This is a blog swap post by LaTisha D Styles from Financial Success for Young Adults. Read my post at her site today!
What’s that statement that Nene Leakes makes on the Real Housewives of Atlanta? “I don’t keep up with the Joneses, I am the Joneses.” That statement right there is what motivates me to be financially responsible.
It’s not the fact that I want to be like the Joneses or the Leakes, for that matter, with every new trinket and gadget that money can buy. I don’t need a brand new BMW or expensive home in Duluth, GA to feel like I have self worth. But I want that option.
I’m financially responsible because of the choices it brings. If I wanted to treat myself to a new wardrobe at BEBE, I could. If I wanted to donate 10,000 dollars to my charity of choice, I could; simply because financial freedom allows for more choices.
I started learning more about money when I was 14 and I wanted new clothes. My parents told me I would have to work if I wanted name brand clothes, and I started babysitting to make extra cash. Then at the age of 15 I got my first official job at McDonalds. I’ve been working ever since.
I first learned how to spend money wisely after reading the book Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki. I was working as a telemarketer and I had a phone call with a very intelligent gentleman who recommended I read the book, after I gave him my best sales pitch for a new credit card and he turned me down. I wrote down the title and bought it on Amazon that night.
After reading the book, I realized that I never really understood money. I was getting ready to get trapped in the rat race and Kiyosaki’s book saved me from killing myself for 40 hours a week just to end up in debt and with no assets.
I started saving money, spent it, saved it, spent it, and finally evaluated my thoughts concerning money. I began to invest while learning everything I could about the markets. I decided to get a finance degree so I could learn how the banks made money from me. That’s when I learned to manage money like a banker and I’m growing my assets everyday.
Today I’m financially responsible because I want to have the ability to help people who grew up just like me, without knowledge of money. My goal is to have everyone around me get rich by leveraging my networks and my knowledge to help my friends and family.
It’s amazing what a little education can do. It’s sad that the majority of people grow up without learning the basics of money. And it’s mostly because their parents don’t know either. I was never “taught” about money… but who was there to teach me? My parents didn’t know either.
That is so true, I learned my money management after trial and error and I am determined to teach my children about how to master money.
It’s a good thing you had that job and found that book. Good luck “keeping up with the Joneses!”
I couldn’t agree more! Doing well financially and being able to contribute 5-10% of my money to charity each year brings me much satisfaction! More options = better!
@Kevin Yes! I would cite that as one of the pivotal points in my financial life.
@Jacob It would always frustrate me that I wasn’t able to help others in need, even when I should have had the means to.
Excellent article. I concur with your reasons totally. Having options makes life so much richer.