DISCLAIMER: I am not a financial advisor and this should not be taken to be financial advice. You should consult a financial professional for advice. I am a financial amateur. These are my thoughts and opinions on money that I have recorded here for my children, with the hope that my thoughts might help them. They are responsible for the results of the advice they choose to follow. Always worth keeping in mind: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Your mileage may vary. The map is not the territory. Keep your eyes open. Smell it before you take a bite.
To my children:
No one cares as much as you do about your money. Same with your nose. No one cares as much as you do about your nose. It’s your job to care the most. You owe it to yourself. It’s your money and your nose.
Some things are your job whether you like it or not, there’s just no escaping them. For example, you’re in sales and marketing whether you like it or not. When you ask your boss for a raise, you’re in sales and marketing even if your job is to drive a truck. When you ask someone out on a date, you’re in sales and marketing.
You are also a business person. Whether you like it or not. You have a bank account, you have income, you have expenses, you have financial goals. You’re a mini business. It’s your job to know enough about money to survive as a mini business. You don’t want to go bankrupt and hope someone can bail you out. You want to thrive.
Go figure out how to grow your mini business and thrive. Learn how to make money. Learn the tax rules. Learn how to invest.
Don’t see it as a burden. It’s an opportunity. You don’t have to live paycheck to paycheck. Every squirrel in the world wishes they could save enough acorns for the rest of their life but they store acorns winter to winter. You’re the only squirrel that has a chance to store enough acorns for your lifetime. You’re the only squirrel who can grow an oak tree.
Plant some money seeds and see what happens. If it grows, water it. If it withers, plant the seeds somewhere else.
Good luck. I’ll meet you under the oak tree.
Bottom Line: No one cares as much as you do about your money. It’s your job to make, save, and grow your money. No one else’s.