April is Financial Literacy Month and a perfect starting point for my blog – because that’s what my blog’s all about!
First, a little background on this largely overlooked holiday. This campaign was begun several decades ago by a nonprofit organization named Jump$tart in Washington, D.C. Its primary focus was to promote financial literacy in general but was particularly geared to educators and their students. They have a stellar website that is chock full of good information for teachers, parents, and children alike. For you homeschooling parents, I encourage you to check it out and use their resources.
I have long been a proponent of mandatory financial education in our schools. It is reported that many high school students are woefully unprepared to enter the bewildering world of money and finance. Today’s parents have been guilty of neglect when it comes to preparing our children for the “real” world. And that includes me as well. It is often easier, especially when I am busy, for me to just handle all the details for my daughter.
Listen up millennials and Gen Z’ers, no one will be a better manager of your money than you. This commercialized society we live in today is a money junkie looking for its next fix. Companies spend over 1 trillion dollars a year in marketing for the sole purpose of separating you from your money. And they are good at it. I find I must be constantly vigilant so I don’t fall prey to the next shiny object.
Developing good money habits at this stage of the game will create a solid financial foundation that will serve you throughout your life. Taking control of your money habits now will allow you to enjoy your retirement years. It would certainly be much nicer to live out your golden years free from financial worry.
Don’t get me wrong, too much money is not necessarily a good thing either. The world is full of people who have squandered their inheritance. It is unfortunate that they didn’t appreciate what they had and worked hard to protect it. Children born to wealth often never find their purpose and wind up wandering aimlessly through life and squandering their money along the way.
No, money doesn’t necessarily buy happiness, but what it does buy you are options. I’m sure there are many of us nine-to-fivers who wish we could get off the career ladder. Options allow you to spend more time with your family, or volunteering, or just slowing down. I personally wish I had more time to become a full-time solopreneuer.
But I want my blog to do more than just help the younger generations get off on the right foot financially. I think people of all ages could use some help and encouragement in gaining traction on our financial journey.
My generation, much like the ones before me were largely thrust into adulthood with the expectation that we would learn most things by trial and error. There we were, fumbling along and making mistakes in hopes we would eventually find our way. And let me tell you, I made a LOT of mistakes! I wish now that I had asked my parents more questions. If I had spent more time learning this stuff when I was younger I feel I would be farther along financially.
I do have to hand it to my Dad, though, because he had to work hard to attain the level of financial security he enjoyed when he eventually retired. And he gave his kids an appreciation of a learning mindset, an entrepreneurial spirit, and hard work to achieve our financial security. And he was a good role model for how to save and invest wisely.
I am going to explore all things having to do with money, finance, savings, and budgeting, basically financial literacy. All those things we wished we had learned a little more about – and a little sooner. And I think that a laymen’s understanding of money matters is sufficient to make wise decisions. No need to crack open the microeconomics book or study candlestick patterns to be able to navigate the world of finance.
I hope you’ll join me as I become my own teacher and accountability coach during Financial Literacy Month. That way we can ALL make it to retirement with enough money so that we can have the peace of mind that comes with financial security!
