I had a long conversation with a friend today. And a during the conversation I had a realization. The average American does not have a basic understanding of how to manage financial issues beyond the average day-to-day struggles of just paying bills.
I thought about that.
A basic financial education seems so essential. We are taught Algebra, Geometry, all kinds of math, but nothing about how to pay off a mortgage, avoid too much interest, how to buy a car, which car to buy to make the most financial sense...
And so I got to thinking about where I learned.
My first lesson was actually a punishment. I failed Algebra and I was put in remedial math. Remedial math was basic household math. I learned the most basic essential math I would need to function in society. The lessons included:
How to balance a checkbook
How to figure out the sale price of an item if there is a percent off
And that was years ago, and that is all I really remember.
I now realize, my blog can help people if I can just figure out how to teach the things I know.
My next financial lessons also came at a huge personal price. My dad left me in Canada and agreed to pay my tuition for college, and my room and board. My dad's idea of "board" and mine were vastly different. I had to do it on $100 a month. That was my budget for food, and just about anything else I needed. It really wasn't enough, but I had to learn to live on it.
I was vegetarian, and that helped. I bought rice and the old veggies from the clearance bin at the nicest supermarket I could walk to. We would bring them home, and chop them up, and make them into wahtever we could. I remember I would use powdered buttermilk bought in bulk as a sauce to simmer red bell peppers in. I got really creative. We ate well, and I usuall had enough leftover for a few CDs or maybe a night out... tough to do on a budget that tight.
After that I came to live in the US and moved out of my parent's house. My first time on my own. I got a job at a restaurant as a hostess, and I rented a room in the basement of a condo. I had four roommates in that condo, and we shared our bills. I walked to work, it was a little over a mile, and if I worked late, I got a ride from someone if I could. I had to have an emergency root canal, and that set me back quite a bit. I made arrangements with a dentist to make payments, and he did the root canal for me. I had no credit, so I couldn't get financing. It was at that point I decided to join the Army.
The Army took care of the rest of the dental work I needed. I got a full physical, I got a paycheck, a fancy new job title, and I shipped out for Basic Training. I put my stuff in a storage unit. I will never forget, in Basic they ask for your home address. I didn't have one. I got screamed at by a mean lady because I did not have an address to give her. I finally gave her my parent's address, but seriously, I was 23 years old, I hadn't lived at home in a while, and I did not consider their address mine. Neither did they, lol...
The Army also had lessons to teach about finance. At that time I had the kind of bank card that just cuts you off if you overdraft. No fees, no ceremony, just stranded somewhere asking your friends to cover the tab becaue you miscalculated. Thank goodness for friends!!
It was here I met my husband.... and this is to be continued....
No comments:
Post a Comment