If you've got a penchant for deep-diving into the psychology behind people's behaviour, you'll be well-versed in the concept of love languages, which was created by Gary Chapman.
The relationship guru defined 5 Love Languages, which represent five different ways that we express and receive love, including words of affirmation, physical touch, acts of service, quality time and receiving gifts - and his concept went completely viral and has helped people decode their relationships since the 90s.
But it seems love languages don't exclusively effect how you behave in a relationship; they can also impact your career and your attitude to money.
GLAMOUR has already written about how love languages might well be adapted to improve the quality of your work connections, and now we're delving into how your love language can help your financial wellbeing.
According to finance expert Georgia Galloway at Finbri, each of the five love languages can affect your attitude to money in different ways, and recognising and understanding yours can benefit your finances - from gifting your future self with savings, to spending quality time having open conversations about money worries with loved ones.
Here's how to work out your financial love language and how you can use it to your advantage to improve your money situation:
WORDS OF AFFIRMATION
If your love language is words of affirmation, you appreciate verbal expressions of appreciation and love, so when it comes to money, positive self-talk and self-encouragement is for you. “Celebrate your financial achievements, like hitting a savings goal or paying off debt, and be kind to yourself at times when your finances aren't so good," Georgia suggests. “Don’t beat yourself up for occasionally overspending or not sticking to your budget last week - focus on the positive things you did instead, no matter how small, like taking lunch to work every day this week instead of buying it out or resisting an impulse purchase.”
ACTS OF SERVICE
People whose love language is acts of service appreciate when their partner does things for them, like cooking dinner or running errands, but doing some financial admin is the act of service you can do for yourself, for your finances. “Do a daily bank account check to keep an eye on outgoings, and set aside some time, perhaps once a week or once a month, to review your budget,” says Georgia. Not all budgeting methods work for everyone, so it’s important to keep an eye on it and make changes as necessary.
RECEIVING GIFTS
If your love language is receiving gifts (hi!), what better gift is there than a gift to yourself in the future? “Spend some time to educate yourself about finances by reading a book, listening to a podcast, or even just scrolling through #FinTok. Set up automatic savings transfers or use a round up account so you can put away some money without even noticing. Take some time to look at your pension; it’s important to review it regularly to make sure you’re on track, and you might need to adjust your contributions if your circumstances have changed,” says Georgia. Even if you can only afford to contribute a small amount each month, future you will be very grateful.
QUALITY TIME
If you love spending quality time with your loved ones, dedicate some of that time to having open conversations about your finances. If you have concerns about money or you’re struggling with debt, discussing it with your friends, family, or partner, can help relieve some of the stress and anxiety you may be feeling. A support system is important for your financial wellbeing, and having these talks can be very beneficial for those whose love language is quality time.
PHYSICAL TOUCH
Seeing your money in a physical way might be helpful if your love language is physical touch. As Georgia explains: “Rather than just looking at your balance on an app or keeping track in a spreadsheet, writing a money journal, or using a budgeting method like cash stuffing might work for you; being able to see and touch actual money makes it seem more ‘real’ than only ever paying with your phone or contactless card.” Investing in physical things like property might be how you’d like to spend your money, rather than investing in less tangible things like stocks – or even just treating yourself to a massage every now and then! Go on, you deserve it.
This article was originally published on Glamour UK.
