two women on swings talking to each other

Talking Money Can Be Contagious

In the years since I started writing about personal finance, I’ve also found myself discussing it in everyday life far more often as well. This extends from conversations with my wife about different things I read that might be helpful for us to just casually bringing up some of these same topics with friends. However, this week I came to realize I’m not the only one initiating money convos, as my interest in personal finance has spread to those around me.

Earlier this week, my friend send me a link to a high-interest savings account that caught her eye with its high 2.45% APY. The next text following this link simply read, “You’ve turned me into someone who’s Googling all sorts of finance stuff!” My response? “Muah ha ha” (an attempt to capture a maniacal laugh in text). Joking aside, I was super excited to hear that I might actually be making an impact.

Now, to be sure, I’m not the type of person to push unsolicited financial advice on my friends at every turn (or any turn, for that matter). Instead, it seems that talking about money just became something natural to me and discussing things like savings, self-employment taxes, and retirement accounts became part of that. This not only opens the door for friends to ask me for financial input if they want it but can also spark an interest for them that leads them to find their own path.

Given this experience, I’m still shocked to hear how many people are deathly afraid of discussing any sort of money matters with others. One study I saw recently found that 39% of adults felt that the topics of salary or household income were too taboo to talk about. Even if talking salary is a bit over the line for some, I was more surprised that 38% said that even discussing retirement savings was too much. To me, that’s something that definitely needs to change.

On the bright side, the same survey also found 35% of respondents reporting that the topics of saving and/or investing came up in conversation with friends in the past six months. That’s actually not a bad start — but we can do more. Of course no one wants to spend entire dinners discussing their finances, nor does anyone want a lecture about where they’ve gone wrong. However, it seems to me that there are ways to work money into everyday conversation to at least erase the stigma around doing so and perhaps inspire someone else to do that same. From what I’ve found, talking money can be contagious and could help spread financial savviness farther than we could imagine.

Author

Kyle Burbank

Kyle is a freelance writer - including being the head writer for Fioney.com. He also serves as editorial director for the Disney fan site LaughingPlace.com and the founder of Money@30.com.

Other Articles by Kyle Burbank

AAA Review: Is AAA Worth It in 2024?

When I turned 16 years old and got my driver’s license, one of the gifts my father gave me was a AAA (American Automobile Association) membership. In 2013, following a short lapse in membership, my wife and I decided that our road-tripping ways would make having AAA a smart idea....
hallway in Universal's Aventura Hotel

Travel Tuesday: Universal's Aventura Hotel Review

For as many theme parks as I've been to in my life, it's not very often that I actually get to stay on property at these resorts. So, while visiting Orlando back in October 2023, I decided to change that and book a stay at Universal's Aventura Hotel — located at...
Pepper Rewards app on a phone and a happy customer

How You Can Save Even More with Pepper Rewards This Month

A mere few weeks ago, I discovered an app called Pepper Rewards — and I've been in love with it since. Simply put, the app allows you to buy digital gift cards from several brands and earn 5% back. While this 5% back can't be used for cash, it can...

Leave a Reply

The "Email" field is empty, you must enter some text to proceed.The text you entered in the "Email" field appears to be invalid, please edit it and try again
Get Posts in Your Inbox
Featured Articles

AAA Review: Is AAA Worth It in 2024?

When I turned 16 years old and got my driver’s license, one of the gifts my father gave me was a AAA (American Automobile Association) membership. In 2013, following a short lapse in membership, my wife and I decided that our road-tripping ways would make having AAA a smart idea....
hallway in Universal's Aventura Hotel

Travel Tuesday: Universal's Aventura Hotel Review

For as many theme parks as I've been to in my life, it's not very often that I actually get to stay on property at these resorts. So, while visiting Orlando back in October 2023, I decided to change that and book a stay at Universal's Aventura Hotel — located at...
Pepper Rewards app on a phone and a happy customer

How You Can Save Even More with Pepper Rewards This Month

A mere few weeks ago, I discovered an app called Pepper Rewards — and I've been in love with it since. Simply put, the app allows you to buy digital gift cards from several brands and earn 5% back. While this 5% back can't be used for cash, it can...
Pair of Allbirds Mizzle Runner-Ups

Allbirds Offering 30% Off Sale Ahead of Spring (Rainy) Season

One of my favorite shoe brands is having a sale. Currently, Allbirds is offering 30% off on a number of their shoes, including their water-resistant models. By using the code SPRING30 at check out, you can save 30% on "select styles" of shoes. Thankfully, "select styles" include both the Wool...