“If Your Baby Could Tell You What To Do With Your Economic Stimulus Check…Would You Listen?”
A Baby’s Thoughts On Raising Financially Intelligent Parents
Mommy! Daddy! Please hurry, read this and pay attention. I don’t know where this is coming from but I feel I have this one opportunity to talk to you before I am really supposed to talk. I know when I really start talking it will not make sense and you will be the one teaching and advising me.
I can’t explain this. It’s like I can see down the road and I have all this information that would help our family be more financially intelligent. I have so much to say but I know once I go to sleep, everything will go back to normal and I will lose these thoughts.
We will be receiving a check soon and I want to share with you what you should do with it. This is totally based on what I truly believe you will teach me. Pay attention because as I get older I will want you to spend it on me or just go blow it. I know later you will share wisdom with me like ” You can’t get something for nothing” and “There are no free lunches.” Please be advised that this advice is coming from someone that loves and cares for you. I want the best for you (sound familiar). I’m not sure the people sending you the check feel the same about you.
Okay, here’s what you should do with the money!
1. Tithe 10% off the top.
2. Do you owe anyone any money? If so, pay them.
3. After you have tithed and paid the people you owe, pay yourself. Put some in savings. I will cost you a lot of money as I grow up.
4. OK, now let’s have some fun as a family! Let’s do something special!
Baby’s note to parents: If you don’t have any money left after items 1 & 2, I should have gotten to you earlier. Wouldn’t it be great to be able to forget number 2? You see, the people “giving” you the check don’t believe in what I am telling you. They will have you do number 4 first. It seems they don’t even care about numbers 1,2 or 3. That is why they are sending these checks out in the first place. There are too many other people doing number 4 first and never getting to numbers 1,2 or 3. Is this what you will teach me later about “getting my own house in order”? Do 1,2 & 3 today so that someday ALL you will do is 1,3 and 4 and help others.
Gotta run! I know we will be talking in the future.