I grew up with privileges like private school, tennis camps and vacations in Florida. However, money problems are never about bank account balances. My dysfunction with money started early. Throughout my twenties, I had no money management skills, had never balanced a checkbook or been able to maintain savings, and had absolutely no clue how to set a budget. I didn’t lose control overnight, but my lack of attention eventually manifested in compulsive shopping (like the time I took a spontaneous trip to Italy by myself for three weeks as an attempt to break up with someone), overspending (like when I started an S-CORP at the random suggestion of an out-of-state accountant) and painfully blurred financial lines with roommates and friends (like when I discovered that my boyfriend had six digits of consumer debt). The worst part was being overly emotional about money – I’d burst into tears when anybody, particularly men, needed to discuss money with me. As a result, I had constant guilt, fear of impending catastrophe, and massive amounts of shame.
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