Where did you learn about money and finances?

We learn about money and how to use it from our earliest age. There are messages about money all around us. From watching those closest to us and how they use money to commercials that are streamed into our minds through tv, phones, and advertisements to what we hear from our friends. We are always taking in these messages and it is important to think about what these messages mean and how they impact how we, as individuals, use money.

Our family home had a lot of furniture that had been given to our family or gathered from places that were getting rid of it. In our living room there was a pea green couch which sagged a bit. I remember when my parents bought a new living room set with a couch, love seat, chair, coffee table, and two side tables. They had saved and saved for a really long time to be able to finally afford this luxury in our home. That living room set has graced the family home now for about 25 years. And what happened to the pea green third hand couch that was replaced? It shifted rooms in the house to replace an older couch. There was still life in those squeaky, old springs.

That experience of watching my parents save and carefully search and shop for an item made a significant impression on me. The things about money I learned from that experience were:

-Take time to make sure you really want that thing before you buy it.
-Set a goal of how much you need to save and work towards it.
-Using money that you have saved means you don’t pay interest on the item.

What messages about money have you learned in your life?

– Caroline

Are you facing financial challenges? If you need help getting your finances back on track, reach out to Caroline, our Financial Literacy Program Coordinator at advice@unitedwaybg.com or 519-376-1560. She can help you look at your financial situation and decide on a positive path forward.