I’ve Paid For This Twice Already…

Make Money Not Excuses Review - I Like Money, It’s Numbers I Can’t Stand

For the foreseeable future, every Friday afternoon I will be reviewing a section of Jean Chatzky’s Make Money Not Excuses and how it relates to me and my financial situation and outlook. The first review is here and Chapter 1 is here.

So now that we’ve figured out where to begin, Make Money Not Excuses addresses the next common excuse Chatzky hears for why women aren’t taking charge of their financial future. Fear of numbers. From way back in the dark ages (like, when I was a kid) that evil stereotype that girls aren’t good at math rears its ugly head. I am here to tell you that girls can be great at math! But, there is a kernel of truth in the “I hate numbers” idea - math anxiety. A bad experience in the past with math, be it not doing well on a test, or not being able to do a problem on the chalkboard - can cause a lifelong phobia involving math and numbers.

Here’s the thing. Math hatred is a learned response. You can conquer it! And Chatzky gives a lot of ideas for how. In a nutshell, first learn to have a positive association with money - through saving for the sake of saving (saving feels good!), set a goal for something you want and save for it, then spend on it, invest in something you feel good about, and give to something you feel is important. Give yourself positive feedback in the form of the actions you take with your money.

Next, find your motivation and learn the basics. What motivates you around money? Is it a general improvement of your finances, or is there something specific? And then learn the basics - not calculus, but things like decimals and percentages. Knowledge is power, indeed.

I feel comfortable with numbers and math, but the last part of the chapter had information I could use - learning to ask for money. Meaning, learning to negotiate. I am terrible at negotiation. I just hate it. It makes me feel panicked and scared. Chatzky goes into the four emotional reasons for this response, and then six rules to follow to get the best deal. Since I’ll be shopping for a new furnace soon, I have to practice this. I need a good deal! Want to know the reasons? You’ll have to read the chapter to find out.

Next week we’ll discuss “But My Husband Does That…” which, again, I do everything, but I read it from the other side - how do I get my husband to be more involved? Do you hear me honey? We’re going to have yet another talk…

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