Let’s talk … money

Let’s talk. About Money.​

Would you rather talk about money or stick your hand in a bee’s nest? Full disclosure – I’m allergic to bee stings. The last time I was stung by a bee – my face blew up, I was in a lot of pain. You get the idea.​

I suspect this is not an unusual reaction for most people. I don’t know anyone who wants to or likes to talk about money. Unless they’re musing about winning the next Powerball jackpot. Oh all the places one could go, and all the things one could do.​

I didn’t grow up talking about money. I don’t remember a single conversation about money. But yet, I knew this about money as a child: we had none, and it was important. This early experience informed my relationship with and attitudes towards money.​

Research tells us that our money patterns and habits are formed by the age of 7. Let me repeat that – by the age of 7!

So, if you're like me, grew up never having a single conversation about money, what does that mean for our money patterns and habits? ​

The lack of conversation about money spurred me to seek out everything I could learn about it. I read books, watched TV (remember the old Money eps on Channel 9 with Paul Clitheroe) and hungrily absorbed everything I could. I applied what I knew diligently.​

What do I know now about money? It’s important and life without it can be hard. Making conscious decisions about money enables me to live the life I want. To give my children the education I wished I had. The choices I wanted as a child. ​

So, it’s okay – no actually, it’s important to talk about money. About how you can be empowered to live the life you want. Not to be obsessed with it, or stressed by it. But to feel and know that you’ve got this.​

Authored by Kate.