Fiscal Matters in America

by Jamie Simmerman · 3 comments

American Flag Wallet

There has been a lot of talk lately about budgeting, fiscal cliffs, and the government’s management of money. Everyone agrees that the government is doing a poor job of managing our tax income, and many are quick to throw in their thoughts on how to balance the federal budget.

But the hard truth is that the average citizen has no say in how the government handles its money. We only get to voice our opinions through the voting process, then sit back and hope for the best. However, we can make changes to our money management skills, as well as teach the next generation to manage money better. Lasting change starts small, and you can start at home.

Income Management in Lower Income Families

If you’ve ever struggled to make ends meet, you know that budgeting isn’t an option for lower income families — it’s a way of life, a necessity. These families learn to make $100 worth of groceries last for an entire month, but they struggle with other aspects of money management. When a sudden income change occurs, such as a tax refund, a job promotion, or an inheritance, this money is almost always managed poorly. (As with everything, there are exceptions to this generalization; this doesn’t apply to all low income families.)

Lower income families spend so much time wanting a nicer car, a couch that doesn’t sag, or a bigger TV, that they blow a large amount of money at once, splurging while they can without planning for the future. They believe income windfalls are a rare occurrence and a cause for celebration, not an opportunity for change.

As a home health nurse, this baffled me until I better understood their beliefs about money. I would see numerous families struggling to pull together $20 for co-pays for a child’s necessary medicines, yet they had a big-screen TV in the living room. When unexpected money would come into the house, they didn’t save it for future necessities, or the rough patches that were sure to come, they spent it. All of it. This self-defeating behavior was ensuring that they remained poor. They could manage the expenses of daily living very well, but they couldn’t manage their money for the long term.

Income Management in Upper-Middle Class and Upper Class Families

One of the great things about being a home health nurse is the exposure to people from all walks of life. While I had more than a few lower income patients, I also had several patients who were very wealthy. These people were keen money managers. They loved to talk about stock options and investing strategies. They had diversified financial portfolios, multiple savings accounts, and the future looked bright for them, as well as generations of family members to come.

However, these higher income families didn’t seem to manage the expenses of daily living very well. They left lights on all over the house, threw out leftovers, and consistently bought brand-name groceries and goods. They missed multiple opportunities to save money that would have been obvious to a lower income family.

In some cases, they could have saved more money than a lower income family generated in a month’s time. These families had the long-term money management down to an art, but they were teaching the next generation to mismanage daily expenses. They did this by ensuring they had enough income to not be concerned with a few hundred dollars wasted here and there.

Is one approach to money worse than the other? In my opinion, no. They both contribute to an unhealthy attitude toward money. Most people would say the higher income families are doing better because their bottom line shows a profit, but they should also consider that money was spent poorly or wasted — this counts as a loss when looking at the big picture.

Effective money management is a lifelong process that is intentional, difficult, and fraught with setbacks. The families that get it right are often the ones who grew up poor, worked hard to build wealth, and took the time to learn how to manage their money effectively long term. They worked hard to intentionally change their previous attitudes about money and to learn how to lead financially responsible lives.

What are your thoughts on money beliefs in America? 


{ read the comments below or add one }

  • Marbella says:

    Unfortunately, the U.S. must stop trying to be the good brother and join all costly wars around the world. Armed Forces eats large hole in budget. Furthermore, the United States tax the rich more and stop all $ 0 tax returns of the rich.

  • I work in healthcare with a lot of lower income people. I am 1 of them. 1 man recently was explaining to the lunch room crowd how his bank had given them a consolidation loan for his credit cards and now that the credit cards were all at zero there was room to charge a plasma television that he and his wife were going to purchase.

    He and I make about the same amount of money but we have very different ideas about money. I am not sure that we can lump everyone in together but I do see lots of the sorts of people you have talked about.

    As for the wealthy but wasteful family those children are not learning how to save so will probably not be as succesful as there parents. They would not see dad transferring money to the savings accounts every week but would see the waste in every day life. They will think that dinners out are a part of every day life and not a treat. Whatever they lose, break or no longer want is probably quickly replaced by mom and dad and they will expect that as adults too. Let’s hope mom is making them live on an allowance and working part-time jobs as well as working at home.

  • I believe that money beliefs are passed on by the parents to their children. I think education and experience are also factors in making the choice to save and invest.

Leave a Comment