How did I learn about financial literacy? Uhmm... How did I learn about financial literacy? I've been thinking all day, trying to remember or come up with the answer to this question to no avail. For all I know and can remember, I was always a financially prudent child. I was always concerned about making my money grow particularly by savings even if it meant starving(which was horrible but helped me grow in a way I wouldn't describe here) and also, which has somehow affected me until date.
I owned this wallet back then. It was yellow in color and I think it was from the MTN service brand. In it were stashes of naira notes that I had amassed and was saving until the day I couldn't find it any longer. I don't know why I was saving that money then, but I remember that it was a lot of money(for me).
As a child, i always wanted to have money. It helped that my dad gave me money a lot plus other cash gifts I would often have. But I wasn't frugal. I had the mindset to have more and some, so I never get to want something and not be able to afford it or have to beg.
I may have learned of the actual meaning of financial literacy when I grew older, but I was already living it all. It's the same way that I read Arese Ugwu's book, 'the smart money woman' and although I wasn't one to read books on finance, I found that I was all on the right track in my finance. Save for investing, I was practicing all the other habits of a financially smart person.
I know what this prompt asks, but I have no answer for it cause, as I've stated, I can't tell a time from when I started learning about finance. I just found myself like this. I can't even say that I learned from anyone.
Nonetheless, I think that from fery early, as early as possible, even when a child is just two years of age, they should be taught about handling finance. Right, it shouldn't be done in any serious way or with a long sermon. Maybe when the child gets cash gifts or reward from doing something, they can be taught to save some for something they would want, say a shoe or a toy. Whatever it be. Sure, most children will be glad to do so, and it's a way to help them develop the savings culture.
And definitely, it will stir pride and joy in them when they are able to get for themselves something they always wanted. Little by little, cultures like budgeting, tracking spending, investing, and the likes can be taught. You might be surpris3d too that it might just come easily to them. But always start with savings. Let them keep some of the money for themselves and put away the rest. I feel like it even stirs some level of responsibility in the child. Just do it early enough. That's it.
Thanks for gracing this post.
Greetings!3