Your Money Story: The Sneaky Reason You Spend the Way You Do

Pour yourself a cuppa, because we’re about to get a little bit deep — in the nicest, least-boring way possible.

Here’s something most finance folks won’t tell you: the way you handle money today has almost nothing to do with spreadsheets, willpower, or how “good with numbers” you are. It started way earlier than your first payslip — back when you were a kid, quietly soaking up everything the adults around you did (and didn’t) say about money.

That, my friend, is your money story. And once you can see it, everything starts to make a lot more sense.

So, what actually is a “money story”?

Your money story is the collection of beliefs, memories and feelings you picked up about money before you ever had any of your own. It’s the background music that’s been playing your whole life — so familiar you don’t even notice it’s there.

Maybe you grew up hearing “money doesn’t grow on trees” at every turn. Maybe there was tension at the kitchen table whenever a bill landed. Maybe money was never spoken about at all.

None of it was your fault. But all of it stuck.

How your money story shows up today

Fast-forward a few decades and that childhood soundtrack is still calling the shots — usually without your permission. It might sound like…

• The over-spender: “I never got treats as a kid, so now I say yes to everything.”
• The over-saver: “We nearly lost the house once, so I can’t relax unless there’s a buffer the size of a small country.”
• The avoider: “Money felt scary growing up, so I just don’t look at my bank balance.”
• The ‘I’m bad with money’ believer: “Someone once told me I was hopeless with cash, and I’ve worn it like a name badge ever since.”

Sound familiar? Same. And for the record — I spent 25 years in the finance industry and still spent my twenties avoiding my bank balance like an awkward text. Your money story doesn’t care how many qualifications you’ve got.

Why this matters more than any budget

You can download every budgeting app under the sun, but if your money story is quietly whispering “you’ll never be good at this” in the background, none of it sticks. We end up blaming ourselves for a “willpower problem” when it was never about willpower at all.

Understanding your money story is the difference between white-knuckling your finances… and actually feeling calm and in control.

Three questions to start uncovering yours

Grab a notebook (or the back of an envelope — no judgment) and have a go at these:

1. What’s your earliest memory of money? Not the “right” answer — the first one that pops up.
2. What did the people who raised you believe about money? Was it scarce? Stressful? Never discussed?
3. Finish this sentence: “People like me are ______ with money.” Whatever word you filled in is a clue.

You don’t need to fix anything yet. Just noticing is powerful.

The best bit: you get to rewrite it

Your money story was written for you, by other people, a long time ago. But you’re the author now — and you’re allowed to grab the pen.

You’re not “bad with money.” You were just never taught this properly, by someone who wasn’t talking down to you. That’s the whole reason The Money Brew exists — money chat that feels like a coffee catch-up, not a telling-off.

Ready to rewrite your money story?

My free guide, Brew Your Money Story, walks you through it in one comfy coffee break — part mindset makeover, zero boring worksheets. Grab the free guide here ☕ →

Go on — your future self (and your bank balance) will thank you. x