With the Financially Smitten’s Big Reveal series I periodically interview money psychology and personal finance experts about their own relationship with money, using the same ten questions….a bit of a play on the infamous Proust Questionnaire.
My special guest is Mindy Crary, MBA, CFP® practitioner and financial coach. She uses her fifteen years of financial planning experience to support her clients with the energetic, spiritual, and practical aspects of financial management. Visit Creative Money for more information about Mindy and her offerings.
If someone looked in your wallet right now, what would be the first thing that comes to their mind?
That I am in dire need of a laminator for all of my membership cards! Then, they would notice that I have no credit cards—only a debit card for personal expenses, and another for business. When I looked in just now, I was surprised to see I have about $9.00 in cash! I work better without cash, so it’s going to take me a minute to even remember how it got there.
How would you describe your relationship with money?
When we started our “real” relationship 15+ years ago (after too many years of taking it for granted), it was rocky, reactionary and immature—a real starter marriage for me, but thankfully I stuck it out. I finally realized that my financial status was a reflection of how I behaved in other areas of my life. Now that I am a more enlightened person, our relationship has never been more strong and supportive.
What’s one thing you wish you could tell your younger financial self?
Don’t give away your power. I used to follow other people, hoping to gain more definition of who I was. I used to subordinate everything to help these people become successful, hoping they would help me back at some point. It never worked. I didn’t think this consciously; it wasn’t until I began to change myself on the inside that I realized why these relationships never worked out for me. You CAN’T give away your power without serious consequences. Even if you feel like you don’t know what you’re doing, you have to put yourself first. When I started trusting myself before anyone else, my life began to seriously change for the better.
What is your personal philosophy regarding money?
Keep money separate from your personal identity . . . I believe that if we focus on the potential good, possibility and growth from every money experience, especially the bad experiences, we’ll see that it’s not the money that makes something good or bad, but our perception of it. And having a lot or little money should never make you feel like more or less of a “real” person.
If your relationship with money were an animal, what would it be?
I love animals, and I when I think about money as an animal, I imagine myself in the midst of a kitty mob at the animal shelter . . . some kitties are coming up to me, others are running away playfully and a couple are just needing snuggles and head rubs. And I get to be there in the thick of it, just experiencing the kitty ecosystem. The kitties come and go, and as long as I don’t get too attached to a specific reaction from ONE kitty right NOW, I am going to get everything I need.
What would you do with a million dollars?
Again, I love animals, so I would have to make major contributions to my favorite animal charities—plus, I would love to help save Tigers in particular. That, plus solidify my retirement nest egg and invest in income properties (my current Seattle housing market fascination).
What is your most prized possession?
My cats . . . although I think of them as family, not possessions (do I sound like a serious cat lady here or what?!?). I was thinking, if there was a fire and I had to leave my home within minutes, what would I take with me? And nothing came to mind except my kitties and my contact lenses so I could see to get out! However, my parents have quite a few items that I consider family heirlooms, and I would be heartbroken if they perished in a fire—a beautiful roll-top desk, jewelry passed down for generations and photo albums that could NOT be downloaded! Wow, I guess I don’t even own my most prized possessions!
If you could buy one thing right now what would it be?
Here’s the thing: I COULD buy lots of stuff, but I value my cash reserve more than the immediate gratification of having stuff. I have to ride the knee-jerk wave of “I WANT THAT!” and let it mellow out a little so that I understand what payoff I think I am going to get from buying that thing. So the things on my “mellow” list include an iPad and a Mitchell Gold Preston Bed (they don’t have MG stores in Seattle, so shipping would be a pain!). But if we’re talking about magically having the money that hasn’t been previously allocated to go out and buy whatever I want? That sort of boggles my mind! I guess if I had excess money to buy something, it would be to finance more free time for myself and loved ones.
What’s your favorite activity that doesn’t cost a dime?
Reading. I read very quickly and I love all kinds of books . . . thrillers, mysteries, non-fiction. And always lots of business reading. Currently, I am dying for Karin Slaughter’s new book to come out in paperback at the end of the month!
What is your greatest extravagance?
My business. I made a conscious choice a couple of years ago to build my business over increasing my lifestyle, and I have been SO grateful for the people I have met who support and help me now. This year I’ll probably raise my lifestyle expenses a little bit, and I am going to be adding in regular massages!
Want more? Click here to read Big Reveal Interviews from other celebs in the financial world!
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