3 Financial Lessons I’m Extremely Thankful For

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Some financial lessons stay with you a long time. Here are some of the ones that have helped me tremendously. 

Like many kids, when I was younger, I didn’t always want to listen to my parents. When they said to go to bed, I’d often sneak a book under my blanket and read it with a flashlight. When they told me to come home at 10 at night, I’d sometimes push it and come home at 10:30.

But one of the things I did make a point to listen to was the financial advice my parents gave me as I got a bit older — old enough to earn money of my own, at least. Here are some of the lessons they taught me that I’m thankful for to this day.

1. Always have emergency savings

You never know when life might throw you a curveball. One thing my parents always insisted on was having an emergency fund. And they encouraged me to build one as well.

Through the years, my savings account has bailed me out on multiple occasions. In my 20s, my emergency fund helped me buy a new car when my previous one got totaled in a minor accident. In my 30s, my emergency fund helped cover numerous home repairs. And more recently, my savings came to the rescue when my daughter and dog had to visit the emergency room in the same week.

A recent SecureSave survey found that 63% of Americans don’t have enough cash reserves to cover an unplanned $500 bill. I’m really glad my parents taught me early on how important it is to not be in that boat.

2. Never carry a credit card balance forward

I opened my first credit card when I went off to college. My parents warned me from the beginning that I should make a point to pay my balance in full every month, rather than carry it forward. They also instilled in me to only charge a sum I could afford so that I’d be able to pay my balance off in full each month.

I have many friends who, through the years, have lost a fair amount of money to credit card interest. I’m grateful for the fact that despite having had many credit cards in my day, I’ve never paid a dime of interest to any of the companies that issued me one. And not wasting my money on interest has made it possible for me to meet other financial goals.

3. Don’t take on too much house

My parents aren’t the type to stick their nose into their grown kids’ business, so when my husband and I started looking for a house to buy, they sat back and let us run the show. One thing they did warn us about, however, was to not take on too much house. We heeded that advice, and it’s served us well ever since.

My husband and I opted to buy a home well below the top end of our price range. As a result, we’ve had a low mortgage loan all these years relative to our income. That’s made it easier to cope with the repeated home repairs we’ve faced. And it’s also allowed us to continue to do some of the activities we love, like travel, without having to pinch pennies all the time.

Although I speak to and see my parents on a regular basis, I can’t remember the last time I stopped to thank them for their terrific financial advice. But maybe I should do that more often. These specific tips have really helped me work toward my different personal finance goals and avoid a world of financial stress. And those are things I’m perpetually grateful for.

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