What Hidden Money Beliefs Are Secretly Holding You Back From Your Wealth Building Goals

Ever wonder why money decisions that make perfect sense to you might completely puzzle someone else? The answer often lies in what financial psychologist Dr. Brad Klontz calls "Money Scripts.” Money Scripts are the unconscious beliefs about money that drive your financial behaviors, often without you even realizing it.

Dr. Klontz, co-founder of the Financial Psychology Institute and Associate Professor at Creighton University, has spent years researching how your earliest experiences with money can shape your adult financial life. His research has identified four distinct patterns of money beliefs that influence everything from how you save and spend to how you feel about wealth and success.

What’s the big deal? Well, for starters, it’s proof you're not broken if you struggle with money. Your financial behaviors make perfect sense when viewed through the lens of your underlying beliefs. But patterns can be changed. The key is identifying which scripts are running in the background and taking the small steps to change your mind, literally!

What are money scripts?

Money Scripts are unconscious beliefs you hold about money that are typically developed during childhood. Your family’s relationship with money may have had a huge impact on your life and how you see the world. These beliefs operate outside your conscious awareness, yet they drive your financial actions, even when those actions aren't in your best interest.

Think of them as the invisible rulebook you've been following your entire financial life. Maybe you learned "money doesn't grow on trees," or "rich people are greedy," or "there's never enough." These sayings become the foundation of how you approach every financial decision.

These scripts, fascinatingly, can often contradict each other. You might simultaneously believe "money corrupts people" while also thinking "things would get better if I had more money." This internal conflict can create significant financial stress and self-sabotage.

The four money scripts

Through extensive research, Dr. Klontz identified four primary Money Scripts that shape financial behaviors:

Money avoidance

If you identify with Money Avoidance, you likely experience feelings of fear, guilt, disgust, or anxiety around money. You might find it difficult to accept gifts from others or feel uncomfortable discussing finances. There's often a deep-seated belief that rich people are greedy or that having money somehow makes you a bad person.

Common Money Avoidance beliefs include "I don't deserve a lot of money when others have less than me," "Rich people are greedy," "Good people should not care about money," and "Money corrupts people."

How this shows up: You might undercharge for your services, avoid negotiating salary increases, or feel guilty about spending money on yourself. You may also find yourself giving money away to ease feelings of guilt about having it.

Money worship

Money Worship is the belief that money equals freedom and that more money will always make life better. If this is your primary script, you likely think that financial problems would disappear if you just had more money, and you may believe that money can solve relationship or personal issues.

Common Money Worship beliefs include "Things would get better if I had more money," "Money would solve all my problems," "I will never be able to afford the things I really want in life," and "Money will give me the opportunities I need to be happy."

How this shows up: You might work excessive hours chasing higher income, accumulate debt trying to maintain a lifestyle you can't afford, or feel constant anxiety about not having "enough" money, regardless of how much you actually have.

Money status

Money Status scripts drive you to use money as a way to display success and gain social approval. You may prioritize outward displays of wealth and link your identity closely to your financial achievements or possessions.

Common Money Status beliefs include "It is important to look successful," "People are more respected if they make a lot of money," "I will not buy something unless it is new," and "If something is not considered the 'best,' it is not worth buying."

How this shows up: You might overspend on luxury items to impress others, feel embarrassed about driving an older car or living in a modest home, or base major life decisions on how they'll look to others rather than what's best for your financial health.

Money vigilance

Money Vigilance involves being extremely cautious and secretive about money. If this is your dominant script, you likely believe that money should be saved rather than spent and that you should work hard for every dollar you earn.

Common Money Vigilance beliefs include "Money should be saved, not spent," "It is important to save for a rainy day," "People should work for their money and not be given financial handouts," and "It is wrong for people to ask me for money."

How this shows up: You might have difficulty enjoying money even when you can afford to spend it, feel excessive worry about your financial future despite having adequate savings, or struggle to be generous with others due to fears of financial insecurity.

Understanding your money scripts

An important thing to remember is that everyone has elements of multiple scripts, and no script is entirely good or bad. For example, Money Vigilance can help you build wealth, but when taken to an extreme, it can prevent you from enjoying your life. Similarly, Money Worship can motivate you to work hard, but it can also lead to workaholism or debt.

The goal isn't to eliminate your Money Scripts. It's to become aware of them so you can make more conscious financial decisions. When you understand why you react certain ways to money situations, you can begin to choose responses that align with your true financial goals rather than your unconscious fears or beliefs.

Taking the first step toward financial awareness

Awareness is the beginning of change. Identifying your Money Scripts won't automatically fix problematic financial behaviors, but it's an essential first step toward building a healthier relationship with money.

Start by taking the Klontz Money Script Test to identify your primary scripts. Even more importantly, pay attention to your emotional reactions around money. When do you feel stressed, guilty, or anxious about a financial decision? What beliefs are driving those feelings?

Your Money Scripts were developed for good reasons. They helped you navigate your early experiences with money. But scripts that served you as a child may not serve your adult financial goals. By bringing these unconscious beliefs into the light, you can start making financial choices that reflect who you are today and the life you want to create. Understanding your Money Scripts is the first step toward taking control of your financial future and building a healthy, peaceful relationship with money.