Do You Want to be a Millionaire by Ade Adegbulu
I was in debt and had no idea how to get out it. There seemed to be no solution until I met a friend who was studying to become a mortgage consultant. It was then I decided to study personal finance, maybe I would learn something that would help me out of debt and catapult me into financial prosperity.
I did learn something; I learnt a lot of common sense!
The main thing I learnt was you cannot become financially independent unless you learn about money matters. This is not about becoming extremely wealthy; it is all about freedom; freedom from debt; freedom to do the really important things in life.
I learnt to prioritise. I cannot have everything I want so I must decide what the most important things that I need are. Everything I buy must add value to my life.
I also learnt that almost anybody, even teenagers, can be creative in meeting other people%u2019s needs thereby creating income streams.
Take Fraser Doherty - In 2002, at the age of 14, Doherty started making jams from his grandmother's recipes in his parents'
Why did Doherty start making jams? He went to a local store and could not find the type of jam he wanted; jam that tasted just like his grandmother%u2019s. He solved his problem and went on to solve other people%u2019s problem in a creative manner %u2013 people who wanted quality jam.
Seeing that teenagers are becoming financially independent, I started teaching my seven year old daughter entrepreneurship using games. The results were astounding; in less than a month, my daughter could identify a good business and also tell me why that business was successful.
Money is a tool, a means to an end. If you don%u2019t have it, you are hindered in achieving your goals. As a teenager, this is the best time for you to learn about money; trust me, it prepares you for life as a smart adult.
Take note - every shop and business is after your %u2018parents%u2019 money. If you do not become clever about money, the shops will take it all from you. The shops are not your friends! Be an intelligent shopper. Make sure everything you buy adds value to your life. Be creative, be clever, be a Money Clever Kid!!
