🟣 Is Your Culture Obsessed With Wealth, Stuck in Money Taboos, or Glorifying Workaholism?

🇧🇷 A Culture Special With Larissa Herc.

📣 Before we dive in, a quick but mighty service announcement for Money Feelings paid readers:

I’ve added two new perks to your growing list of tools & deals on trusted financial wellbeing services:

🇬🇧 For UK readers: Enjoy three free months with the financial wellbeing app RiseUp.
🌐 For all readers: Download the chapter on Culture from The Money Feelings Workbook as part of your subscription.

You will find all the details in your dedicated corner of Money Feelings:

🎟️ The Paid Corner: Perks for Your Eyes Only

More and more, Substack is providing a perspective that goes far beyond its American roots. I get to connect with French-Camerounese fashion writers in Southern Italy, Nigerian self-described Substackers in Germany, Mexican writers in Canada, and Swedish artists in Belgium.

It is a huge opportunity for us on Money Feelings!

We’re often shamed for how we handle money. Sure, holding ourselves accountable is essential, but it’s equally important to recognize the broader forces shaping our behaviors.

One of those forces is the cultural influence of our countries.

Because money isn’t viewed the same way everywhere.

Not every culture treats money as a massive taboo.
Not every culture promotes workaholism and overworking.
Not every culture values material success above all else.
Not every culture pushes extreme frugality over self-indulgence.

And no, you don’t have to carry the weight of your culture’s money norms. It’s tough to go against the grain, but you have the power to choose your community and redefine your relationship with money.

Of course, culture is much more than the country we live in or the nationality we hold. But that’s what we’ll focus on today:

What in your home country's history, culture, and traditions has shaped your beliefs about money?

I suggest three ways to reflect on this question:

🟪 Answer the Money Feelings Workbook on Culture, a quick guided reflection combined with a creative opportunity.

🟣 Explore this week’s Reading List of my favorite pieces on the topic of money and culture. Do you have a favorite to share?

💜 Read the Money Feelings Questionnaire of a Brazilian writer who makes her budget spreadsheets look Pinterest good. Includes the prettiest bank notes I’ve ever seen.

🟪 The Money Feelings Workbook: The Culture Chapter

Click the purple button below to begin a quick guided reflection on how your country's culture might have shaped your beliefs, emotions, and behaviors around money.

Your responses are entirely anonymous—no names or emails are collected, and no identifying information will be published.

If you're a paid reader, the free Culture Chapter of your Money Feelings Workbook is an extended version of this survey with more prompts and creative exercises.

You can download it from your exclusive corner as a fillable PDF or print it out to write on with a pen. Whatever you choose, this workbook is yours to keep and complete at your own pace whenever you want.

A snapshot of your Money Feelings Workbook chapter on Culture

💜 The Reading List: My Favourite Pieces About Money & Culture

👌 This piece from the Financial Times on How culture shapes our money mentality.

👌 This edition of the Substack newsletter Culturally Enough by Sahaj Kaur Kohli about Unpacking your family's money stories.

👌 A Quora conversation on Why is it hard for the French to talk about money?

👌 This research article on The cultural origin of saving behavior (”the importance of culture plays a role up until the third generation”!!).

👌 A fun one for my Dutch readers about the Five stages of Dutch money culture.

👌 For the behavioral economic nerds, the section of Kent Hendrix's article on loss aversion that asks Does your culture make you more loss averse?

This topic is soooo broad. Do you have a great piece to recommend to us?

🟣 Le Questionnaire: The Brazilian Writer Who Makes Budget Spreadsheets Look Pinterest Good.

A few months ago, I received a message from Substack letting me know that Larissa Herc, a Brazilian writer based in Brasília, had started recommending Money Feelings to her readers.

Thanks to her, 8% of our community is now from Brazil—just ahead of our friends in the UK and Canada.

No single person can represent the culture of an entire country, but inviting Larissa to take the Money Feelings Questionnaire felt like a great way to celebrate our Brazilian community—and maybe uncover a few cultural nuances to inspire us all.

And Larissa didn’t just answer the questionnaire. She answered it in two languages!

If you’d prefer to read it in Portuguese, you can do that here:

Enjoy this moment with Larissa from Brazil, a country where the banknotes feature animals instead of people.

🟡 Design nerds, don’t miss the end of the Questionnaire!

AGE: 28

FROM: I'm from Brazil, and currently live in Brasília (which is the country's capital)

ASTRO: Cancer! With Libra moon and rising.

LOVES: I love books, singing at concerts, going to the beach, hanging out with friends at coffee shops, being creative just for the sake of it, clothes made out of natural fabrics and nice leather bags. |

JOB(S)/PROJECT(S):  I work with innovation in the public sector, specifically for the Brazilian federal government. I also write meditação & cafeína, a newsletter about well-being, contemporaneity, creative life, and other side conversations.

MISSIONS: Ok this is a hard one. I don't know if I have a huge world changing mission (at least not yet), but maybe I would say being a genuinely good person and making a positive impact on the people I'm close with and on my community. That actually takes a lot of work, both on myself and on the things that happen around me, and it's work I'm more than happy doing.

SURPRISE(S): I studied at Columbia University in NYC for two semesters during college, through an exchange program fully funded by the Brazilian government! It's one of the reasons why I chose to work in the public sector, sort of my way of giving back. Living in New York had always been my dream, and the whole experience (I was 19 at the time) was quite surreal.

🟣 Which one of your money habits do you suspect annoys your partner/family/friends?

I'm quite organized with my finances, and don't normally do impulse shopping. Add to that the fact that I'm quite indecisive, and it turns out it takes me quite a while to make up my mind about anything I end up buying.

I feel like that annoys a lot of people around me!

🟣 What do you picture for your retirement era (or the life you would like to lead when you no longer want to work or rely on work to sustain your lifestyle)?

Travelling, having multiple cozy and creative hobbies, hanging out with friends and family often, living by the sea, comfortably living off the investments I’ve made throughout my life.

🟣 How do you feel about talking with others about how much you make, navigating raises, or the stress of job negotiations?

🔘 Open: “I’m comfortable talking about this openly with anyone.”

✅ Selective: “I’d discuss this, but only with certain people.”

🔘 Taboo: “This topic is off-limits—I’m not comfortable talking about it with anyone.”

🟣 Do you ever catch yourself saying things like, 'Investing is just for smart people,' 'Math was never my thing, so finance isn’t for me,' or 'I’m just not good with numbers, so why even try'?

🔘 Yes

🔘 Occasionally

🔘 Not often

✅ No

🟣 Are you more envious of:

(A) someone who is similar to you in most respects but is a bit wealthier (say 50% wealthier) or

(B) more envious of Bill Gates?

I can't even comprehend the level of wealth of billionaires like Bill Gates (and quite frankly I'm not even sure I'm interested in ever reaching that) so probably option A.

🟣 What's a purchase that brought you lasting joy?

Definitely my Kindle. I got it almost 10 years ago and it's still running, well worth the price. Also, any knick-knacks I bring back from concerts or trips, like the Harry Styles poster I got at his 2022 concert, or the 'I <3 NY' mug I brought back from my last trip to the city, always warm my heart whenever I see or use them.

🟣 You just won the lottery. What is the first cause you support?

Something related to providing kids with access to quality education. Public schools aren’t great in my country, and I feel like that’s something that can truly change a person’s life.

🟣 When did you last feel financially envious of someone close to you?

Brazilian currency has been dropping in value over the past couple of months, so I’m quite envious of my friends who work for international companies and get paid in US dollars or Euros right now. One of those friends recently spent an entire month traveling through Japan and South Korea, and I briefly questioned all my life choices while watching his Instagram stories lol

🟣 How do all the ups and downs in the market and economic uncertainty impact your motivation to invest?

🔘 A lot

🔘 A bit

✅ Not really

🔘 Not at all

🟣 How would you feel sharing with others about debt, unpaid bills, or living paycheck to paycheck?

🔘 Open: “I’m comfortable talking about this openly with anyone.”

✅ Selective: “I’d discuss this, but only with certain people.”

🔘 Taboo: “This topic is off-limits—I’m not comfortable talking about it with anyone.”

🟣 Does your spending style resemble your parents, or did you rebel?

Neither of my parents is very organized with their finances, and I never saw them saving or investing any money — so, in that sense, I did rebel. I’m actually the opposite of that, and nothing makes me happier than seeing a solid 30-40% savings rate on my spreadsheet.

🟣 When was the last time money stress had you wanting to scream into a pillow?

Anytime I have to do taxes. I feel like it's unnecessarily complicated.

🟣 Do you ever notice when you're spending because of emotions, rather than because you actually need something?

✅ Yes

🔘 Occasionally

🔘 Not often

🔘 No

🟣 Do you pass the compulsive buying test?

[You can take the test here.]

I did actually! I'm on the under 3 bracket.

🟣 How do you feel talking with others about how money worries impact your mental health or trigger anxiety?

✅ Open: “I’m comfortable talking about this openly with anyone.”

🔘 Selective: “I’d discuss this, but only with certain people.”

🔘 Taboo: “This topic is off-limits—I’m not comfortable talking about it with anyone.”

🟣 Who handles the finances in your home?

I actually live alone, so it’s just me. Back home, my parents used to split the bills, and each handled their own finances separately.

🟣 Do you ever find yourself saying things like, 'I never have enough money,' or 'I can’t afford it,' even though you have savings, access to money if you needed it, or own more than one property?

✅ Yes

🔘 Occasionally

🔘 Not often

🔘 No

🟣 Is there a money habit of someone you know that secretly drives you insane?

My mother is quite an impulsive shopper, and that does annoy me because I’m secretly always like "But you don’t need any of those things!!! Why are you spending so much money on that?" lol

🟣 Were you told you were not good at math as a kid? Has it affected your ability to handle money matters? Has it affected your confidence to handle money matters?

I actually was pretty good at math, so this one doesn't really apply to me I guess

🟣 What are you currently craving to buy that you know you don’t actually need?

It's always either shoes or makeup…

🟣 Do you ever catch yourself holding onto your money tightly, not spending it even when you could, and feeling like most people are just takers, always asking for more?

🔘 Yes

✅ Occasionally

🔘 Not often

🔘 No

🟣 How often do you find financial terminology and jargon confusing or intimidating?

🔘 Very often

🔘 Often

✅ Rarely

🔘 Never

🟣 What or who’s your vision of financial success?

Honestly just not having to worry about money! Having enough to fund a comfortable life for me and my family, and living life free of the burden of having to think about whether I can afford the things that bring me joy and make my life easier and happier.

🟣 Do you find yourself living on credit cards, constantly in debt, but still giving money away even when you know you shouldn’t?

🔘 Yes

🔘 Occasionally

🔘 Not often

✅ No

🟣 What’s your go-to ‘quick fix’ when you’re feeling down? Is it buying something? Food? If so, what kind of food? Is it scrolling? Or is it something else entirely?

Definitely food, usually something sweet.

🟣 What are your thoughts or feelings about the idea that "health is better than wealth"?

I think both are important, but I do spend a lot of money on my health and if I had to pick one, it would be health 100%.

🟣 What would be on your dopamine menu?

[A dopamine menu is your own curated list of activities that will give you a boost whenever you need it, which doesn’t involve scrolling and buying. You can find an example and more information here.]

🟣 What's a positive money experience that shaped your financial beliefs?

My stepfather is a pretty generous guy and has really positive views on money and wealth — he just naturally has an abundance mindset (without ever watching a single TikTok or YouTube video about it, lol). Prior to him, I never actually knew anyone who was so chill about money, and I think having him close changed a lot of the way I look at my finances today

🟣 The zombie apocalypse is upon us. Which possession do you save?

Can I say my Kindle again? I’d have all of my books to keep me company, and the battery lasts an incredibly long time which would be another plus in a zombie apocalypse scenario

🟣 How do you feel confiding in someone about hidden debt, secret spending, or financial decisions you’ve kept private?

🔘 Open: “I’m comfortable talking about this openly with anyone.”

✅ Selective: “I’d discuss this, but only with certain people.”

🔘 Taboo: “This topic is off-limits—I’m not comfortable talking about it with anyone.”

🟣 At what age did you start having your own money? Did you receive pocket money, or did you earn it through work?

I must have been around 20 when I started actually working for money consistently (after I got back from New York), which I guess is pretty late. I have been saving a portion of every paycheck ever since.

🟣 What emotions do you most associate with money? (3 minimum, more if it brings aaall the feels)

A mix of peace of mind, freedom, consistency, self control, and a hint of anxiety. Maybe I'm missing a little bit of joy here?

🟣 Find out the years you have to fund yourself between retirement and death by doing this quick math exercise:

[Age you die] - [Age you retire] = [Years you have to fund yourself between retirement and death]

[Take the Living to 100 Test to calculate your life expectancy and find out the retirement age in your country.]

29 years! Which is more than I have been alive so far. Crazy.

🟣 If you could time-travel and stop one money-related mistake, what would it be?

I would like to get back all the money I spent on beauty treatments — thank God I haven’t done that many. Not worth it at all.

🟣 What are your thoughts or feelings about the idea that 'Money is the root of all evil'?

To be honest, I do kind of think capitalism is the root of all evil, but I don’t know if that’s necessarily money’s fault. Money is just a tool.

🟣 Would you rather stick to a strict budget or wear wet socks all day?

Strict budget any day. I hate feeling cold and wet!

🟣 How do you feel about discussing complex feelings around inheritance or family financial support with others?

✅ Open: “I’m comfortable talking about this openly with anyone.”

🔘 Selective: “I’d discuss this, but only with certain people.”

🔘 Taboo: “This topic is off-limits—I’m not comfortable talking about it with anyone.”

🟣 What steps have you taken in planning for your financial future?

🔘 I haven’t started planning anything

🔘 I think I have started but not sure

🔘 I’ve done some but not enough

🔘 I had but my situation has changed

✅ I’m on top of it & review regularly

🟣 On a scale of 0 to 10, how bad is your addiction to subscriptions?

Not bad, actually — probably a 5. I do have a habit of canceling subscriptions I no longer want from time to time, and I track all of them on my spreadsheet.

🟣 If your bank account could talk, what would it reveal is your greatest extravagance?

Probably eating out or ordering food. I’m not very consistent with cooking for myself, and I actually want to get better at that!

🟣 If you could magically double your income but had to work twice as hard, would you do it?

For a while, maybe. But I wouldn’t trade my peace of mind and regulated nervous system for any amount of money in the world.

🟣 How do you feel about admitting to choices you regret, like overspending or investments that didn’t work out.

✅ Open: “I’m comfortable talking about this openly with anyone.”

🔘 Selective: “I’d discuss this, but only with certain people.”

🔘 Taboo: “This topic is off-limits—I’m not comfortable talking about it with anyone.”

🟣 Do you know how much your friends make in real figures?

Not really, no. I guess I talk a lot more about money on the internet than I do in real life.

🟣 Have you ever felt excluded or alienated by the traditional ways finance is taught or discussed?

🔘 Very often

✅ Often

🔘 Sometimes

🔘 Never

🟣 What's your favorite tool for managing your finances?

I'm a spreadsheet girl through and through. I love that I can customize whatever I want in there, and that it’s fairly easy to change things around to better suit my needs. I absolutely love the flexibility, and I have a lot of fun creating a new, updated spreadsheet every year. I have to say, though, there’s nothing more boring than a blue/gray/green spreadsheet. Mine are always colorful and fun; I feel like that’s a must!

This is a screenshot of the one I'm working on for 2025:

I usually choose a color palette from pinterest. This is the one I picked for 2025 (though I might change or add colors as I go!)

🟣 How do you feel talking about differing money values, shared finances, or tensions with a partner.

✅ Open: “I’m comfortable talking about this openly with anyone.”

🔘 Selective: “I’d discuss this, but only with certain people.”

🔘 Taboo: “This topic is off-limits—I’m not comfortable talking about it with anyone.”

🟣  Who would you like to see on a new banknote?

Well, banknotes here in Brazil actually feature animals, not people. None of them are cats, which is unfortunate. I am a cat person, in case anyone's wondering

💜 Thank you for sharing with us, Larissa.

I can’t resist showing you these stunning banknotes!

👏 Wow, well done for making it this far and spending time on your financial well-being.

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