What Do You Think?
Dad comes into the living room while Trent is watching TV. He says, "Trent, I think I left a $5 bill on the desk last night. Have you seen it?" Trent glances up at his Dad with a guilty look on his face but offers no reply. (See end of article for a possible answer.)
Money brings out both positive and negative emotions in people. Family members often have different values and attitudes toward spending and saving money. They may also have different financial goals. Families need to be able to communicate about money to both prevent and overcome money problems. One way to start communicating about money is to identify personal values. Values guide decisions and are:
- the qualities, situations, and material things most important to a person
- based on a person's past experiences, present situation, and expectations for the future
Identifying Your Values
Consider these questions. The answers may help you identify personal values influencing the way you spend your money. These are values you may want to share with your child.
Family—Do you want to have children? If so, how many? What type of lifestyle would satisfy you most? Are you prepared for the financial responsibilities of a family?
Work—Are you satisfied with your job? Do you make as much money as you'd like? How do you feel about both husband and wife working outside the home? Are you willing to move for job advancements?
Home—Do you want to rent or own a home? Can you afford to furnish your own home as you would like?
Transportation—Could you get along with only one car? Would you be willing to drive less? Would you be willing to join a carpool? Would you be satisfied with a smaller car? Recreation—What do you do for recreation? Would you be satisfied spending less money on recreation or hobbies?
Future Security—Are your comfortable buying now and paying later? How important is saving? Have you started to plan for retirement? What plans have you made to provide for your family in case of death or disability?
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Reprinted with the permission of the Iowa State University Extension. © 2008 Iowa State University Extension.
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