As a mortgage broker and financial consultant for ten years I was stunned as to how many people did not understand the basics of their own personal finances. A vast majority of the people I did business with had no idea how credit scores are created or even the basics of a home mortgage. What I learned from that experience is that, typically, the people who wanted the most qualified for the least. Qualified is the key word. According to Dave Ramsey, a well known financial guru, four out of five Americans live paycheck to paycheck. Living paycheck to paycheck is a precarious way to live and could lead to being a burden on family, friends, or society at large. Start with the basics. Learn how to do a monthly budget. Figure out how much you have coming in and how much is going out. You could be surprised where your money is being spent. Discuss it with your friends over lunch. Reach out to friends or family who work in some facet of the financial industry. Being financially literate will make you less susceptible to being scammed or taken advantage of by a shady company or sales representative. Verify everything you are told. I don’t care if the ghost of Milton Friedman told you. Fact check it. There are myriad resources online that you can take advantage of. Share what you learn with your children, family, and friends. The more people that are debt free and financially stable will make the world a better place. Start with yourself. Having financial literacy leads to financial stability.
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