16 Of The Best Pieces Of Money Advice People Got From Their Parents (2024)

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Think back to the first time you learned about spending money. Chances are, your parents were the ones who first taught you. So we recently asked members of the BuzzFeed Community to tell us about the best piece of financial advice their parents gave them. Here's what they shared: 1. "The best financial trick my mom ever introduced me to was the 'holy sh*t fund.'" 2. "When I started working and had some money of my own, my mom always said, 'When in doubt, don't buy it.'" 3. "Treat a credit card like a debit card." 4. "My parents taught my brother and me how to bargain-shop." 5. "When I got my first real job, my parents made me meet a financial advisor and set up a Roth IRA. Even if you can only add a little every month, it can really help you in retirement." 6. "My mom always told me, 'First thing every month: pay your rent.'" 7. "Avoid paying interest as much as possible." 8. "Banker's daughter here. Any time I wanted to buy anything more than $30, my dad would make me figure out how many hours of work it would take me to pay for the item." 9. "Carry cash and use it to pay for things when you can." 10. "My mom taught my sister and me how to have a healthy relationship with money — to live within your means and make sure essentials were taken care of first. It’s also completely fine to splurge a little once in a while." 11. "My mother taught me to be a STICKLER about checking my accounts regularly to see if everything was correct. I check almost daily." 12. "Start saving for retirement ASAP." 13. "Set aside money each month for Christmas and other gifts. This way, Christmas gifts won’t be one huge expenditure at the end of the year." 14. "My dad always says 'pay yourself first,' meaning you put a percentage of your paycheck into your savings." 15. "When I got married, my parents told us to try to live on one salary and save/invest the other." 16. "Buy the ugliest house on the best block. I bought a house for $280K. Houses on my block go for about $450K." If this sounds like music to your ears (and bank account), check out more of our personal finance posts. FAQs

    "Even if you can only [save] a little every month, it can really help you in retirement."

    by Jasmin SuknananBuzzFeed Staff

    Think back to the first time you learned about spending money. Chances are, your parents were the ones who first taught you. So we recently asked members of the BuzzFeed Community to tell us about the best piece of financial advice their parents gave them.

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    Here's what they shared:

    1. "The best financial trick my mom ever introduced me to was the 'holy sh*t fund.'"

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    "As soon as I got my first job, she convinced me to set up an automatic transfer into a bank account — separate from my savings — that I never touch. I now put $50 from every paycheck into the holy sh*t fund. And, I only ever use it in holy sh*t moments, such as a leaky roof or an expensive trip to the mechanic. I never have to dig into my savings."

    katiew470cb3c03

    2. "When I started working and had some money of my own, my mom always said, 'When in doubt, don't buy it.'"

    "Growing up, we didn't have a lot of money, so buying something required some time to think... It's been years later and I still use this advice a lot."

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    3. "Treat a credit card like a debit card."

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    "Never spend money you don’t already have."

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    "Never have a credit card balance. Always pay off your whole bill, not just the minimum payments."

    zkarach

    4. "My parents taught my brother and me how to bargain-shop."

    "They'd have us look in the clearance section first to see if there was anything we liked there."

    just_nicole

    5. "When I got my first real job, my parents made me meet a financial advisor and set up a Roth IRA. Even if you can only add a little every month, it can really help you in retirement."

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    "Advisers often take a small cut of whatever profits they make you, instead of billing for their services; so it's affordable, professional advice! I also learned to always have your IRA contribution come out of your account automatically, so you never count on that money."

    lizs46de7efa5

    6. "My mom always told me, 'First thing every month: pay your rent.'"

    "When times get hard, I can always mooch food from family and friends, but I sure as hell won't get kicked out of my apartment."

    utimann

    7. "Avoid paying interest as much as possible."

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    "If all your purchases are on credit cards or loans and you pay interest, every single thing you bought actually cost more than you think you paid. On the flip side, if you can pay everything off in full every month, get a credit card with good rewards for your everyday purchases. You'll not only build credit, but you'll also get money back for buying the things you would've bought anyway."

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    8. "Banker's daughter here. Any time I wanted to buy anything more than $30, my dad would make me figure out how many hours of work it would take me to pay for the item."

    morganwestbrookd

    9. "Carry cash and use it to pay for things when you can."

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    "It's easy to gloss over how much you're really spending when you just swipe a card."

    bamabecky02

    10. "My mom taught my sister and me how to have a healthy relationship with money — to live within your means and make sure essentials were taken care of first. It’s also completely fine to splurge a little once in a while."

    "My parents got divorced when I was about 6. My dad is the definition of 'champagne taste on a beer budget.' We were poor for a while, and my mom would have to go to food banks so we could eat. I believe my mom was making $10K–12K a year for a while, so I knew how much my mom had to do just to get food on the table. Also, my mom has always had a change jar! One in the house and in the car. Every single cent really does add up."

    brittanijuneb

    11. "My mother taught me to be a STICKLER about checking my accounts regularly to see if everything was correct. I check almost daily."

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    "This way, I’m able to catch pending transactions before they go through and see if there is an error. Another thing it helps me do is see how much I have every day, and I know how much I can spend before payday. It keeps me accountable for how much I am spending.

    She also taught me that you’re never too old for an allowance. So every pay period, I give myself an 'allowance.' It could be $5 a day or $20 a day, depending on your financial situation. Having an allowance doesn’t make me feel guilty about buying a fancy coffee or something."

    kasetikal

    12. "Start saving for retirement ASAP."

    "If you wait until you’re older, you'll have to save large chunks of money at a time, instead of little bits of money over the course of two to three decades."

    camean02

    13. "Set aside money each month for Christmas and other gifts. This way, Christmas gifts won’t be one huge expenditure at the end of the year."

    NBC / Via giphy.com

    katieg4dfedb9cf

    14. "My dad always says 'pay yourself first,' meaning you put a percentage of your paycheck into your savings."

    "That way, you’ll always consider your spending budget in accordance with your savings."

    ejlevan18

    15. "When I got married, my parents told us to try to live on one salary and save/invest the other."

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    "We definitely didn’t live in as nice of a home as most of our friends did, and we couldn’t eat out or order in as often. But, the lifestyle has really paid off. It has afforded us the opportunity to get ahead in a short period of time. When the pandemic hit, we still had a comfortable safety net and could even continue to invest."

    ddmile

    16. "Buy the ugliest house on the best block. I bought a house for $280K. Houses on my block go for about $450K."

    "This is big, and I understand that not everyone can buy a house, especially now. I'm gonna make so much back after we spend the next 30 years fixing it up."

    schulzemary214

    If this sounds like music to your ears (and bank account), check out more of our personal finance posts.

    16 Of The Best Pieces Of Money Advice People Got From Their Parents (2024)

    FAQs

    What is the best advice you ever received from your parents? ›

    Always clean up after yourself. Always leave a good impression on people. Always be grateful and respectful when someone loans you something. If we treat people well and over-deliver they will usually do the same for us and may even be able to help us out in the future when we least expect it.”

    What is the best piece of financial advice you ve ever received? ›

    Automate your savings

    The only way to be successful with saving is to make it a habit," Cox said. She continued to say that when you automate deposits into your savings account, you can set it and forget it. "It's even better if you have it automatically deducted from your paycheck so that way you don't even miss it."

    What advice should parents give to their children? ›

    Don't be afraid to make mistakes – you'll learn more from your failures than your successes. It's how you cope with them that matters. Fill your life with the things you enjoy, and don't rely on other people to make you happy – it needs to come from you. Be nice to your parents!

    What are two tips for a successful money talk with your parents or guardians? ›

    How To Talk To Your Parents About Money
    • Prepare for the conversation. You want to get this stuff out in the open as soon as possible—but do a little preparation on the front end. ...
    • Be clear, humble and kind. ...
    • Ask about their current plans. ...
    • Ask for their advice.
    Nov 17, 2023

    What is the best piece of advice? ›

    10 life advices that are still relevant today
    1. There's more than one way of doing something. ...
    2. Treat others how you want to be treated. ...
    3. Follow your passion. ...
    4. Never stop learning. ...
    5. Take responsibility for your actions. ...
    6. It's not all about you. ...
    7. Expect yourself to change. ...
    8. Focus on what you can control.
    Mar 3, 2023

    What is the best advice a mother can give? ›

    The Best Advice From Our Moms
    • “Just keep trying.” ...
    • “Look the part.” ...
    • “Enjoy where you are and what you have today.” ...
    • “Whatever's meant to be will be.” ...
    • “Be great at what you do.” ...
    • “Always prioritize your friendships.”
    May 12, 2023

    What are the three pieces of advice? ›

    3 pieces of advice that served me well: - Act, don't talk. - Show, don't tell. - Prove, don't promise.

    Who gives the best financial advice? ›

    Famous financial advisors became household names for a variety of reasons. Benjamin Graham and Warren Buffet are among the most common traditional financial advisors that relied heavily on value investing. Several financial advisors such as Dave Ramsey and Robert Kiyosaki are most known for their print publications.

    Why should I get financial advice? ›

    A financial adviser can help you set financial goals so you feel confident that your future plans are achievable. If you're not on track to achieving your goals, an adviser can help you put the right strategies in place, or set more realistic goals.

    What are the 7 rules for parents? ›

    7 Rules for Parents to Improve Your Child's Future
    • Show Love Without Conditions. ...
    • Order up Expectations, Sans the Egotism. ...
    • More Carrot, Less Stick. ...
    • Feed Connection, Starve Reaction. ...
    • Be Playful, Ditch the Digital. ...
    • Foster Wonder, Deter Gloom. ...
    • Reward Competence, Discourage Vanity.
    Jul 17, 2020

    How do you teach rich kids about money? ›

    Use allowances to teach children how to handle wealth. Have them divide their allowance into three equal parts. One-third goes toward their own pleasure, one-third into savings and one-third to charity. This method helps them learn about other uses of money, beyond buying them things.

    How do I convince my dad to give me money? ›

    Adult children who ask parents for money should plan for the meeting as if they were going to the bank for a loan, financial planners say. Don't just say you need money. Spell out exactly what it's for. Show that you have a well-reasoned plan for how to spend it.

    How do you pass on wealth to children? ›

    One good way is to leave the inheritance in a trust. The trust can be set up with some provisions, such as making distributions over time. A trust can also remove the issue of probate, allowing the inheritance to pass without issue.

    What is the best advice your parents have given to you and why? ›

    My mom's most frequent advice was, “You can do anything you want. And to whom much is given, much is required.” She said that all the time. Actually that was the only advice she ever gave me, with one exception: the last thing she said as she left me at college was, “Don't tell anyone you are poor.”

    What advice would you give to yourself as a new parent? ›

    Accept help.

    Don't try to be super-mom or super-dad. Neighbors, relatives, friends, and/ or co-workers are often delighted to help, if you let them know what you need. Just having an hour to sleep, shower, or take a walk while someone you trust cares for your infant can give you a much-needed lift.

    What is the most important thing in your life as a parent? ›

    The most important thing for a parent is often considered to be ensuring the health, safety, and well-being of their child. This includes providing the child with basic needs like food, shelter, and clothing, as well as emotional support and guidance as they grow and develop.

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