Get to know your money personality

1. You head to the mall to buy some pants you know are on sale and you also find a great shirt to match. You don't need it, but it looks great. What do you do?

• Buy it. No hesitation.

• Wait until it goes on sale.

• Stick to your plan and just buy the pants.

2. You're already stretching your budget to be able to afford that new car. But you just sat in the version with the leather seats. So you…

• Set a goal to save enough to get the leather next time.

• Take the upgrade. It's only money.

• Just say no. No point going into debt for nice seats.

3. This year, your company was taken over by a bigger competitor. You get a better job in the combined company and a raise. Immediately, you:

• Increase the amount going into your 401K and put more cash aside in case you are included in the next round of restructuring.

• Celebrate with a nice dinner with friends and a new suit for work. You spend a bit more but most of your raise goes into savings to buy a house.

• Apply for a new credit card with a higher limit, shop like you've never shopped before, and start thinking about how you'll make even more after the company's next big merger.

4. You just got a $50,000 inheritance you weren't expecting when Aunt Mary passed away. Your first instinct is to:

• Spend it all on a new sports car.

• Take $10,000 and go on a great vacation. (That way you can leave that pharmaceutical stock alone in your retirement fund, along with the remaining $40,000.)

• Pay off your mortgage and invest the rest in Money Market funds.

5. How often are you surprised by how big your credit card balance is when it arrives each month?

• Always. I shop all the time and can't ever remember how much I buy.

• Rarely, but I still cringe because I can't always pay it off immediately.

• Never. I use my card a lot for the loyalty points but I always put the money into my checking account before the bills arrive.

6. When I get down, a trip to the mall and coming home with something nice for myself is a great pick-me-up:

• Absolutely. Spending money on a little treat always makes me feel great, at least for a while.

• Sometimes, although I might feel a little guilty about splurging.

• Never. The only thing that makes me feel better when I'm down is checking the balance on my retirement fund.

7. If you saw that you had cleared some room on your line of credit or finally paid off the balance of your credit card, would you:

• Pat yourself on the back and promise to think twice before getting into debt next time.

• Still hate yourself for making that one big purchase, cut up your credit card, and continue to live on a tight budget until you’re debt free.

• Call three of your best friends and tell them to grab their wallets—you've been good far too long and it's now time to splurge.

8. You got a pair of decent dress shoes at the discount store for $99. Then you notice a colleague at work wearing the latest designer style that costs $500. Do you:

• Giggle because you got a great deal.

• Suddenly feel grossly inadequate, like you've wrapped your feet in dirty potato sacks and everyone looks down on you.

• Feel a twinge of brand envy. Just a twinge. You know you look fine.

9. When you take your vacation, you usually:

• Save until you can cover the entire cost.

• Go when the spirit moves you, and spend what you need to enjoy yourself. (Then start paying it off when you get back.)

• Make sure you have at least the bulk of it covered through savings and watch for deals so you don't come back too deep in debt.

10. When you think about your net worth today and what you will need to retire comfortably, this statement applies best:

• My net worth is how good I feel about myself. Money will always sort itself out in the long run.

• I know what I have in the bank in savings but have no idea how much I owe on my mortgage or car. I don't know my net worth today and have my fingers crossed I'll be okay in my retirement.

• I have it all sorted out. Want to see my spreadsheet?

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