{"id":37005,"date":"2026-02-04T10:30:01","date_gmt":"2026-02-04T16:30:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/staging.banksouthern.com\/?p=37005"},"modified":"2026-02-04T10:30:56","modified_gmt":"2026-02-04T16:30:56","slug":"feeling-financial-emotions-in-february","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/staging.banksouthern.com\/es\/feeling-financial-emotions-in-february\/","title":{"rendered":"Feeling Financial Emotions in February"},"content":{"rendered":"

Por Charlestien Harris, asesor financiero jubilado de Southern Bancorp<\/i><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

February is commonly known as the month of love. It is a time for reflection on our relationships with family, friends, foes, and sometimes finances. I want to focus on the relationship between you and your money.<\/span><\/p>\n

Whether you are single or married, the relationship you have with your money is very important, and it says a lot about your goals, dreams, emotions, and money habits. Love is a feeling, and whether you realize it or not, you can develop strong emotions about your money. Those emotions ultimately determine how you handle your money \u2013 or your family\u2019s money \u2013 when a partner or other family members are involved.<\/span><\/p>\n

Emotions are an important part of the human experience. A study performed by Nobel Prize\u2013winning psychologist Daniel Kahneman showed that we make financial decisions based 90 percent on emotion and only 10 percent on logic. The most critical emotions when it comes to money are fear, guilt, shame, and jealousy. Let\u2019s discuss how each of these emotions can affect the decision-making process when handling your finances.<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Fear<\/p>\n

<\/b><\/b><\/span>Financial fear is a common emotion that can be described as a powerful, unpleasant response to a perceived financial threat. It can cause people to make irrational, emotional, and short-term decisions that often lead to lost opportunities or financial setbacks. In some cases, fear can paralyze an individual to the point of making no decision at all.<\/span><\/p>\n

Financial fear may also trigger a \u201csurvival of the fittest\u201d instinct, causing people to hoard cash, panic-sell during market volatility, or miss growth opportunities due to fear of loss. In extreme cases, it can lead to an overwhelming fear of spending money \u2013 even when financially stable \u2013 resulting in self-denial of basic necessities needed for everyday living.<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Guilt<\/p>\n

<\/b><\/b><\/span>Financial guilt is another common emotion and is often characterized by feelings of remorse, anxiety, or shame related to personal money decisions, such as impulsive spending, accumulating debt, or even receiving a financial windfall.<\/span><\/p>\n

Survivor\u2019s guilt can occur when someone feels guilty about having financial stability while other family members struggle financially. This emotion can also stem from a scarcity mindset, one\u2019s upbringing, past mistakes, or constant social comparison. You might recognize financial guilt if you experience any of the following:<\/span><\/p>\n