I had a great conversation this morning with my client appreciation coordinator. We were talking about how interesting things can get when you try to figure out your friends' financial thought processes. More specifically we were discussing the frugalness, or lack there of, of one of her friends. I started to even think through my best relationships, and discovered that I have a completely different set of money ideas than even my closest friends do. Does that mean that I'm right and their wrong? No, but it means that no two people or couples have the same theories on how to manage their money.

We identified one particular mentality that seems to be a wild card in all of this. The concept of abundance. In the last few years the concept of an "abundance mentality" has taken over our society. The abundance mentality operates on the premise that life is there for the taking. You can give yourself great things because you have the ability to think big and have ultimate confidence in your ability to generate wealth. For instance, you buy a $5000 TV 12 months same as cash because you are confident that you will get a big bonus next year.

The abundance mentality is especially prevalent in the world of sales. Sales managers all over the nation urge their salespeople to buy a new house or a new car in an effort to feel abundant. They figure that the pressure of a bigger payment combined with this abundance mentality will stoke the fires of sales genius.

It is truly amazing that two people can view a simple money concept so differently. Think how differently people buy cars: leasing, paying cash, financing, buying new, buying pre-owned. No two people have the exact same strategy.

Just food for thought.