Understanding your money script

Rachael explains that our beliefs about money are often formed early in life and can influence the way we earn, save, spend and invest throughout adulthood.

“You can have the best financial plan in the world, but if you don’t understand your mindset, it doesn’t mean anything,” she said.

Rachael highlighted that many people carry beliefs that can quietly hold them back. One of the most common is the belief that they’re simply “not good with money”.

“The belief of ‘I’m not good with money’ tends to encourage people to bury their heads in the sand a bit,” she said.

“They don’t engage, they don’t take actions that would really have an impact on their overall financial position because they just believe that that’s not for them.”

Rather than relying on willpower alone, Rachael explains that understanding these beliefs can help people build better financial habits and make more intentional decisions over time.

Whether it’s setting up savings and investment buckets, delaying discretionary purchases, or challenging long-held assumptions about money, small behavioural changes can have a meaningful impact on long-term outcomes.

The key message? Financial progress isn’t just about having a plan. It’s also about understanding the beliefs and behaviours that influence the decisions we make every day.