Each One Teach One About Money: How Americans Talk About Money

Filed under: Personal Finance, Savings, Lynnette Khalfani-Cox

We've all heard the expression "each one, teach one." It's a call to action urging us to spread whatever knowledge we might have to someone else. That's what I do every day as a Money Coach. I teach people how to get financially fit.

But with unemployment at 9.5%, credit card debt and student loans in the trillions of dollars and foreclosures on the rise, there is perhaps no better time for every one of us -- professionals and lay persons alike -- to spread some financial know-how. All of which which explains why I was particularly interested in a just-released survey from Northwestern Mutual.

The survey -- "Financial Realities: Generational Advice" -- examines how Americans are talking to one another about money matters. And one of the interesting findings of this survey is that 75% of Americans feel a responsibility to pass along financial advice. Two of the survey's other findings:

1. Good Advice is Ageless
No matter what the age group, people are remarkably similar when it comes to doing the right things personally and financially. One topic explored in the survey was what advice each generation would pass along to the other generations. Interestingly, when older folks were asked what money management wisdom they would impart to the younger crowd (i.e. to 20-somethings), it was virtually identical to what the younger generations said Baby Boomers should have done differently: pay off debt quicker, save more money, get better prepared for retirement, take better care of one's health and spend more time with family.


2. Nobody Ever Regrets Saving
When asked about the single best financial decision they ever made, the answer was clear-cut across all age groups: "I started saving early." Therefore, if you're tempted to overspend or if you initially think you "can't afford" to save, think twice. People in Generation X, Generation Y, the Baby Boomer Generation and retirees age 65 and older all reported feeling good about having started saving early. If you do the same, you'll no doubt be happy about that decision too.

Given the state of the economy, I know it's tough to save. Just paying the bills might be difficult. But amid your struggles, don't forget this silver lining: The next time you're going through a financial hardship, you can turn it from a negative into a positive by passing along whatever lessons you learned to someone else. By sharing your experience, you just might help a family member or friend to avoid some of the pitfalls and troubles you've endured.

That's the heart of the message "each one, teach one." And that's especially good advice when it comes to teaching the next generation about finances.

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Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, an award-winning financial news journalist and former Wall Street Journal reporter for CNBC, has been featured in the Washington Post, USA Today, and the New York Times, as well as magazines ranging from Essence and Redbook to Black Enterprise and Smart Money. Check out her New York Times best seller 'Zero Debt: The Ultimate Guide to Financial Freedom.'

 

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