One of the greatest talents shopaholics have in common is the ability to convince themselves that whatever it is they're about to put on their credit card is somehow worth it:
I've earned this.
Fate that blew that Barney's sample sale ad onto the doorstep.
Great Grandma Jane would want me to get a that new LBD for her funeral.
None of those excuses is backed by science, of course, but here's one that just might be: The way we spend is simply part of our DNA.
It's not that much of a stretch when you think about it. If our parents and grandparents can pass along other addictions (alcohol, drugs, etc.) then it's not too far-fetched to imagine bad spending habits could be genetic, too. (See how they pass on strange bill habits.)
“When you look at the family and you look at the parents and the kids, there is a lot of resemblance,” genetics expert Dr. Gil Altzmon recently told CBS 2′s Kristine Johnson.
He points to a study by the University of Washington, which analyzed the spending habits of 15,000 sets of twins born in the 1950s. What they found was most of the twins had the same spending patterns, even those who were out of contact with one another. (See how to keep your kids' spending from getting out of control.)
Scientists say this all part of a new field called "geno-economics," which looks at our our biology effects our financial behavior.
Whether it's genetic or not, there's no denying kids who show bad spending habits early on probably won't get their act together without a little family support.
See how to talk to your teen about finances and save them from learning the hard way just how badly a lot of debt and bad money choices can damage their life.
Now see 12 penny wise, pound foolish moves you could make with your money >
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