Everyone is in control of his finances, to a certain degree. We all choose every day whether or not to purchase something. If you were to rent an apartment, or buy a car, you decide based upon how much income you have, and whether it is affordable or not. A person who cannot tell the difference between an apartment that is too expensive, compared with one that is within his budget, would be more out of control with regard to spending. Someone who spends more of his income than he makes would be less in control. A person who has learned to consistently make the right spending decisions over time—someone who manages to have a large net worth on a relatively meager income, but understands and practices personal finance each day—is very much in control of his finances.