How to Cope with Financial Anxiety, According to Your Enneagram Type

Financial anxiety may be at an all-time high. For the first time in a long time, there are more Americans out of work than jobs open. Those who have jobs worry about being laid off, downsized or replaced by AI. Many are eking out a living in the gig economy, working two or three part-time jobs that offer no security and no benefits.

At the same time, the cost of living crisis doesn’t seem to be slowing much, putting an ever-increasing strain on family budgets. Rents are up, savings rates have plunged … It’s no wonder financial anxiety has reached epidemic levels.

So what can you do to ease your financial worries, assuming you have them? Adopting coping strategies based on your Enneagram personality type makes a lot of sense, because every type approaches money, risk and security in a different way.

Enneagram One: The Perfectionist

Enneagram Ones are organized and disciplined in the way they handle money, and they usually avoid financial difficulties as a result. However, because they struggle with perfectionism, they can be very hard on themselves when their money plans don’t turn out the way they want. Type Ones have a tendency to blame themselves for situations they simply have no control over.

How to cope

First of all, practice self-compassion. Many people are struggling, so there’s a high chance that your current financial anxieties are not your fault. Try to put the self-blame aside and adjust your expectations – a “perfect” financial plan may be out of reach right now.

On the practical side, you can relieve anxiety by expanding your knowledge about money management. Type Ones strive for improvement, and you can satisfy your urge to do something by taking online personal finance courses that cover important topics like budgeting, investing and debt management. The practical knowledge you learn might help uncover hidden opportunities to cut costs or increase your income. 

Enneagram Two: The Giver

Enneagram Twos are generous with money and quick to offer financial support to friends and family members. This is great when funds are plentiful, but a tough balancing act when there are bills to pay. Twos may experience financial anxiety from spreading themselves too thin.

How to cope

If money is tight, you may need to say ‘no’ to your loved ones and to yourself more often. That means having honest conversations with friends or family who ask for help you simply can’t afford to give, and saying ‘no’ to your own giving impulses when they’re fueled by guilt or the fear of feeling unneeded. Before reaching for your wallet, pause and check in with yourself: ‘Is helping this time truly sustainable for me?’ 

Another proactive way to deal with sudden financial anxiety is to open a savings account, even if you can only manage a small deposit each month. For Type Twos, having a dedicated fund helps build a sense of stability and security — something that’s especially comforting during uncertain times. 

Enneagram Three: The Achiever

Enneagram Threes rank among the highest earners and are more likely to have senior job titles than other Enneagram types. They are proud of their success and like to show it, so they sometimes spend more extravagantly than they should. But without restraint, these splurges can chip away at their financial stability. Even high-earning Threes can experience financial anxiety when spending outpaces income or job uncertainty puts their prized sense of accomplishment at risk.

How to cope

Threes are happiest when their life plans have a clear forward momentum, so start by setting clear, realistic money goals and tracking progress. This taps into your natural motivation for measurable success. Use tech tools like budgeting or investing apps to gamify saving, and be intentional about spending on things that genuinely matter to you, not just what feels impressive from the outside.

It’s also important to separate self-worth from net worth. Achievement can be measured in what you earn or own, but it can also be measured in your resourcefulness and capacity to adapt. Take time to appreciate these everyday successes instead of getting caught in the next big win. 

Enneagram Four: The Individualist

When Truity conducted a large-scale survey of the financial habits and attitudes of our readers, we found that Enneagram Fours were less motivated by money than any other Enneagram type. Being creative, original and authentic is what matters most to Fours. Materialistic concerns just aren’t a priority, and they may miss opportunities to manage their money more wisely or follow a disciplined plan.

How to cope

Instead of giving in to financial anxiety, why not rely on your creative instincts to help you deal with the situation? You could join with friends and family members to buy essential items in bulk, quit your gym membership and exercise outdoors, light your home by candlelight two nights a week, install multiple fans to replace your air conditioner, investigate free community entertainment options … the possibilities are endless, especially for imaginative Fours who rely on their own ideas to solve problems.

Enneagram Five: The Investigator

Enneagram Fives associate money with self-reliance and independence. They are naturally good at conserving their resources, including money, but are often anxious that they aren’t as well off as they should be. Unsurprisingly, troubled economic times can generate deep fear that they won’t have enough to take care of themselves in the future.

How to cope

Fives have a thirst for useful knowledge, so consider consulting with a professional financial advisor for some constructive advice on managing your expenses, boosting your savings, etc. Your stress alarm sounds when you fear not having enough resources to remain independent and secure, so focus on building an emergency fund and solid safety net for the future.

You should also take steps to manage your anxiety more directly. Stress management techniques like meditation, yoga and progressive relaxation can help, as will becoming more self-aware of your anxious tendencies so you can detach from them more effectively.

Enneagram Six: The Skeptic

Enneagram Sixes bring a cautious approach to money matters that helps protect them from self-inflicted financial harm. They try to plan for all types of contingencies and are generally well-prepared. But no matter how much they save or plan, Sixes will inevitably worry that they havent done quite enough.

How to Cope

Perform a thorough inventory of your spending habits and see if you can reduce them by 5-10% up and down the line. Everything you manage to save should be put aside. This will reduce your anxiety by giving you the concrete reassurance of a growing safety net, so you feel more secure about any unexpected challenges that might come your way. 

If you can’t reduce the spending side of the equation, how about starting a small side hustle to bring in some extra cash? You could leverage your skills or ideas to boost your income by a little or a lot, depending on how much of your spare time you choose to invest in the project.

Enneagram Seven: The Enthusiast

Embracing life to the fullest, Enneagram Sevens are always chasing excitement and novelty. Their spending habits may be a bit carefree as a result, which can put them in a squeeze when costs rise and their income doesn’t. Too much spontaneous spending can get them in trouble, creating sudden financial anxiety when all the bills come due.

How to cope

What you need is less spontaneity and more structure. You can find it by putting yourself on a detailed budget, and doing your best to stick to it. Include ‘fun and adventure’ as a line items so you still have wiggle room for new experiences without going overboard. 

It may help to reframe financial planning in a way that excites you. For example, you can set goals for travel, learning or other passions and use those dreams as motivation to save. This approach will teach you discipline and give you more conscious control over your finances.

Enneagram Eight: The Challenger

For Enneagram Eights, money functions as a symbol of success and a sign of power and control – its value lies more in what it represents than the material wealth itself. For this reason,  financial uncertainty can shake an Eight’s sense of autonomy, stoking fears that their success might be temporary or they’re not capable of making things happen on their own terms.

How to cope

You need to feel that you’re taking action to insulate yourself from the impact of outside economic forces, so whatever step gives you a sense of control, do it boldly and decisively. That could be building a cash reserve, negotiating better terms at work, tightening security around your finances, or stepping outside the system and building your path through entrepreneurship.

Eights are not afraid to buck trends while carving out an independent path, and your best moves may look different from everyone else’s. 

Enneagram Nine: The Peacemaker

Enneagram Nines are easygoing, sometimes to the point of inaction. In Truity’s financial survey, the majority said that having enough income to meet their needs was their main goal, with the desire for money offering no motivation beyond that. Because Nines prefer a peaceful and harmonious existence, they may be slow to acknowledge financial setbacks, putting that off until their problems become more serious and more anxiety-inducing.

How to cope

Start by working on the procrastination issues that often arise for Nines. The tendency to put things off until tomorrow can prevent you from dealing with money-related difficulties in their early stages, when they're easier to manage and far less likely to stress you out.

In general, you could benefit by learning to pay closer attention to where your money is going. Carefully monitoring your spending habits, and making alterations to save money wherever you can, will lighten your burden and leave you feeling more hopeful and resilient in a financially challenging era.

Not sure of your Enneagram type? Take Truity’s free test here.