When I was young in my career, I was a people-pleaser.
Some girls are sometimes conditioned to do this.
Mine comes from needing attention, given that I had an absentee mother.
I might also have a need for validation, because we all feel like we work hard, and people don't give each other enough credit.
I have felt for a while that I need to figure out a way to be mission-driven.
I see my kids waste a lot of money on Uber Eats without even thinking about it.
So, last week, I wrote a blog post and emailed it to the parents of the class of 2024 about providing a budgeting tool to kids while in college.
A dad emailed me telling me I shouldn’t email out to the school directory for business purposes. I was shocked as a people pleaser and not wanting to engage in a fight, even though I wasn't emailing for business purposes, I dismissed it and told him he was right.
He then said he was going to report me to the school.
The directory is not supposed to be used for business purposes, on the othet hand, I'm trying to help by offering a potentially useful tool. Even though I'm not using this to promote my business per se, it can be seen as such - at least indirectly.
But every failure, every obstacle is a gift.
Drawing a little controversy actually turned out to be a good thing.
After I posted this on LinkedIn, a Dad, who is a CEO, DMed me, with this,
"Your budgeting post is especially important for girls. Some girl parents just send them off with a credit card and a hug. Very bad. Many poor decisions made when money has no limit. "
College kids are not my clients, and logically, I know this little project is a waste of time.
But if I stop and approach it from my heart, I know it will help my daughter and me communicate better about money.
When my daughter is in college, she can do whatever she wants, but she will quickly learn that she will have to make trade-offs between ordering Uber Eats or eating in the dining hall, which is paid for by me and Dad.
If she needs more money for Uber Eats, she can get a job.
Making kids learn to make these small decisions is an important life skill.
It will keep them out of debt, sharpen their number skills, and make them responsible for their decisions.
Thank goodness another Westminster dad emailed me the next day, thanking me for offering to create a tool to help our college kids manage their money while in school.
Please unsubscribe below or I can easily take anyone off this list.
Thank you for reading!!
Tiffany Kent
Your Friendly Wealth Engagement Guide,
Disclosures: Past performance is not indicative of future results. This material is not financial advice or an offer to sell any product. The information contained herein should not be considered a recommendation to purchase or sell any particular security. Forward-looking statements cannot be guaranteed.
This commentary offers generalized research, not personalized investment advice. It is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a complete description of our investment services or performance. Nothing in this commentary should be interpreted to state or imply that past results are an indication of future investment returns. All investments involve risk and, unless otherwise stated, are not guaranteed. Be sure to consult with an investment & tax professional before implementing any investment strategy. Investing involves risk. Principal loss is possible.
What budgeting tool do you recommend?