Beverly Hills High School Money Lesson That Made Me Rich

Homecoming (guys dress up as cheerleaders, cheerleaders dress up as football players.)

Not rich in money. Rich in perspective.

We lived in a crappy apartment in Beverly Hills. 

Just so my mom could feel rich. 

Just so I could go to Beverly Hills 90210 

While classmates drove BMWs, I walked to school. 

At 15, I was balancing my mom's checkbook, 

watching her fall for "buy now, pay later" scheme. 

That Circuit City TV? $19 a month for 5 years on a $700 purchase.

While I didn’t do the math, I knew she was paying a much higher price. 

Fast forward to my 40s. I'm questioned everything.

Did I pick the wrong career? 

Should I have gotten my CPA and become a CFO as I dreamed as a kid?

Instead, I chose the buy side, investing, and felt whipped around by the stock market and by bosses.

The temptation to stay home with the kids was real.

But I recognized that pattern:

"Buy now, pay later."

Except in life, if you don't invest in yourself today, you pay more for it later.

I remembered Warren Buffett's advice: When you find yourself in a hole, 

stop digging.

So I stopped.

I doubled down on understanding investing for the long term 

not just the short term. 

Got my Certified Financial Planner credential and became an advisor.

Because I finally understood what those Beverly Hills days taught me:

My mom's financial mistakes weren't failures.

They were my education.

And maybe the most expensive lesson she ever taught me was free:

If you don't commit to living life on your terms, 

other people will commit you to theirs.

The universe doesn't offer payment plans.

You either invest in yourself now, or you pay interest on regret forever.

That one-bedroom apartment wasn't keeping us poor.

It was making me rich—in all the ways that actually matter.

Happy Holiday!

If you need some help thinking about your goals for next year, please reach out!

Thank you for reading!

Tiffany Kent

Your Friendly Wealth Engagement Guide

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