Cecilia is sixteen and has a part-time job at a local diner, where she works three shifts a week to earn money for college. She also puts aside $50 every month to give to the local SPCA because she loves animals and can't stand to picture those poor puggles without homes.

Cecilia's co-worker, Amy, is also sixteen. She works the same number of shifts at the diner, and she uses the money to pay for her janky old car and for new clothes, both of which make her feel good about herself, natch.

What's the difference between Cecilia and Amy…other than their wardrobes?

Their values.

These two work exactly the same amount, but they put their earnings toward different things. So let's look at how they spend their money and see if we can figure out their values. (No judging here—you might think one of them is doing something better with their money, but that's the not the point.)

Cecilia

• She saves money for college, so she likely values education.
• She also gives some of her money to the SPCA. This might mean she values animals or just "giving back." Selflessness, maybe?

Amy

• She uses her money to pay for a car, so she probably values freedom and flexibility—the ability to be where she wants when she wants.
• She also buys new clothes, so she values her appearance (and how it makes her feel).

Now, what values do they share?

Cecilia and Amy

• They both work for their money, so they might value independence; i.e., paying for things on their own.

Of course, you'll want to start from the other direction: determine your values and then figure out how it maps on to your money. For example, if your values are all about making the world a better place, you'll probably need to earmark a good amount of dough for charities; or for savings so you can go volunteer saving baby giraffe orphans in Africa. If, on the other hand, you value stability, you might start saving your money earlier so you know you'll always have something to fall back on. And if you value bling? Well, then, make it rain.

Your values are yours—not to be judged. (Unless they involve violent crimes, in which case, we're judging). But knowing what you value can help you make better choices with your cash.

Determining Your Values

So, how do you figure out what on earth you value?

Here are a few questions to ask yourself:

• What do you spend a lot of time thinking about?
• What parts of life are most important to you?
• How do you think the world should be? What do you think you should be doing to help make it that way?
• What brings you the most happiness? The greatest sense of satisfaction?

Once you've answered those questions, figuring out your values should be pretty simple. If you're still racking your brain, here's a list of common values to get you on the right track. (And yes, we know, you're anything but common.)

• Family
• Friendship
• Stability
• Wealth
• Material Goods
• Health
• Religion
• Appearances
• Tolerance
• Justice
• Excitement
• Generosity
• Education

And remember, as you grow, your values will change. Family might not be #1 right now, but once you have kids, we're betting that'll change. Or you might value excitement in your youth but value sitting-on-your-butt-at-home as you get older. Keep a close eye on your values and make sure that your spending maps to them appropriately.