Are You Financially Ghosting Yourself? The Money Avoidance Questionnaire

Financial ghosting isn’t about being broke. It’s about avoiding money—unopened bank apps, ignored budgets, vague anxiety about the future. Many people earn decent incomes but still feel like money is a threat. So they look away. They postpone. They ghost their own finances.

This money avoidance questionnaire measures three patterns: avoidance, shame, and control. It won’t fix your credit score. But it will show you where you’re hiding from your own financial reality.

How this audit works

Answer ten questions based on your actual behavior over the last 90 days. Not what you wish you did. Track your A, B, C, and D answers.

The questions

1. How often do you check your bank account?
   A. Weekly or more
   B. Monthly
   C. Only when I must
   D. I avoid it

2. When a bill arrives, you...
   A. Pay it immediately
   B. Pay before the due date
   C. Pay after a reminder
   D. Ignore it until I feel guilty

3. What’s your reaction to the phrase “emergency fund”?
   A. I have one
   B. I’m building one
   C. I know I should but don’t
   D. I can’t think about it

4. How do you make large purchases?
   A. Research and plan
   B. Compare options quickly
   C. Buy on impulse
   D. Avoid thinking about the cost

5. When someone asks about your financial goals, you...
   A. Share them confidently
   B. Give vague answers
   C. Change the subject
   D. Feel a pit in my stomach

6. Your credit card statement is...
   A. Reviewed monthly
   B. Skimmed occasionally
   C. Checked only for fraud
   D. Unopened

7. How do you feel after spending money on something you enjoy?
   A. Neutral or positive
   B. A little guilty
   C. Anxious
   D. I dissociate

8. What’s your relationship with budgeting?
   A. I have a system
   B. I track informally
   C. I’ve tried and failed
   D. I avoid it

9. When an unexpected expense arises, you...
   A. Use my emergency fund
   B. Adjust my budget
   C. Panic but manage
   D. Ignore it or borrow

10. How often do you think about retirement?
    A. Regularly
    B. Occasionally
    C. Rarely
    D. Never—too overwhelming

Scoring

Give yourself: A=1, B=2, C=3, D=4. Add up your total.

Results

10–15: Money Mindful
You have a solid relationship with your finances. You may not be rich, but you’re not hiding. Keep reviewing and automating your savings.

16–25: Financially Flickering
You’re aware but avoidant. Your money anxiety is manageable but growing. Start with one weekly money date. Open one statement and just look. No fixing required yet.

26–35: Money Ghosting
You’re actively avoiding financial reality. This creates a shame spiral that worsens avoidance. Open one statement today—just look, don’t judge. Shame grows in silence.

36–40: Financial Dissociation
Money feels too threatening to face. You may be in survival mode or experiencing financial trauma. Seek support from a financial therapist or a trusted friend who won’t shame you.

Money avoidance is a pattern, not a personality flaw. Small exposure reduces shame. You don’t have to fix everything today. You just have to stop ghosting yourself.