There are many lessons to take from the story of Harry Potter, such as the enduring bonds of friendship, the vitality of believing in yourself, and the power of love to triumph over hate. There’s another set of nuggets, less inspiring but no less important: how not to manage your personal finances. The Dursley family, Harry’s meanspirited aunt, uncle, and cousin, present a tangible example of a household possessing an unhealthy relationship with money.
The Dursleys are not poor by any stretch of the imagination. And yet, our personal finances extend well beyond the numbers on an income statement. If the crux of personal finances is learning to balance between our needs, wants, and future desires, the Dursley family leaves much to be desired.
The Dursley Family Finances
Vernon Dursley, the family patriarch, clearly makes a nice salary. He is a Director at Grunnings, a firm which makes drills. While not specified, we can assume that Vernon is fairly senior as he has his own secretary and his individual office has a large window. The Grunnings office is on the ninth floor of an office tower, another sign that the company business is doing just fine.
The family lives in a single-family home with four bedrooms: one for Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia, one for visitors, and two for their son Dudley (one where he sleeps, and one where he keeps all of his toys). It is a two-story home, as evidenced by Harry’s sleeping arrangement under the stairwell. The Dursley’s drive a company car, and are able to afford to pay tuition for Dudley’s private school.
Therefore, we can reasonably assume that Vernon’s salary places the family firmly in the upper middle class. However, this does not mean that the Dursleys practice good financial hygiene. In fact, they are guilty of a number of bad behaviors, such as endless consumption, greed, and the need to constantly impress others with their possessions.
Endless Consumption
The Dursley family is guilty of endless consumption. Let’s start with the Dursley approach to parenting, which can be summarized by one word, “Yes.” Yes to endless television (this was before smartphones), yes to mountains of presents, yes to second, third, and fourth helpings at the dinner table.
A case in point is the celebration of Dudley’s 11th birthday. Dudley receives 36 presents for his birthday, including a new computer, a gold watch, and a second television. (He had destroyed his first in a fit of anger after learning that one of his favorite programs had been cancelled.) He has so many toys that one entire bedroom in the house is devoted to housing them.
Then the incredible happens. He throws a tantrum! After Dudley performs some not-so-quick calculations, he is despondent when he realizes that he has received one fewer present than the year before. In order to calm him down, his mother promises to buy him two more presents.
This is a perfect example of the Dursley’s problem with endless consumption. Not appreciating what you have, and attempting to satisfy your unhappiness with material goods, will lead you down a road of endless consumption. It can lead to credit card debt and prevent you from devoting your money to long-term goals such as saving for retirement, education, or setting aside money for a rainy day in an emergency fund.
Impressing Others With Material Possessions
Making decisions based on the opinions of others rarely ends well. Not surprisingly, the Dursleys are consumed by what their neighbors think of them.
There is a phenomenon that deals with this behavior, also known as “Keeping up with the Joneses.” Accordingly, we are motivated to buy, consume, and spend in order to impress our neighbors. We see what our neighbors are acquiring, and we want the same for ourselves.
To prove the devastating effects of this type of behavior, one academic study demonstrated that neighbors of lottery winners have been known to spend themselves into bankruptcy. The reason is as disturbing as it is obvious: individuals witness their newly rich neighbors purchasing more and more goods, services, and experiences, and they spend well above their means in a misguided attempt to follow suit.
For example, one time, upon receiving a new vehicle, Vernon, Petunia, and Dudley all go outside to loudly admire their latest acquisition. While it is fairly obvious that placing so much value on material goods is unhealthy, it is also demonstrative of another problem of desiring objects simply to impress others.
Unless it is checked, the desire to “Keep up with the Joneses” will never stop until you have spent every last penny trying to impress your peers.
Motivated By Greed
Focusing on money is not necessarily a bad trait, but it becomes harmful when it becomes a paramount priority. The Dursleys certainly are guilty of taking their focus on money to the extreme.
Although they spend next to nothing supporting Harry (they starve him and never buy him new clothes, forcing him to wear Dudley’s old, way-too-big outfits), Vernon constantly berates Harry for the miniscule cost he is incurring by providing room and board.
One day, Vernon and Petunia host a dinner for a potential client, Mr. Mason. Vernon promises to buy Petunia a vacation house in Majorca if the prospective deal goes through. Needless to say, it does not, and the always-furious Vernon is even angrier at Harry for costing him this windfall.
Though Vernon does show some maturity by not going into debt to purchase a second home, his response to the failure of this latest business venture–locking Harry in his room save for a few bathroom breaks–certainly sheds additional light on his extreme greed.
While it is important to value money, it should not be the sole motivator driving your actions. Money is a means to achieve the life you want to live. It should never make you so angry that it changes the way you treat others, especially those who live under the same roof.
Conclusion: What Not to Do
There is much we can learn from others, including what not to do. Vernon and Petunia Dursley present a caricature of the grotesque, which is mostly apparent from how they treat Harry and their son Dudley.
However, their ugly behavior extends into their relationship with money, and there is much that we can learn from their mistakes. Endless consumption, a constant need to impress others, and being motivated by greed is not a recipe for a warm and happy household.
Creating a budget, living within your means, and appreciating what you have will serve you well, regardless of your salary level. This is true if you are a senior manager at Smeltings, a midlevel bureaucrat at the Ministry of Magic, or even the headmaster at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
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