| April is National Financial Literacy Month, and you love to talk about money, but I think it should be called National Financial Intimidation Month. After all, most of us “mere mortals” find personal finance intimidating. And boring. And tedious. |
| Are you done? Besides, I thought you got over that years ago. |
| Being forced to figure out the basics doesn’t make personal finance any more interesting. It’s like getting my teeth cleaned. I know I need to do it, but that doesn’t make it any more enjoyable. |
| Great analogy, especially as getting you even to think you could “do” personal finance was like pulling teeth. |
| Fine, is this where you’re going to remind me how I freaked out when you first mentioned financial statements? Or when you told me that if I could add and subtract, I was qualified? |
red head
assets.rebelmouse.io
Black
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| Actually, it quickly became obvious that a big part of the problem was the terminology, which is why I simplified it. |
| I remember. Especially since you love to tell people how emphatic I was that I couldn’t deal with assets and liabilities until you told me we were going to talk about “what you own” and “what you owe,” and I said I could do that. Neglecting to tell me those were the definitions. |
| My version is technically accurate. But, making it a funny story makes the topic relevant and relatable. And, memorable. |
| Like when you used to ask auditoriums full of eighth graders how many liked math, and only a handful raised their hands. But when you asked how many liked money, they ALL raised their hands! |
| Exactly. The difference is focusing on practical applications versus terminology and theory. Many people will think they are not good at math when, in reality, they are not good at theory. |
| Do you remember when you took the girls and me to Central Market? Back when Natasha was in high school and close to failing math. She had a store gift card and a basket full of items. Sawyer and I watched as the cashier entered each item, and we were betting on how much Natasha would overspend. Instead, she came in slightly under! |
| She seemed to know exactly where she stood. And, was doing it in her head. Which did not surprise me as she was always good with numbers. It is why business plans for bars, not just the creative concepts and drinks, but the numbers, come so easily to her. Natasha often struggled with the supposed “correct order” of the mathematical steps, but she understood the application. |
| But I’ve always thought of math as being very structured. With right and wrong answers. |
| Ok, if something is $7.84 and I give you a $10 bill, how will you figure out the change? And, you cannot use a calculator or smartphone. |
| Easy. Subtract $7.84 from $10. How else would you do it? |
| Add $0.16 to get to $8. Then $2 more to get to $10. I can get to the “correct” answer of $2.16 faster using addition than subtraction. |
| That’s really interesting. When you asked me how to figure it out, the straight-A student in me defaulted to how I was taught to do it. But your approach is a much easier way to get to the same answer. |
| Basic algebra. |
| Don’t even think of going there. But it does explain the trick Mommy taught me years ago about calculating the cost of something with tax. Rather than figuring out what 8.25% of the price was and then adding it to the price, I’d just multiply the number by 1.0825. |
| I doubt Mom realized the mathematical equation behind solving for “x,” but she knew why take two steps when you can take just one. Whether in your head, on paper, or using a calculator. |
| So, just like you made me realize being open to “trying” to do personal finance is about mindset, so is math. Using your logic, why not teach math, at least to those who aren’t into theory, in a practical way? And by using money examples, you also could be teaching personal finance. After all, kids may not like math, but they sure do love money. |
| Mom used to say that I excelled in math because, as a kid. I would substitute “dollars and cents” for “apples and oranges” in word problems. Although, looking back, putting me on a clothing budget when I was in middle school is what probably taught me the most. |
| I still can’t believe you never realized it was intended as a punishment, not a life lesson, until you were trying to explain budgets to me while I was in the midst of my “crisis”. |
| I still can’t believe you never learned about money until you were in your 40s, and it took your husband getting fired. But, the bottom line is that you are never too young or too old to learn. |
| About math. About money. About life. |
Want to read other columns? Here's a list.
What does Thanksgiving have to do with shoes?! Or, the fact some of Red’s most memorable Thanksgiving celebrations happened when she lived overseas and introduced the holiday to friends, none of whom were American. But this column from 2022 is bittersweet for Black, as shortly after it ran, her good friend John passed away … yet the memories of Thanksgivings spent together – and of dear friends – live on. (But that still doesn’t explain the shoes …)
| At the risk of asking you a warm and fuzzy question, have you thought about what you’re most thankful for this Thanksgiving? |
| Yes. |
| I should’ve guessed that you’d take the question literally. Could you expand on that a little, or at least give me a hint? |
| Friends. |
| I should’ve guessed that too since John’s been in the hospital for the past several weeks and is one of your oldest friends. |
| Not sure “oldest” is the kindest way to define it, but he and his wife have been my closest friends for over 35 years. To the point that John calls me his “second wife,” although he’s only been legally married once. |
| That’s funny, but on my recent fall foliage trip, I realized it was so much more than chasing leaves as I experienced the joy and appreciation of visiting a dear friend and her family. And while phone calls, texting, and even FaceTime are great, it’s just not the same as spending time together. |
| I was going to mention that when you first told me you were going to see Sawyer in Nashville and also spend some time at Amy’s in east Tennessee, but figured you already knew that friendships can easily be taken for granted … until something makes you fully appreciate them. |
| That’s so true. Although I prefer to have a small group of friends, and most of mine I’ve known for decades – either from elementary school, college, or my years living in Hong Kong. Unfortunately, though, none of them now live near me. |
| Friends do not require living in the same town, although that is usually how friendships begin. And, while we may not stay in touch as frequently as we want, over time, we see who our true friends are … they are the ones who are always there for us, during good times and bad. And, in my case, are brave enough to point out when they do not agree with me. |
| Very brave. My friends have it easier, but I count on them to give me an honest perspective no matter what, although I prefer when they agree with me. |
| Of course, you do. And, your friends should be thankful you are so easygoing. |
| Well, at the risk of sounding corny, with Thanksgiving just days away, it’s the perfect time to be truly thankful for our dear friends. |
| It reminds me of the photo that Natasha sent us last year when she was celebrating “ Friendsgiving” with her friends in England. |
| Besides not realizing it was an actual thing and not Natasha combining the words “friends” and “Thanksgiving,” I was expecting photos of her attempt at making sweet potatoes or other traditional Thanksgiving foods , or maybe a bunch of Brits sitting around the table with the lone American. Not a photo of everyone’s shoes in the entry hallway. |
| I never thought of Thanksgiving as being “all about the shoes”, but that image sums up the true meaning of the holiday. |
| Tell the truth; everything’s always all about the shoes for you. But, given this Thanksgiving will be the first without Mom, the image’s a wonderful reminder of the importance of friends who’ve been there for me this year. And I include you as both family and friend. |
| Once is enough for me. And, as the saying goes, you cannot choose your family but (like shoes) you can choose your friends. So, pick carefully, and then appreciate them. |
Take a moment and imagine not being able to read this sentence. Now, think about this … if you’re reading this, you’re doing something millions of Americans can’t.
|
I’ll admit that I never realized how many people can’t read.
It’s something I’ve always taken for
granted. That’s until Black and I met
someone doing something about it – Jackie Aguilera, now the Project Manager for
the Mayor’s Office of Adult
Literacy (Houston). Her focus
wasn’t only on reading literacy but on “literacies” I’d never heard of, such as
financial literacy, health literacy, and digital literacy. But it all starts
with the ability to read. |
|
It
is called functional
literacy. Obviously, if you
are reading this article, you are on the internet. Which has more information than anyone can
possibly absorb (and is why news literacy is so critical). Now,
imagine if you could not read. All that
information … just sitting there.
Available to others, but not to you. |
|
Books are my great escape. Always have been. So, I can’t
imagine a life without them. |
|
A great escape … in many ways. You may use it to escape from the stresses of
daily life or just as entertainment. But,
books and, more specifically, the ability to read is how people can escape a
life of poverty and limited opportunities.
|
| Working with Jackie made me see that. As did our work with the criminal justice system, as so many incarcerated people struggle to read. And I know you’re a data geek, but please don’t start quoting me statistics. |
| OK, no statistics, but did you know that more people in the US are affected by low literacy (meaning they cannot read at a sixth-grade level) than are diagnosed with cancer or heart disease? |
Over the years, as we’ve learned how many people can’t read (including one in three Houstonians), it’s made us stop and think about how that impacts every aspect of their lives … their families … their communities. And also … our communities and our country.
As former First Lady Barbara Bush said many years ago,
If you help a person to read, then their opportunities in life will be endless.