Many of us had to learn about managing money through trial and error, by making mistakes and hopefully using that knowledge to avoid making them again. Money mistakes can be costly and can be avoided when you have access to the skills, knowledge, and tools required to make wise decisions.
Financial education is not taught in schools and most parents are not equipped to be offering their children empowering conversations about money. In addition, many are instilling limiting and negative beliefs about money unintentionally and unknowingly.
Ideally, prevention is better than cure and a proactive approach is better than a reactive one. Unfortunately, not everyone is able to do this. If you are one of the fortunate few, I highly recommend taking our online courses that will help to improve your financial wellness and raise a money-smart household.
The other alternative is the reactive approach which you will use to look at the past and identify the money mistakes that you have made or continue to make that are stopping, preventing, or delaying you from improving your financial wellness and achieving financial success.
To help you here are some questions you can use to identify the money mistakes you may be making.
When you hear the word “money” what feelings does it illicit? When it comes to money, what worries you about the future? What is the first thing you do when you receive money? What mistakes do you think you are making with money? Do you feel that you are overspending? Have you set financial goals and are you saving toward them? Do you have a monthly budget, and do you stick to it? When you are at a mall, do you buy only what you intended to buy, or do you indulge in a shopping spree? When you look at your bank statement, can you identify any trends or habits in spending that makes you cringe or feel any remorse or guilt?
We all have made some sort of money mistake along the way. And it is ok. What is not ok, is not forgiving ourselves for those past mistakes and not using those mistakes as lessons to improve in the present.
Money Messages philosophy is based on the principle that “When you know better you do better.”
– (Maya Angelou).
We hope you will reflect on your past money mistakes and use them to have a more prosperous financial future. If you need more guidance on this, please feel free to subscribe to our Money Messages financial wellness program on www.moneymessages.co.za