I spent a summer talking to 8,000 people about money, and here are the 11 best pieces of financial advice I can give you
Jason Vitug
This summer, I drove 10,218 miles in 137 hours through 38 states in 30 days.
I called my trip the Road to Financial Wellness, a grassroots and social-media experiment to turn local money discussions into a national conversation on financial well being.
After my backpacking trip around the world in 2012, I realized I was able to live my dream lifestyle because I understood and improved my relationship with money.
I used the term "money mindfulness," which means being in the moment and fully aware of all the facts — financially and emotionally — to make better financial decisions. I've learned the importance of applying financial knowledge to help live your dream lifestyle.
I wanted to share this with the world — or at least, this summer, with the US.
My team of four participated in panel discussions; explored large cities and small towns; spoke with people at festivals and local coffee shops; and held events at churches, restaurants, barbecue joints, bars, colleges, and credit-union locations.
I had a mission, and that was to motivate and break the social taboo around money. I began that conversation by sharing these 11 money lessons with over 8,000 people.
Jason Vitug1. Take advice from people who are living the life you want to live.
Consider their knowledge as valuable information to make better financial decisions. For example, you may need to ask yourself why you're taking investing advice from a peer who isn't a successful investor.
Jason Vitug
2. Have a lifestyle goal, not just a financial goal.
A lifestyle is how you live, and financial goals are specific to things that revolve around money.
A lifestyle goal is the "why" behind all the hard work and reasoning behind those financial goals.
By articulating the life you want to live, you'll learn to create financial goals and make better financial decisions that fulfill that lifestyle.
Jason Vitug
3. Be mindful of the financial conversations you're having and not having.
We learn our financial habits from our family, friends, and coworkers and through marketing messages. Although we may not talk about our financial situation openly, we are having these conversations with the clothes we wear, the homes we live in, the cars we drive, and the phones we upgrade.
It's important to be mindful of these conversations because they influence our credit decisions, banking relationships, and spending.
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