Get All Access for $5/mo

Broke Extroverts Spend More Money on Luxury Items Than Broke Introverts A new study finds that aspect of your personality could affect your bank account.

By Nina Zipkin

shutterstock

Introverts and extroverts often have different management styles and diverge in their approach to networking. Now, a new study from University College London looking at the spending patterns of low-income individuals has found that extroverts have a tendency to compensate by spending more on products and experiences that are associated with a higher financial status.

The researchers worked with 718 participants -- all customers at the same bank -- that volunteered information about their job and income, how much they had in their savings account, whether they were in debt, their age and how much and how often they withdrew cash from their accounts. The participants gave researchers access to their bank account data from the previous 12 months.

Related: How to Start a Business When You're an Introvert

They also filled out a questionnaire about how they stacked up when it came to the five core personality traits -- agreeableness, conscientiousness, extraversion, neuroticism and openness to experience.

Purchases were also put into categories. International air travel, tech gadgets and cultural institutions fell into the high status category while spending at discount stores, pawnbrokers and salvage yards were put into the low status category.

The low-income participants who were highly extroverted spent more on things in the high-status category compared to participants who were not as extroverted, even after taking into account savings, debt, age and job status. However, as income increased, the researchers found that personality was less of a driver in how people spent their money.

Nina Zipkin

Entrepreneur Staff

Staff Writer. Covers leadership, media, technology and culture.

Nina Zipkin is a staff writer at Entrepreneur.com. She frequently covers leadership, media, tech, startups, culture and workplace trends.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Side Hustle

'Hustling Every Day': These Friends Started a Side Hustle With $2,500 Each — It 'Snowballed' to Over $500,000 and Became a Multimillion-Dollar Brand

Paris Emily Nicholson and Saskia Teje Jenkins had a 2020 brainstorm session that led to a lucrative business.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Living

70% of Small Business Owners Experience Monthly Burnout. Follow These 3 Rules to Avoid the Same Fate.

Here are three guidelines to help entrepreneurs achieve balance, growth and success in both their professional and personal endeavors.

Science & Technology

5 Rule-Bending AI Hacks to Make Your Mornings More Productive and Profitable

By 2025, AI will transform productivity by streamlining workflows and cutting costs. Major companies like Microsoft, Google, and OpenAI are leading the way, advancing AI into "Phase 3," where tools act as digital assistants. Discover 5 AI hacks to boost efficiency and redefine your daily routine.