If you think about your childhood, what do you recall about your household, the people and the community around you? What kind of housing, food, and clothing did you have? Did most families have several generations living together in a house? Even if money was scarce, did you always have food on the table? Did you only wear new, named-brand clothing or was using second-hand clothes acceptable? Did you have more than one television in the house?

As years pass the larger cultural, societal and economic environments affect your relationship to the world. Youth "discover" some people have more money than others, other families have different "rules" about who manages the family resources, or money is a reward for good behavior.

For many people, money and what one can do with money, is a measure of their identity and self-worth. "I am successful if I have a good paying job and can buy a new car every 5 years. The more money available, the better I feel about myself." On the other hand, limited money makes me feel powerless.

In personal relationships, money is often a source of conflict. The same words or actions can have different meanings for different people. What does effective money management mean to you? Does it mean accounting for each penny that goes in and out of the household? Or does it mean you have the money to cover current expenses and can also save for future needs? In another example, a person who survived extended unemployment may feel a sense of control and security by buying only necessities. That may be in conflict with a partner who likes to buy extras as a way to express love.