---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: finances, n. You wanted to keep the list…"
description: "\"“ finances, n. You wanted to keep the list on the refrigerator. \"No,\" I said. \"That's too public.\" What I meant was: Aren't you embarrassed by how much..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b9/david-levithan-67_embarrassed_finances-n-you-wanted-to-keep-the-list-o_2369988.jpg"
---

#  finances, n. You wanted to keep the list on the…

![“finances, n. You wanted to keep the list on the refrigerator. &quot;No,&quot; I said. &quot;That's too public.&quot; What I meant was: Aren't you embarrassed by how much you owe me?” quote by David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b9/david-levithan-67_embarrassed_finances-n-you-wanted-to-keep-the-list-o_2369988.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b9/david-levithan-67_embarrassed_finances-n-you-wanted-to-keep-the-list-o_2369988.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b9/david-levithan-67_embarrassed_finances-n-you-wanted-to-keep-the-list-o_2369988.jpg)

> ““ finances, n. You wanted to keep the list on the refrigerator. "No," I said. "That's too public." What I meant was: Aren't you embarrassed by how much you owe me? ””

[David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Publicly sharing personal finances can feel exposing; privacy is valued over transparency in intimate contexts.

**In simple terms:** Privacy over public financial lists.

Key Takeaway

Set boundaries on financial disclosures.

Themes

privacy money relationships

Mood

intimate thoughtful

Type

advice philosophical

When to use this quote

- dating
- roommates
- family budgeting
- friendship

Key Concepts

social norms financial transparency

Questions to Reflect On

- What financial info are you comfortable sharing?
- How do you balance openness and privacy?

A Different Perspective

Some may view openness as trust‑building, not embarrassment.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Embarrassed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/embarrassed/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/)

## Related quotes

> [“I wish I could be better for you." She looks over at me, and I duck my head, shame sinking its teeth in. "I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mackenzi-lee/i-wish-i-could-be-better-for-you-she-looks-over-at-me-and-i-duck-my/)

[Mackenzi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mackenzi-lee/)

> [Always argue over text so other people aren't embarrassed!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-beckinsale/always-argue-over-text-so-other-people-aren-t-embarrassed/)

[Kate Beckinsale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-beckinsale/)

> [I love people who aren't embarrassed. I'm always embarrassed, so it's always astonishing to me when people aren't like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecily-strong/i-love-people-who-aren-t-embarrassed-i-m-always-embarrassed-so-it-s/)

[Cecily Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecily-strong/)

> [The Scottish aren't embarrassed about their nation, or their flag. Far from it. You can't move in Edinburgh or Glasgow without seeing a blue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-boles/the-scottish-aren-t-embarrassed-about-their-nation-or-their-flag-far/)

[Nick Boles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-boles/)

> [Global Warming Snowstorm Algore, paralyzing the upper Midwest two weeks before winter. Every time he shows up someplace, every time, it's almost comical, every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/global-warming-snowstorm-algore-paralyzing-the-upper-midwest-two/)

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

> [Science and technology have been embarrassed by two world wars, many smaller ones, and the spread of weapons that could destroy humanity. As a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-keating/science-and-technology-have-been-embarrassed-by-two-world-wars-many/)

[Thomas Keating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-keating/)

> [“The thing that truly amazes me about myself is that I’m actually more scared of being embarrassed than anything else.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvin-burgess/the-thing-that-truly-amazes-me-about-myself-is-that-i-m-actually-more/)

[Melvin Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvin-burgess/)

> [One of the really bad things you can do to your writing is to dress up the vocabulary, looking for long words because you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/one-of-the-really-bad-things-you-can-do-to-your-writing-is-to-dress/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [Perhaps we have failed as human beings. Perhaps we have embarrassed ourselves to the natural world. We have been rigorous and willful in all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sufjan-stevens/perhaps-we-have-failed-as-human-beings-perhaps-we-have-embarrassed/)

[Sufjan Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sufjan-stevens/)

> [One day I was running around playing with my son Connor when afterwards I was sweating, tired and out of breath. I was embarrassed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-carey/one-day-i-was-running-around-playing-with-my-son-connor-when/)

[Drew Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-carey/)

> [But that quickly faded, and he frowned. "You're bleeding," he said. "What happened?" Claire sighed and held up her wrist to show him the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/but-that-quickly-faded-and-he-frowned-you-re-bleeding-he-said-what/)

[Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/)

> [“Really? I'm trying to place you. It seems like we've met before." Did I just issue him a pick up line? Fantastic, I've now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-mcguire/really-i-m-trying-to-place-you-it-seems-like-we-ve-met-before-did-i/)

[Jamie McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-mcguire/)

> [I have pictures with Morimoto where I'm all embarrassed and he's so serious, it took me 30 minutes to get up the courage to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcela-valladolid/i-have-pictures-with-morimoto-where-i-m-all-embarrassed-and-he-s-so/)

[Marcela Valladolid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcela-valladolid/)

> [Some of the things I've done, like getting Justin Edinburgh sent off in the cup final by going down, I'm embarrassed - I cringe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robbie-savage/some-of-the-things-i-ve-done-like-getting-justin-edinburgh-sent-off/)

[Robbie Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robbie-savage/)

> [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/)

[Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/)

## More by David Levithan

> [“When you jump, all you're going to do is fall. But leaping? Leaping is when you think there's something on the other side.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/when-you-jump-all-you-re-going-to-do-is-fall-but-leaping-leaping-is/)

[David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

> [“The past and the future are what's complicated. It's the present that's simple. And the simplicity is the sensation of it being just her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/the-past-and-the-future-are-what-s-complicated-it-s-the-present-that/)

[David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

> [“I hate the way you talk to me And the way you cut your hair I hate the way you drive my car I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/i-hate-the-way-you-talk-to-me-and-the-way-you-cut-your-hair-i-hate/)

[David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

> [You could be the leaf that never falls from the tree you could be the sun that never leaves the sky this might be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/you-could-be-the-leaf-that-never-falls-from-the-tree-you-could-be-the/)

[David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

> [“Patrick: Is she worth the trouble? Cameron: I thought she was- Patrick: Either she is, or she isn't. So give it a shot, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/patrick-is-she-worth-the-trouble-cameron-i-thought-she-was-patrick/)

[David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

> [“We saw our friends die. But we also see our friends live. So many of them live, and we often toast their long and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/we-saw-our-friends-die-but-we-also-see-our-friends-live-so-many-of/)

[David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

> [maybe tonight you're scared of falling, and maybe there's somebody here or somewhere else you're thinking about, worrying over, fretting over, trying to figure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/maybe-tonight-you-re-scared-of-falling-and-maybe-there-s-somebody/)

[David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

> [“You never told me what you saw in him, not convincingly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/you-never-told-me-what-you-saw-in-him-not-convincingly/)

[David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

> [“i nod to the other will grayson, up onstage. he nods to me. we have something between us, him and me. but the truth?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/i-nod-to-the-other-will-grayson-up-onstage-he-nods-to-me-we-have/)

[David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

> [The terrorists-those nineteen people, with hundreds or maybe thousands behind them-did the worst thing you can possibly imagine. But tens of millions people did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/the-terrorists-those-nineteen-people-with-hundreds-or-maybe-thousands/)

[David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

> [But I still has enough longing for that concept that I didn't want to dispel it completely. Meaning: I didn't want to tell Lily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/but-i-still-has-enough-longing-for-that-concept-that-i-didn-t-want-to/)

[David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

> [“When you break someone's heart, you also break yours.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/when-you-break-someone-s-heart-you-also-break-yours/)

[David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

> [“Because toward the end all the words started leaving. Except for the ones that had to lock up at the end of the night.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/because-toward-the-end-all-the-words-started-leaving-except-for-the/)

[David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

> [“ misgivings , n . Last night, I got up the courage to ask you if you regretted us. "There are things I miss,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/misgivings-n-last-night-i-got-up-the-courage-to-ask-you-if-you/)

[David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

> [“Saving others is always more important than saving yourself. It has to be, or none of us would do any good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/saving-others-is-always-more-important-than-saving-yourself-it-has-to/)

[David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

[Explore all 1,648 David Levithan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/)

## More Embarrassed quotes

> [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/)

[Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/)

> [Some of the things I've done, like getting Justin Edinburgh sent off in the cup final by going down, I'm embarrassed - I cringe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robbie-savage/some-of-the-things-i-ve-done-like-getting-justin-edinburgh-sent-off/)

[Robbie Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robbie-savage/)

> [I have pictures with Morimoto where I'm all embarrassed and he's so serious, it took me 30 minutes to get up the courage to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcela-valladolid/i-have-pictures-with-morimoto-where-i-m-all-embarrassed-and-he-s-so/)

[Marcela Valladolid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcela-valladolid/)

> [“Really? I'm trying to place you. It seems like we've met before." Did I just issue him a pick up line? Fantastic, I've now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-mcguire/really-i-m-trying-to-place-you-it-seems-like-we-ve-met-before-did-i/)

[Jamie McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-mcguire/)

> [But that quickly faded, and he frowned. "You're bleeding," he said. "What happened?" Claire sighed and held up her wrist to show him the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/but-that-quickly-faded-and-he-frowned-you-re-bleeding-he-said-what/)

[Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/)

> [One day I was running around playing with my son Connor when afterwards I was sweating, tired and out of breath. I was embarrassed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-carey/one-day-i-was-running-around-playing-with-my-son-connor-when/)

[Drew Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-carey/)

> [Perhaps we have failed as human beings. Perhaps we have embarrassed ourselves to the natural world. We have been rigorous and willful in all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sufjan-stevens/perhaps-we-have-failed-as-human-beings-perhaps-we-have-embarrassed/)

[Sufjan Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sufjan-stevens/)

> [One of the really bad things you can do to your writing is to dress up the vocabulary, looking for long words because you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/one-of-the-really-bad-things-you-can-do-to-your-writing-is-to-dress/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [“The thing that truly amazes me about myself is that I’m actually more scared of being embarrassed than anything else.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvin-burgess/the-thing-that-truly-amazes-me-about-myself-is-that-i-m-actually-more/)

[Melvin Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvin-burgess/)

> [Science and technology have been embarrassed by two world wars, many smaller ones, and the spread of weapons that could destroy humanity. As a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-keating/science-and-technology-have-been-embarrassed-by-two-world-wars-many/)

[Thomas Keating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-keating/)

> [Global Warming Snowstorm Algore, paralyzing the upper Midwest two weeks before winter. Every time he shows up someplace, every time, it's almost comical, every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/global-warming-snowstorm-algore-paralyzing-the-upper-midwest-two/)

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

> [The reason "other churches" don't grow: "Jim, the truth is, I couldn't have a real prayer meeting in my church. I'd be embarrassed at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cymbala/the-reason-other-churches-don-t-grow-jim-the-truth-is-i-couldn-t-have/)

[Jim Cymbala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cymbala/)

> [“She is embarrassed to be alive and no one on earth can fully console her.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-trevor/she-is-embarrassed-to-be-alive-and-no-one-on-earth-can-fully-console/)

[William Trevor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-trevor/)

> [I'm an aggressive woman who gets things done, and that's the way it is, and I've never been embarrassed about the fact that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-quinn/i-m-an-aggressive-woman-who-gets-things-done-and-that-s-the-way-it-is/)

[Christine Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-quinn/)

> [When West End Girls came out on import, I was a student at Liverpool University. I'd go to a club in Liverpool and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-lowe/when-west-end-girls-came-out-on-import-i-was-a-student-at-liverpool/)

[Chris Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-lowe/)

[Browse all 949 Embarrassed quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/embarrassed/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“ finances, n. You wanted to keep the list on the refrigerator. \"No,\" I said. \"That's too public.\" What I meant was: Aren't you embarrassed by how much you owe me? ”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "David Levithan"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/finances-n-you-wanted-to-keep-the-list-on-the-refrigerator-no-i-said/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Embarrassed"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/finances-n-you-wanted-to-keep-the-list-on-the-refrigerator-no-i-said/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b9/david-levithan-67_embarrassed_finances-n-you-wanted-to-keep-the-list-o_2369988.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b9/david-levithan-67_embarrassed_finances-n-you-wanted-to-keep-the-list-o_2369988.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b9/david-levithan-67_embarrassed_finances-n-you-wanted-to-keep-the-list-o_2369988.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“finances, n. You wanted to keep the list on the refrigerator. \"No,\" I said. \"That's too public.\" What I…” — David Levithan",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "David Levithan",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“ finances, n. You wanted to...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/finances-n-you-wanted-to-keep-the-list-on-the-refrigerator-no-i-said/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/finances-n-you-wanted-to-keep-the-list-on-the-refrigerator-no-i-said/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
