The Money Archetypes driving your life
Using real life client examples
Which of the 8 Money Archetypes do you hvae?
Have you ever wondered why you’re a spender or a saver? A planner or an avoider? An investor or a gambler? Stressful or peaceful related to your finances?
Have you ever noticed some financial patterns you can’t get rid of? Impulsive shopping? Delaying paying your bills until the last minute? Forgetting paying off your credit card? Overly generous with your friends? Expecting your partner to bail you out? Not planning for your old age?
Yes?
Well you aren’t alone.
Your Money Archetype is governing your financial decisions without you even realising it. In other words, you’re on autopilot regarding your finances.
Most of us fall into several of these 8 money archetypes, kind of like the Enneagram or the MBTI where we have different traits.
The money archetypes are NOT set in stone. This is just how you're behaving regarding money at a specific time, which means we can evolve - if and only if we want to.
In fact, I had an Innocent-Creator/Artist type before evolving to the tryptic of Victim-Tyrant-Fool type, who has finally turned into a Warrior-Magician type. So I'm a living proof that yes, we can change if we put our minds to it, and if we take the right actions.
It's a simple way to understand your relationship with money and what the challenges are.
Let’s dive into the 8 money archetypes using different real life clients personal experiences (don't worry, I've changed their names to keep things anonymous).
The Innocent
Zoe, 35 years old, is a professional “should”. She told me she knows she should be financially planning for herself, for her family and for her future, that she should not avoid logging into her bank app, but nope, she is not doing anything.
Zoe had an Innocent archetype. She avoid her finances like a plague. She buries her head into the sand, even though deep down she knows that her problems will not magically disappear, but she tries to push them away as long as possible, as long as that alarm bell isn't ringing,
The primary fear of Innocents is abandonment. Zoe's spent her whole life searching for that saviour, that knight in shining financial armour, to swoop in and rescue her from her money worries, until she realised he doesn’t exist. She has since worked on her fear of abandonment. She is now claiming her own power back, and reasserting her own capabilities to become fully independent, taking one step at a time.
The Victim
Silvia, 41 years old, is kind of a walking paradox. On one hand, she's got this major chip on her shoulder about her past. But on the other, she's also weirdly grateful for the success she's managed to achieve in her career. Yet, Silvia just can't seem to let go of all that baggage. She constantly takes one step forward, then three steps back. She is very hard on others, which is a reflection on how she treats herself.
Silvia had a Victim archetype. Her parents didn’t pay for her university even though they totally could have, which has started her long debt journey. She knows how to hold grudges even though she doesn’t necessarily show it on the surface.
The primary fear of Victims is betrayal. She was pissed at her parents, her siblings, even her spouse, for not living up to her sky-high expectations. That resentment has just eaten her alive, until she learn how to let go of her past. These days, Silvia is learning to transform all those excuses into actual action. She is now taking full responsibility for who she is - and who she wants to become.
The Martyr
Matt, 55 years old, is a father of 4. He’s the main breadwinner, and he’s a high achiever. When he’s not working, he runs home to cook and spend quality time with his family. He’s a perfectionist, trying to make everything flawless both at work and at home.
Matt has a Martyr archetype. He’s a classic giver, always putting everyone else first. But the problem is, he ends up feeling totally let down when the people around him don't meet his expectations. Like when his spouse doesn't lift a finger to help with the finances, or when his kids don't show enough gratitude for the life he's providing.
The primary fear of Martyr is not being wanted. Matt is very critical and judgemental because he has to be on top of absolutely everything to make sure he’s indispensable in the eyes of others. That fast-paced lifestyle is what keeps him feeling alive. Until it doesn't anymore. These days, Matt's starting to realised that in order to really take care of everyone else, he has to take care of himself first. It's been a process, but he's slowly learning how to set boundaries. Because at the end of the day, Matt knows he can't pour from an empty cup.
The Fool
Patrick, 48 years old, likes finances. He’s financially-savvy: he listens to financial podcasts, reads financial news and blogs, and participate in Reddits latest money trends. And, he believes he invests for his retirement.
Patrick has a Fool archetype. He lives in the moment. He managed to triple his Bitcoin investment, reaching a cool million before ending up losing it all on other coin investments. Patrick knows how to make money but doesn’t really know how to keep it.
Restless to the core, Patrick just can't stand feeling bored. He's constantly on the lookout for the next big adventure to jump into. Patrick isn’t getting any younger, he finally realised all his investment choices didn’t follow a real solid strategy plan. He has since learned his own biases, and now setting limiting rules on how much he “play” with his money while planning for his predictable retirement.
The Tyrant
Veronica, 42 years old, likes to be in control. She believes that she can control how others perceive her through her attire, her attitude, her generosity etc.
Veronica has the Tyrant archetype. Grew up in a divorced household, Veronica’s parents who were often just straight-up absent, and who tried to make up for it by showering her with gifts. And from a young age, Veronica learned how to really work that angle - she learned how to use her money to get what she wanted from people.
The primary fear of Tyrant is loss of control. Despite all her success, Veronica still feels unfulfilled. She always wants more, earn more, spend more. Until she has learned how to stop caring about others, Veronica's been learning to let go of that need to control everything and everyone around her. She's finally starting to focus on living her life on her own terms, which she’s defining step by step.
The Creator-Artist
Ming, 27 years old, is conflicted. On one hand, she gets that money is important - it's a tool that can help you build the life you want. But on the other hand, she really doesn't want to be associated with all the corporate and materialistic fluff. She doesn't want to be stuck in some boring 9-to-5 job, wasting her time on things she thinks are just a waste or worst - harmful to society.
Ming has the Creator-Artist archetype. She is repelled by money, she’s constantly struggling to make ends meet. She is self limiting herself to attract money, sabotaging her ability to build financial confidence.
The primary fear is being corrupted by money. She's scared that if she starts chasing after it, she'll have to compromise her values and do things she doesn't really believe in. It’s not either, but and. You can be spiritual, artistic, green activist, AND still have financial security and financial wellness. You don't have to choose between being spiritual, artistic, or a green activist, and also having financial stability and wellness. You can absolutely have both - you just have to learn how to work the system instead of running away from it.
The Warrior
Lily, 39 years old, is confident and action-orientated, meaning she does the necessary to achieve her goals at work, financially and personally.
She has the Warrior type. She’s a doer, but Lily suffers from overdoing that sometimes she overlooks other areas in her life that can be as equally important such as mental health, physical health, relationships, hobbies, etc.
Those warrior-like qualities of hers can be a real asset, but she's gotta learn when to pick up the sword and when to put it down. Lily doesn’t have to do everything by herself and by the book. She is now working to find the right equilibrium so that she can start living her life more peacefully and in harmony with herself.
The Magician
Greg, 41, is a successful entrepreneur now, but his journey of personal growth wasn't easy. Growing up in a deeply religious family, he felt disconnected from his faith during his teen years and struggled to figure out who he was.
Greg has a Magician type, but for a long time, Greg saw himself as the Victim, lost and unsure of his direction. Things started to change when he found therapy and began exploring spirituality. But in the beginning, he took it too far, using his newfound spirituality as an excuse for his financial decisions. He believed that somehow his finances would magically work themselves out, even when he wasn’t managing them properly.
Eventually, Greg has found a better balance between his spiritual beliefs and practical money management. He realised that you can be spiritual and still be smart with your finances. He also knows that personal growth isn’t something you achieve once and move on from—it’s an ongoing journey. Instead of blaming his past, he now uses his story as a strength. Every day, Greg works on becoming a better version of himself, knowing it's a lifelong process of self-discovery.
In short, there's no right or wrong when it comes to money archetypes. It’s all about being aware and choosing the ones that best align with your life and financial goals.
As said in introduction, nothing is set in stone. If you think you have one or two leading money archetypes, that alone doesn’t define you. The purpose of money archetypes is to help you gain awareness and to take action if you want to break some patterns.
Do you recognise yourself in any of the stories?
Reply to the email to let me know which Money Archetype do you resonate the most.
Alternatively, you can take the Money Archetype Quiz here to get a glimpse of which money type you are (for FREE). Or read more about the attribute of each Archetype here.
Build your financial confidence to overcome your shadow money archetypes,
Sophie