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What Motivates you to be Financially Responsible

April 8, 2011 By Sandy Smith 14 Comments

Millard FillmoreI had a somewhat difficult time with the topic of this blog swap, since I have never really sat down and thought about the things that motivate me in general. I like to think of myself as more of a doer and less of a thinker, and exploring the external forces that propels me to act in the way that I do seems to be such an intangible bit of fluff that I almost didn’t write this article. But, I have committed myself to swapping articles today, and so I must.

The simple answer to the question of what motivates me to be financially responsible is fear. I’m not talking about the kind of fear that you experience from going to see the latest teen slasher film, but the fear that I will reach a point in my life, look back, and wonder what the hell I was thinking. I know that I should say something along the lines of wanting to retire early and live a fabulous life, but really, that’s not it for me at all.

I mentioned in a previous article that I grew up in serious poverty. I did not have the opportunity to grow up as a carefree child because I was acutely aware of my family’s financial shortcomings: as children we had holes in our shoes and wore them long after we had outgrown then; we walked to school because my mother could not afford to pay the $3 per day in reduced bus fare that it would have cost for us to attend school; Santa did not ever bring us toys and games, instead be brought practical items like socks; we qualified for free lunch at school and joined the food lines at church when they were available; and when possible, we took advantage of every government program that we knew about and qualified for.

When you have lived life as I have, you have the opportunity to make two general choices about your life. You can continue to live as you have and use the excuse that the life you have known is all that you will ever know. This is the reason for poverty that extends from generation to generation. Or you can take a completely different route and vow to do better, be better, reach higher, and fail upwards so that you will never know that life again. This is the route that I took.

So, I could have said that what motivates me is having grown up poor. But no, it’s not the growing up poor that motivates me. What motivates me is the fear that I will make choices that would leave my future progeny in the situation that I grew up in. It is my responsibility to ensure that the generations after me will never know that life, and that I will never know that life again. Fear then, is not always a negative, but can have positive implications as it has had in my life.

Is there something that motivates you to be financially responsible? Was there a point in your life when you learned the benefits of being financially responsible?

Beating Broke Note: Also, if you’d like to read my post on What Motivates you to be Financially Responsible, please head over to Yes, I am Cheap! 

photo credit: donbuciak

Filed Under: General Finance, ShareMe, Yakezie Tagged With: blog swap, financial responsibility, responsibility

About Sandy Smith

Sandy runs a no-nonsense personal finance blog at Yes, I am Cheap. You can read all about her rental properties, her aquaponics, and all her financial adventures.

Comments

  1. Debt Free Divas says

    April 8, 2011 at 8:31 am

    Good question! I’ll have to share this.

  2. Kevin @ Thousandaire.com says

    April 8, 2011 at 9:43 am

    Thanks for sharing Sandy! You have such a positive attitude, I would have never guessed you grew up so poor. Way to keep a positive attitude!

  3. Sandy @ yesiamcheap says

    April 8, 2011 at 10:20 am

    Thanks for publishing my article! This is my first blog swap and it’s been interesting to read what other people have to say about the same topic. We all have such different perspectives and experiences but it’s awesome that something, somewhere motivated us all towards the same goal. Thanks for your article on my site as well.

  4. Jacob @ My Personal Finance Journey says

    April 8, 2011 at 1:17 pm

    I also have the same fear of growing up, looking back on life, and saying to myself, “Why didn’t I do what I wanted to?” However, one thing that helped me become more of a thinker about what really matters to me in life was reading David Bach’s book, Smart Couples Finish Rich. He helps you set up something called a Purpose Focused Financial Plan. It’s actually what I based my financial motivation post off of!

  5. krantcents says

    April 8, 2011 at 3:25 pm

    Although my parents were successful, they made sure that I learned the values that were important. Early on I was given a lot of responsibility in my parent’s businesses. I resented it, but I think it matured me at a very early age. It certainly influenced what I wanted to do. I chose a career (CFO) where financial responsibility and money came together. I had the financial skills to be fairly successful in my professional and personal life. I think the rewards of success motivates, such as travel, great lifestyle and retirement

  6. LaTisha @FSYAonline says

    April 10, 2011 at 7:41 am

    Fear is often a motivator behind money, but I like the fact that you turned it into a positive motivator. Your kids will thank you for it!

Trackbacks

  1. What is Your Financial Motivation? Yakezie Blog Swap | Thousandaire says:
    April 9, 2011 at 4:27 pm

    […] stories from people who grew up with so much less than I had, but I loved Sandy’s post about Fear of Poverty at Beating Broke; specifically the poverty she experienced as a child, is her financial motivation. […]

  2. Roundup for the Week of 04.04.11 – Financial Motivation Edition — Faithful With A Few says:
    April 11, 2011 at 7:56 pm

    […] are the other articles that were a part of the swap:Sandy from Yes I Am Cheap wrote about her Fear of Poverty at Beating BrokeBeating Broke wrote about Financial Intentionality at Yes I Am CheapKevin from […]

  3. Yakezie Blog Swap Roundup – What is your Financial Motivation? — Narrow Bridge Finance says:
    April 12, 2011 at 12:53 pm

    […] stories from people who grew up with so much less than I had, but I loved Sandy’s post about Fear of Poverty at Beating Broke; specifically the poverty she experienced as a child, is her financial […]

  4. Yakezie Blog Swap: Link Love Wednesdays » Financial Success for Young Adults says:
    April 13, 2011 at 5:53 pm

    […] about Fear of Poverty at Beating Broke; specifically the poverty she experienced as a child, is her financial […]

  5. BLOG SWAP & BARB RECOMMENDS LINKS | Barbara Friedberg Personal Finance says:
    May 1, 2011 at 12:21 pm

    […] from Yes I am Cheap shared how she overcame a poor childhood in an article entitled, Fear of Poverty at Beating […]

  6. What Motivated You To Be Financially Responsible | Yes, I Am Cheap says:
    October 11, 2011 at 11:33 pm

    […] response to this question is amazing. Check out my post on the same topic at Beating Broke where he’s teaching everyone how to never be broke again. Please feel free to leave […]

  7. A Little Motivation For You | Yes, I Am Cheap says:
    November 15, 2011 at 10:59 am

    […] me was fear of being poor in my older age.  I wrote a little bit about that in a guest post that Beating Broke was kind enough to publish for me.  I also wrote a little bit about growing up poor that inspired […]

  8. Cel mai bun mod ca sa ramai mereu motivat - Florin Rosoga says:
    February 3, 2013 at 10:36 am

    […] Putem fi motivați de lucrurile înspre care mergem sau de cele de care alergăm. De exemplu, vrei să ai o situație financiară mai bună. Dorești asta pentru beneficiile și confortul psihic pe care ți-l oferă un nivel financiar superior? Sau din teamă de sărăcie? Vezi și articolul acesta. […]

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