How did you learn about personal finance?

[dontgopoor]

I learned that Budgeting didn't work. No matter how much I tried, I still lived paycheck to paycheck. When I learned about using a cash flow statement and net worth statement instead, I was more motivated to take control.

I used to keep a big poster board on my wall and chart the balance of my savings and my credit card debt, so that I couldn't hide anything...and so that I could see my progress.
Angie

I think it's very commendable that you found what worked for you. Did you find that understanding what drove you to make purchases was useful in taking control?

[chrisburke21]

For really basics I would recommend money.com look up the money 101 section. This is very basic. Read blogs there is a lot of good info online(a lot of bad info too so be careful). A few reading reccomendations are a random walk down Wallstreet, the automatic millionaire, and your money or your life. If you want more resources pm me.

[KiwiJo09]

My parents never spoke to us about money or about responsibility with our money. So, most of what I learned, I researched. Only now is my dad interested in helping me with budgeting. But, for the most part, I got into it because I was sick of overdrafting.

I kept overdrafting and then getting charged that $35 from Bank of America. I finally started keeping a notebook with me to keep track of my checking account balance wherever I went. I would write down every transaction and keep a running balance. Then I upgraded to using Mint.com. Now I use YNAB.

It's a cycle.

[UnknownXV]

Well, I never had a very solid foundation growing up. I think my family moved 10 times at least. I don't remember exactly. I can tell you, watching them growing up, never knowing if we'd have a roof at the end of the month to sleep under.. that made me very cautious with money. I also ended up in Florida for a couple months homeless. Long story.

Essentially, life taught me to be frugal. It told me nothing is fair. Nothing will be handed to you. The only safety there can be is in the safety you build for yourself. With that mindset, and the internet, it didn't take long to get the ropes.

[kayt]

My dad taught me some things here and there while I was growing up but two things stuck to me and still crops up when I'm out shopping:

1. Do you really need it or do you want it?
2. If you want it, fine. Now keep it with you and walk around the rest of the store and if you still want it at the end, fine. At least you're sure.

And then while I was in college, I just became really conscious of money and where it went. I like to read a lot of YahooFinance and CNNMoney.

[YLTL_Dan]

I studied Finance in college, but I didn't really learn "personal finance" until I screwed up and went deeply into debt. From there, I learned by reading personal finance books, listening to Dave Ramsey, and trying my hardest to execute what I've learned.

[kellogg9]

Personal interest because i was in debt so much..and it grew from there.

[CoolHandLuke]

401k

When I started working at my current profession I elected to contribute 16% into 401k from day 1 that way I never missed it. Then I started to see it grow, and started changing investment choices and visiting forums to debate the pre-tax vs post-tax views and theories. It really got me into finances, intrest is interesting Haha corny.

[TBH]

Not from my parents, that's for sure.

My dad is good at making money (no college degree, but he's a hustler and has earned a lot in his life), but he has a penchant for risky investments and he tends to have a lot of debt. My mom is extremely debt-averse and is good at living frugally when she needs to but she isn't good at saving money or protecting savings she already has.

I am lucky that I have a sister much older than me. She moved out when I was a little kid, but when I got old enough to visit her on my own she started talking to me about money. We were both really uncomfortable with our parents' money strategies, and she taught me about budgeting, saving, investing, etc. I got interested in it and started reading books and magazines about money even before I graduated from college. Once the internet became widely accessible I started reading MSN Money and many financial blogs. I had my own financial blog for years and I learned a lot through doing research for my blog. This site has also been really helpful, especially for specific questions when I don't know what to do or when I need to be talked out of making a bad decision.

[Jimhassel]

Initially I learnt it from my parents and others in the family and later on from my degree in college.

[Ramose]

For me it has just been researching on the Internet. I've always had an interest.

[Bades]

I grew up in a family where my grandpa owned a business and my dad has been working there for the past 35 years. They've done very well for themselves, and we never had any financial hardships growing up.

There wasn't a lot of sitting down and talking about finances with us kids, but I think it was more lead by example. My dad never bought new cars, a lot of home repairs he would do himself and we would help out, we didn't shop at places like Abercrombie to buy our clothes, and for sports we never had anything close to $100 pair of soccer shoes like some other families would spend. After growing older, I knew they could have afforded this stuff but that just wasn't how our parents operated.

So now that I'm older, I want the same sort of financial stability I had growing up and hopefully one for my family when I start one. I had responsible parents and I saw that and adopted some of their financial habits. I know what hard work and saving up can do for a family and since then I've read endless articles online, joined forums , and have asked my dad for lots of advice and tips.

In high school when I got into computers I made excel spreadsheets to show my income vs spending, way before the days of online tools like Mint I think I've just always had a general interest in money and maximizing it to the best of my abilities.

[chrisburke21]

Personal Finance

I have learned most of what I know about pf from reading various books, blogs, and finance websites. Let me know if you need any recommendations of what to read.

[susie michelle]

My parents were pretty good about teaching me the basics when I was a young adult, but I guess I learned the most about personal finance (and developed my own philosophy on it) through just living live. My husband and I both have our own businesses, and that meant that there have been some times - especially early on - when were pretty stinkin' poor. We learned when we were newly married how to live large on almost nothing. Now that we have three kids and a little more money, we have found that a lot of those habits have stuck. There's a lot to be said for contentment and patience.

[SavingSweetOneL]

I had an allowance from my father starting at about 12 years-old. I had to buy food, clothes and fund my youth conferences from the allowance and from what I earned housecleaning and babysitting.

I started working from about 14 onwards. I didn't have any instructions on what to do with money, however, both parents had thier concerns, even though they were middleclass.

And, I spent it as soon as I got it.

Things are better now, however, I am still a spender.

My 3 siblings told me recently, they were given no instructions about how to manage money, and learned how to in work environments.

SweetOneL