Enneagram Type Two: The Impact on Your Spending Habits

Do you often find yourself being overly generous, going out of your way to help others even if it comes at a great cost to you? Maybe even to you, you don’t think you are being overly generous. Well, it’s time for you to uncover whether you could be a Type Two Enneagram personality type. Being a giver can have a great impact on your spending and investment habits. The Type Two personality type does not get the name “The Helper” for no reason. There are many characteristics that affirm that nickname that is given to them via the Enneagram. Enneagram Type Two personalities are people who are known for their loving and caring nature. But this can also make them vulnerable to being over-invested in others, including their financial decisions. Understanding how being a Type Two personality can affect your spending and investing habits is crucial. It is just as equally important to know if someone in your family or significant other is a Type Two and how you can protect them as they selflessly give. The article will explore how Type Two personalities think, their desires, their goals, and how all of these factors impact their relationship with money and those around them.

The Helper

As mentioned above, Type Two on the enneagram is also known as “The Helper”. Type Two personality types are empathetic individuals who genuinely care about the well-being and happiness of those who are close to them. This trait can lead to over-investment in others’ financial decisions sometimes, even to the extent of maxing out their credit cards or wiping out their savings just to help someone else. A Type Two is likely to spend on others first and invest in their future and development second.

The underlying desires of Type Two personality include feeling loved, appreciated, and needed. They want to be loved and do everything in their power to make sure nobody feels neglected. The fear of being unloved or unwanted can push Type Twos into uncomfortable financial positions. Most Type Two individuals tend to go into their careers as service-oriented professionals such as healthcare, teaching or nonprofit organizations, which may or may not pay well. So, it’s easy to see why many Type Twos may struggle with setting healthy financial boundaries for both themselves and the people they care for, while also threatening their financial security.

Type Two also has a specific investment goal in their mind, and it’s probably not what others may think. People often think Type Twos are going to invest in self-care, personal growth, or future development, but their investment goal is often tied to their loved ones. When I mentioned tied to, I mean TIED. Type Twos receive emotional investment rather than financial returns. They will tend to do all that they can to upkeep and maintain relationships with people because they feel like they need to be around their people to stay happy and feel like they are contributing. Investing in a comfortable home where loved ones can feel safe and live happily or paying off their medical bills, or even their car loans. While their investment goals may seem lofty to some, for Type Twos, the return on investment mostly comes in the form of goodwill.

As a Type Two, it’s essential to recognize their over-empathetic nature and the financial consequences that might result from indulging in it. It’s not a bad thing to invest emotionally and financially in others, it’s rather quite admirable, but if that results in risking your future, it becomes a problem. A good investment tip for Type Two personality is to set up an emergency fund. A healthy amount of emergency funds will help Type Twos to deal with emergencies without having to dig into their financial reserves or borrow from others. Additionally, creating a STRICT budget will also set reasonable financial boundaries for your loved ones.

Tending to a Two

Type Twos tend to have a strong emotional connection to money, and they may (and often, do) use it as a tool to express their love for others. They may also use it as a way to gain admiration and approval from the people around them. However, it’s important for Type Twos to remember that their own financial well-being is just as important as the well-being of others. If they find themselves struggling to set boundaries and save money for themselves, they could find themselves in difficult financial situations.

Type Twos have a strong desire to feel needed and appreciated by others. They thrive on emotional connection and enjoy building deep relationships with people. As a result, they may be more prone to spending money on socializing or gifts for their loved ones. They also have a natural inclination towards humanitarian activities, which can make them more likely to give charitably. This is why it is so important for the loved ones with this personality type to help nurture their giving heart, but also to protect it. It is equally important to be aware if others know that this is how you operate because people can try to take advantage of your giving heart.

“Even after all this time, the sun never says to the earth ‘you owe me.’ Look what happens with a love like that! It lights up the whole sky.” — Hafez

Understanding Type Two personality, their desires, and goals is vital to deal with their relationship with money. While empathy and generosity are worthy traits, they can create financial vulnerabilities for Type Twos. This is why it is so important for Type Twos to try and find a balance between serving their loved ones and investing in their future. Setting up an emergency fund and creating a budget are just a few healthy approaches Type Twos can use to strengthen their financial wellbeing while being able to give in a way that brings them joy and fulfillment. The world is a better place because of these people, and their contributions and giving should not go unacknowledged.

This is not financial advice. For educational purposes only. Before making any financial decisions, consult with a professional.