Skip navigation! Story from Money Diaries. Last Updated March 29, , PM. Welcome to Money Diaries where we are tackling the ever-present taboo that is money. We're asking real people how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period — and we're tracking every last dollar. My wife, Y. My employer matches all my donations. Was there an expectation for you to attend higher education?
Did you participate in any form of higher education? If yes, how did you pay for it? Going to college was the path of least resistance for me. I was extremely fortunate that my parents paid all my college expenses. Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? My family didn't directly talk about money very often. I got the sense that it was taboo, or at least gauche to talk about. My parents imparted healthy money habits and values through positive role-modeling, such as, pay the higher upfront cost for quality goods, buy secondhand when it makes sense, and take good care of your possessions to save money later on.
They also taught me to live below my means and be frugal where I can, but also don't wait for retirement to enjoy my money; and don't buy anything I can't afford to pay cash for other than a house. What was your first job and why did you get it? Teenage babysitting gigs earned me a few bucks, but my first real job was at a craft store when I was I worked part-time while going to school full-time.
Did you worry about money growing up? Yes, but in hindsight, I recognize that was silly. We were solidly upper middle class, with my mom pulling a healthy six-figure income and my dad staying home to take care of me.
They bought a second home in a nearby resort town, and we took annual vacations to Hawaii and to the east coast to visit family. They paid off both their mortgages early and built their wealth with smart investments. Growing up, though, there was a lot of mystery and misunderstanding about money on my part. For instance, once when I was little I asked if we could go to a fancy seafood restaurant for dinner, and my mom made some off-handed remark, like, "We can't afford to eat there every night.
