This blog will help you consider how you react to savings instruments such as CDs and annuities. Also, it will show you to what degree you are a saver, an investor, or a speculator. Emotional traps are embedded in us, as well as in investment products. Internal traps come from our nature as savers, investors, and speculators. Everyone has an internal saver, investor, and speculator. However, everyone has different comfort levels with each aspect of his or her investment personality. When you hand money to a broker, you need to know which part of you is opening your fist.

Not all readers need to study this chapter. After reading the following section, you might wish to look only at the sections on savings instruments you now own or have owned in the past. Then, those of you who have a strong sense that you are a saver should study the entire chapter. Those who are confident that savings instruments are not within your comfort zone should skip the rest of the chapter. If you are not sure, skim the rest of the blog.