money attitudes. The exercise may provide guidance concerning your partner’s compatibility as a person with a healthy attitude towards money and debt. In taking this quiz, you may discover things not only about your partner’s attitude toward money, but the attitude you, yourself hold towards money. It is important to be completely frank in answering the questions to the best of your understanding.
For the following, then, please answer statements as you think they apply to your partner. Think honestly about your partner’s disposition, and answer according to that point of view. At the end of the quiz, you can tally points for a general idea of your partner’s compatibility as a good mate for handling money and for making smart decisions to avoid debt.
1) My partner thinks a budget limits a couple’s flexibility in dealing with money matters.
○ Strongly disagree
○ Disagree
○ Unsure
○ Agree
○ Strongly agree
2) My partner thinks debt problems usually result from not having enough money rather than how the money is used.
○ Strongly disagree
○ Disagree
○ Unsure
○ Agree
○ Strongly agree
3) My partner believes that money can solve most problems.
○ Strongly disagree
○ Disagree
○ Unsure
○ Agree
○ Strongly agree
4) My partner feels inadequate to others who have more money.
○ Strongly disagree
○ Disagree
○ Unsure
○ Agree
○ Strongly agree
5) My partner feels more important than others who have less money.
○ Strongly disagree
○ Disagree
○ Unsure
○ Agree
○ Strongly agree
6) My partner feels the need to buy things in order to impress other people.
○ Strongly disagree
○ Disagree
○ Unsure
○ Agree
○ Strongly agree
7) My partner has difficulty making decisions about spending regardless of the amount spent.
○ Strongly disagree
○ Disagree
○ Unsure
○ Agree
○ Strongly agree
8) My partner believes that regular, open communication about money is not necessary.
○ Strongly disagree
○ Disagree
○ Unsure
○ Agree
○ Strongly agree
9) My partner thinks couples should have separate bank accounts, and that details of the accounts don’t always need to be shared.
○ Strongly disagree
○ Disagree
○ Unsure
○ Agree
○ Strongly agree
10) My partner thinks children’s wants should always come first.
○ Strongly disagree
○ Disagree
○ Unsure
○ Agree
○ Strongly agree
Okay, that concludes the quiz. Let’s take a moment to discuss the results, which are based on a formula that ascribes points to answers as follows:
• Strongly disagree = 1
• Disagree = 2
• Unsure = 3
• Agree = 4
• Strongly agree = 5
Tally your score and compare it to the following:
1 to 10 - Strongly compatible
10 to 20 - Compatible
20 to 30 - Somewhat incompatible
30 to 40 - Incompatible
40 to 50 - Strongly incompatible
Take heart if your partner’s financial compatibility level is less than ideal. It is not the end of the world. It is merely a general indication of money strengths and weaknesses, which may require some work and your loving support of one another as a couple.
If you and your partner are constantly experiencing money and budgeting problems, you should seek guidance from a professionally qualified credit counsellor.
* Blog content provided through the support of platinum sponsors of Credit Education Week Canada’s Focus Magazine.
