Money talks, but talking about money can be uncomfortable. After all, it’s one thing to discuss finances with your family or close pals, but quite another when a stranger loudly asks how much you paid for your home. "If you feel that someone’s intention for asking the money questions is not friendly or lighthearted, then you don’t want to give them information," says etiquette expert Lizzie Post of the Emily Post Institute and author of How Do You Work This Life Thing?

Here are the best responses for those occasions:

(First published as "Smart Answers to Snoopy Questions" in the "Good Money" section of Good Housekeeping Philippines' May 2009 issue. Adapted for use in FemaleNetwork. Photo by patriziasoliani via Flickr Creative Commons)