Money. It’s the root of all evil; money doesn’t grow on trees; and it takes money to make money are some common expressions that many people have grown up hearing. It’s no wonder then that many people have a dysfunctional experience with money. In fact many people confusedly believe that money is the end goal: money is a tool for us to use to attain our goals. The purpose of money is to allow us to acquire the things that make us comfortable. Nothing more. Nothing less. Financial literacy is not a curriculum taught in most schools, not even in business schools. Society teaches what it looks like, how to count it, and who has it. What we don’t learn are simple money concepts. A proportion of society considers these concepts common sense. Those are the few who were able to learn from their families or environment. Another proportion of society never take time, or lack an opportunity to learn some of these basics. The following is a list of basic items that we should all be cognizant of to keep a little more in our pockets. Negotiate, Negotiate, Negotiate Most people fear and avoid confrontations. Unfortunately, negotiations are considered by many to be either confrontational, or the other extreme: begging. Negotiations can be a powerful ally to you in your everyday life. You would be surprised at how many things you could achieve simply by asking. Anything can be negotiated, from credit card rates to store discounts—items that … [Read more...]
