Money Lessons From Game of Thrones

posted on May 6, 2019 |   312 likes

Game of Thrones; which house are you in based on your financial habits?

The world is agog about GOT; social media, streaming sites, even corporate gatherings now hardly go a day without a heated conversation about the twists and suspense as seen in the series.

However, amidst the fun and excitement, the thrills and suspense, there are great money lessons we can learn from the houses in Game Of Thrones

George R. R. Martin in his book “A Song of Ice And Fire (what has become known as The Game of Thrones)”, included a robust economic system governing the world of Westeros.

Some houses are carefree with their money, living fly and accumulating debt. Others are miserly, spending only within their budgetary constraints.

Before you begin rolling your eyes thinking about where you fall in, here are some financial personalities which Game of Thrones’ houses typifies.

House of Stark

The house of Stark seems to be the most loved family in GOT, don’t judge me, that’s not why it’s first on this list.

The words “Winter is coming” are synonymous with this honorable family.

Although, they know how to always make ends meet, the family has been through some tough times and suffered many tragic personal losses.

With the threat of winter approaching, the House of Stark is trying to build stockpiles of wealth to prepare for tougher times ahead.

Like House Stark, you’re a sparing spender who likes to budget your money and rarely spend outside of it.

As you emulate the Starks financial habits, you have started to build your emergency fund with intensity to prepare for any unexpected surprises in your financial future.

You likely have an established budget, spend consciously, and aggressively pay down any debts.

Generally, you consciously prepare for the rainy days, and that is reflected in your finances.

House Lannister 

Cersei, Jaime, and Tyrion were born into a bosom of wealth that their father had maintained for them.

They where born with silver spoons and know nothing about hardship. They are surrounded by excess of anything they need, hence no need to learn budgeting.

Safely ensconced within the walls of Casterly Rock, the Lannisters grew up surrounded by the best things of life.

Wine never dries off the wine jar, the volt is full of gold, and the army booms with numbers.

As the family marched towards power, they realized that feeding an army is not cheap.

Eventually, the gold in their vaults was completely gone.

However, that did not stop this family from continuing to spend money they didn’t have.

Based on their good credit history supported by the motto that “a Lannister always pays his debts,” the Lannisters secured shockingly large loans to continue their lavish lifestyle and pay for wars.

The Lannisters have been able to stay afloat based on the loans, but eventually, they will have to repay these bizarre debts.

Like the Lannisters, you’re up for the luxury lifestyle. You don’t care much about long-term implications of spending. When you want something, you go for it regardless of your budget or bank account.

But there’s something interesting and financially plausible about you, when you take a loan, you make a goal to pay it off quickly.

House Targaryen

The House of Targaryen has proven that financial freedom is possible with hard work and perseverance.

The mother of dragons represents a house fueled by “fire and blood” that is seeking to regain its place at the Iron Throne.

Not too long ago, the Targaryen family ruled Westeros with the strength of their powerful dragons.

After the family’s fall from power, Daenerys and her brother were raised on a budget not fit for a queen.

As she struggled her way through exile, she has built wealth and respect along the way. She has traveled the realm and continuously moved closer to the ultimate victory.

As a Targaryen, you may have struggled to survive your original financial situation but took strategic steps to break free from your paycheck to paycheck cycle.

You value building your savings and use investment apps to grow your resources into a long-term foundation of wealth.

Of course, it took hard work like learning how to eat on a budget and finding a way to believe in your dream of financial freedom. 

House Baratheon

The brothers of Baratheon House were continuously fighting amongst themselves about money.

Each wanted a bigger portion of their wealth to squander on various vices.

Robert became a drunk that was only interested in dining, entertainment, and women.

Stannis fared no better and spent all of his money on the whims of the Red Woman.

The brothers shared a distaste for responsible budgeting and enjoyed spending like “it’s no man’s business”

Like the Baratheons, you enjoy spending without thinking about the consequences but you still want to be rich.

If you take a loan, you’re comfortable with not working out your repayment structure.

Even if you won the lottery today, you would still blow through your winnings with luxury vacations and fast cars tomorrow.

If you spend with a reckless abandon, then you would fit in well at the Baratheon household.

A few signs that you are a Baratheon at heart include refusing to budget, or trying to impress your friends with money that you don’t have.

House Tyrell

It’s not all struggles, some families are just blessed, and this could be you.

The Tyrells have been blessed with fertile lands surrounding their lovely castle of Highgarden. Within their beautiful surroundings, the family enjoys a comfortable life without any financial stress.

Like the Tyrells, you have no loans to service or relatives to take care of, you have the liberty to spend your money as you please but still live within your means.

With a healthy emergency fund on hand, you handle with ease whatever life throws your way. 

House Martell

Have you heard people talk about how other people make them change?

House Martell had originally stayed somewhat neutral throughout the battles for the throne.

The tight-knit family seemed to prefer its own territory and avoided large conflicts with others.

However, that all changed with the brutal killing of Oberyn by the hands of the Clegane.

Since then, the house has erupted into chaos with Ellaria emerging as the leader. Her fiery personality has led to bold actions with big repercussions.

Like House Martell, you do not have a plan for your money. Instead, you react to each situation without completely thinking it through.

Although you have some savings, you do not fancy being stinking rich.

However, you avoid taking on any loan because you hate the idea of owing anyone money.

House Greyjoy

The Greyjoy’s are an unruly bunch. They appear to hate following leaders of any kind.

In fact, there is even a divide within the house about whether they should follow Euron or Yara.

As a member of House Greyjoy, you share a dislike for following the crowd. In fact, you would prefer to be leading the crowd instead of a member of the masses.

In order to achieve that lofty goal, you are working to build your savings account with a long-term goal of financial independence.

You know that careful budgeting will help you reach your goals, so you meticulously budget with a trusted FInancial Partner

House Arryn

The Arryn House is established in the Vale and serves as the protector of Eastern Westeros.

Although the house has never shown too much of an interest in the war for the throne, it is inevitably drawn into the fold occasionally.

Generally, the family keeps to itself in its well-fortified home with a small army for protection and enough money in the bank to fund a modest lifestyle.

As a member of the Arryn House, you likely manage your money with a simple approach.

You live a comfortable lifestyle but you’re sure to stay well within your means without any goals of becoming extremely wealthy. 

Closing thoughts

Now that we have gone through the financial implications of the Game Of Thrones Houses, which do you fall into?

Remember that financial freedom to some is a gift that falls right unto their laps, for others and the most part, you have to work it out diligently, with professionalism and dedication to discipline.

Here’s the good news, unlike the GOT movie where you can’t easily switch from one house to another without a war, dragons spitting fire and swards piercing ribs, you can literally flip your financial personality without losing a hair strand.

If you don’t like the Game of Thrones House that your financial personality has personified, all you need to do is speak with an expert at Page Financials and you will enjoy a smooth walk into a more suitable financial personality that speaks confidence.

Need to speak to a financial expert? Send us an email at customer@pagefinancials.com or call 016317243 to get started right away.