Which Of The Five Money Profiles Are You?

After surveying women on their attitudes towards their money, demographer Maddy Dychtwald came up with five financial personality types. Here are details to help you figure out where you fall.

The survey of 3,000 American women found that 35 percent were “perceptive planners,” 23 percent were “power partners,” 18 percent were “alpha females,” 16 percent were “uncertain searchers,” and 8 percent were “supportive traditionalists.” Women in their twenties, Dychtwald found, were twice as likely to fall into the supportive traditionalist category. Here are the basic criteria of each category:

Alpha Female
* Often single, the most self-focused of the personalities
* If married, makes decisions without conferring with spouse
* Optimistic, empowered, confident, aggressive and sometimes impulsive
* Most willing to take risks of all personality types
* Important for her to feel financially independent
* Quick decision-maker
* Feels that if she doesn’t handle finances, it won’t get done

Perceptive Planner
* Married, single, rich or poor
* Highly analytical, perceptive. Least impulsive
* Very responsible
* Detail oriented
* Confident & controlling & financially secure
* Essential that she feel financially independent and self reliant
* Longer time to make a decision—mulls things over

Power Partner
* Likely married or with a partner
* Shares decisions with partner and is proud of her “divide and conquer,” “two heads are better than one” relationship regarding money.
* Values being able to take care of loved ones financially
* Wants the needs of her partner addressed as well as her own
* Looks for the responsible purchase
* Pragmatic
* Financially secure

Supportive Traditionalist
* Defers financial decision-making to someone else—husband, father, partner, even friend
* Not interested in learning about finances or becoming financially independent
* Historically, most women fell into this category but she hasn’t changed with the times
* Not honest with her partner when it comes to $$ matters
* Financially helpless and insecure
* An impulsive shopper, often buying things she can’t afford
* Not comfortable talking about money issues

Uncertain Searcher
* Often single
* Uncertain, insecure and in denial when it comes to money
* Doesn’t even know what questions to ask or what she is capable of financially
* Struggles to make ends meet; impulsive with money
* Often feels she lacks knowledge
* Would like to handle money better but doesn’t know where to turn to learn
* Least analytical of all the personalities