Narcissists are dangerous with money, and they will not stop at ruining whatever situation you’re in, whether that’s good or bad.
If your bank account contains anything, the narcissist will want to pull that plug and drain it all into their own pockets.
They’re quiet, almost stealth-like. But believe me when I say they can and will prove to you that they can sneak behind your back and take what’s yours.
The tricks are subtle, but they’re very real, and here they are for you.
Messing With Money
With their obsession with money taking over their life, they will ensure you are dragged into it by emptying, or at least trying to empty your bank account.
Prepare though, because that emptying is going to be subtle. If it were obvious, you’d have more control and power over putting a stop to it, wouldn’t you?
That’s why, like most things related to narcissists, there is a thick layer of disguise over everything they do, so that you don’t notice them pulling tricks to take advantage of you.
Money is nothing but another tool they use.
#1 Secret Credit Cards
Remember that card you left on the side months ago for the narcissist to borrow when they needed it?
Yeah. They took it and are close to now maxing it out. While they took it, they changed the statements to be electronic only, so you’ve probably missed a bunch of payments, too.
I can’t stress this enough: credit is not your money. You’re borrowing it, sometimes at an extortionate interest rate.
It’s not yours, and it equally isn’t the narcissists either. And I do get how tempting it is to be given a piece of plastic that has a limit.
You want to go buy anything and everything, but it comes at a cost.
Secret credit cards will backfire and eventually bite you on the butt if you don’t raise your awareness to what’s being spent, where and when.
#2 Signatures Forged
Narcissists aren’t just clever at manipulating your character, they’re also great at manipulating your signature, too.
I don’t want to freak you out, but you’d better not leave it lying around for them to practice on in the first place.
If copying it and perfecting means they get access to your funds, you can bet they’re going to do it.
It’s only when your money starts dropping like lead in water that you’re going to realize who is behind it.
By then, it’ll be too late. That money will never be seen again.
#3 Pay-Day Loans
Three words I absolutely do not want to hear in the same sentence. Pay-day loans charge a disgusting amount of interest, to the point where repaying it can become very dangerous to you financially.
I’ve heard of people losing their homes to pay-day loans because they just cannot keep up with it. You pay a little, but you end up barely touching the surface.
But hey, if a narcissist is doing this and registering the loan to your property, or even worse, your name, I’d say you can safely prepare for a knock at the door and legal requests for your assets as a result of non-payment.
#4 Guilt-Based Borrowing
After all I do for you, and you can’t even put your hand in your pocket?
So, it’s okay for you to buy what you want but you can’t honor me this?
Sounds about right, doesn’t it? So you, the good person, will want to do what you can to keep the peace and keep a happy person in your life.
That means you do put your hand in your pocket, and you do, offer them what little you now have. Over time, that money continues to be bled to them.
Make no mistake, that borrowing may as well be required as giving. There’s no way you’re seeing it any time soon, if at all.
#5 Phantom Subscriptions
Sports, TV, apps, online magazines, whatever the subscription is, the narcissist will proudly keep a hold of it without you even blinking an eye of awareness their way.
What a treat! They get their cake, and they get to eat it, too!
You might not even think twice about it, after all, it wouldn’t be unusual to see direct debits coming out of your bank, would it?
Unless you start looking more closely, that is. When you do, you’ll realize you’re paying twice for Netflix. You’re paying twice for the sports. What is this? Why?
Because the narcissist has gotten a hold of your bank details and they’re using it to fund a hobby or pastime that you have no idea about.
#6 Cashback Skimming
Cashback is so popular these days, do you use it? If you do, do you know it’s going back into your account, or has it been rerouted to another?
I’d hedge my bet now that you’re not getting it, and that the narcissist is reaping the rewards.
Just think, everytime you go into a shop or make a specific purchase, you think you’re getting a little percentage of that back, and it feels satisfying.
Except, wait. Where’s it going? Why aren’t you getting it?
Oh, that’s right. The narcissist has tuned in and set it up to get it.
Small yet another mighty win for the toxic charmer.
#7 Investment Hijacking
What do you invest in? Maybe it’s stocks or shares, or perhaps you’re more down the real estate path.
You can explore and apply your finances wherever you want to , but make no mistake, where there’s an opportunity to take some money from you, the narcissist will never be far away.
They love to know that you’re getting a regular income somewhere other than your work, because that’s where you may not notice them taking it right away from you.
It’s quiet, and it may not even be noticed if you aren’t one for checking it regularly, so I would use this opportunity to refresh every password you have and lock your passwords with an extra bolt.
Real danger can come from allowing them constant access.
#8 Joint Accounts: Bleeding Your Finances Dry
Try to never sign up for a joint account with the narcissist, and if you have to, make it so that this account is for bills only.
Even then, be careful as they can still take from it and leave you in the red, and with those bills unpaid.
If you were to sign up and have all your money pooled together, you’ll see that balance dip further and further down with every passing week.
Silly expenditures, like eating out a lot, or wanting a new gym membership because the other one that they still have to pay for isn’t good enough, so you end up with two.
Narcissists can be finally careless, and that shouldn’t be on you to fix. Your hard earned cash should be yours and respected, and if you are ever asked to join forces, politely decline.
You are under absolutely no obligation to say yes, so keep it that was as much as you can.
