There’s More to Financial Literacy Than Education | Matt Jaekel | TEDxAurora
11 Mar 2024 (over 1 year ago)

Financial Literacy
- Financial literacy involves our money mindset, relationship with money, values, purpose, and behaviors.
 - Despite high literacy rates, many youth and adults lack basic financial literacy skills.
 - Financial well-being is directly related to mental well-being, and poor financial management can lead to various health issues.
 - Several factors contribute to the lack of financial literacy, including inadequate teaching in schools, lack of parental guidance, and the complexity of financial information.
 
Money and Emotions
- Money is emotional, and our anxieties, comparisons, judgments, and risk perceptions can affect our financial decisions.
 - Changing the cultural taboo around talking about money can start with positive conversations with youth and children.
 - Our values and purpose should guide our spending, and we should avoid buying things we don't need to impress others.
 - Social media exacerbates the problem of comparison and can lead to feelings of inadequacy.
 
Building a Positive Relationship with Money
- Our relationship with money should be positive, and we should have open conversations about it with our partners and parents.
 - Do what you love when you make money, as you'll be more likely to work hard and be good at it.
 - Make saving money easy and automatic by allocating your paycheck to different accounts as soon as you receive it.
 - Think of saving as future spending on something you're looking forward to.
 - Spend extravagantly on the things you love and truly value, but don't sweat the small stuff.
 - Don't worry about small purchases like coffee or avocado toast; focus on big purchases and investments.
 
Investing and Financial Growth
- Invest every month in a broad Index Fund that follows the overall market for long-term growth.
 - Be skeptical of guaranteed returns or promises of quick wealth; there are no shortcuts.
 
Improving Financial Well-being
- Improving our money mindset, values, purposes, behaviors, and habits can lead to better financial and life goals.