The Fairytale of Women and Money

By: Dina Harbour
Submitted: 2007-01-17 16:16:08
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It always seems to surprise me that even in the 21st century where women are making more money than previous years, obtaining corporate management positions, and in some cases bringing a bigger paycheck to the table than their male spouse they still struggle with the concept of “understand their financial power.”

I will never forget my experience while working as a Loan Closer during the 1992 Northridge Earthquake in California. I had so many women clients that had no idea where important documents were, how much they owed on their home or where their pertinent financial information was stored. In most cases these women were retired and their husband’s had passed away, but there were also times when the wife just sat their and signed the loan documents without any questions or any interest in the fact that she was responsible for a loan that was putting her in debt.

I see the same naive behavior today, where women are making very good incomes, yet they have nothing to show for it but a nice wardrobe and of coarse a nice car. They often are not maximizing contributions to their 401K plans at work or building a savings nest. They save all these “money decisions” for their “prince charming” to take care of and they simply don’t make money a priority in their busy lives.

Let’s bring some reality into this picture, shall we? “Prince Charming” is a Disney character! Most often than not your mate wants someone to have some sort of financial goals and independence. Also what about this divorce rate? If something does happen, where does that leave you? Understanding your net worth, credit scores, and living expenses makes you a powerful and intelligent woman. Why would you not invest time into securing a success financial future? In addition to the reason of divorce, we know that women out live men, so why would you continue on a patch of being financially crippled when you will be left to take care of yourself if he dies first? The answer should be “learn how to manage your money now, before you find yourself broke and taken advantage of later.” Ask yourself these questions. Do we have adequate life insurance coverage? Am I on the title to our home? Is there a living trust in place and a will? What are the assets we own? How much do we owe on the house? If you know the answers to all of these questions, then you are on top of your finances. However, if you don’t know the answers to these questions, you need to get to work.

Believe me when I tell you that men understand the value of money management and they stay in control of financial decisions. We as women must take the time to learn just as much as our male counterparts as well as teach our daughters how to take care of their financial future.

Dina Harbour, Founder: Wanted Debt Or Alive: A Debt and Money Management Consulting Service. Please visit my website at: http://www.wanteddebtoralive.org

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