One of the biggest mistakes people make, regardless of the subject, is assuming they already know enough about the topic. There are always new schools of thought, fields of studies and additional breakthroughs that can turn any person's thinking on its ear, but when people don't seek out opportunities to grow, they could be unintentionally damaging themselves.
Asking for help
Never be afraid to ask for financial advisement or banking assistance. It's your money, know what's happening to it. Surprisingly, the Wall Street Journal reported that more than two-thirds of Americans said they had a good grasp of finance, yet only about half were able to correctly answer basic finance questions in a national survey.
Not everything a person needs to know about individual finance is covered in school. What's more, teachers are not certain about their own finances, according to the Journal, so assuming that these people will make the best investment tutors is a mistake. Starting young is always a good move, as it ingrains good practices from the beginning, but seeking out business banking advice, as well as pointers in investing, financing and credit will make adults better with money, too.
Growing up wise
The Journal indicated that the issue with American adults could be rooted in the fact that not enough is being done to educate children on the right way to handle pecuniary matters. Balancing a checkbook, using mobile banking and understanding the difference between CDs and money market accounts should be rudimentary, yet most schools don't cover such topics routinely.
There are some entities that have stepped up to remedy these issues. According to Time Magazine, Girl Scouts of America are actually helping young women learn more about money and financial responsibility. Selling cookies encourages philanthropic tendencies and money management skills, and with an increased focus on the way these funds are handled, participants are seeing just how money really works, rather than just pulling it in.
"The last couple years with the economic situation in this country we realized that girls sometimes get a little scared about talking and learning about money," said Girl Scouts of America CEO Anna Maria Chavez. By implementing minor changes to the well-known annual cookie sales, this fund raiser now offers a critical financial education to girls in a practical manner.