The common sense of saving is not always common
“It’s all in the eyes of the beholder” is a saying that was coined in the 1870s. Referring to beauty, in today’s words it is saying, “Beauty is subjective.” The same can be said for what should be considered as common sense.
Growing up around entrepreneurs as parents, I always had the opportunity to learn concepts of their industries from a truly authentic perspective. My parents never missed the chance to teach me lessons of their businesses, perhaps simplifying the message when I was younger and going into more detail when I was older.
The one message that remained constant in detail and importance, however, was to “save, save, save.” By the time I was making my own money to have the ability to do so, I understood the importance of saving, and the huge positive impact it would have in my future. It felt like the natural thing to set some money aside every month.
From my very first deferral into my 401(k), up until last week, I truly thought everyone my age had the same mindset as me when it came to saving their money – that they should do so as much as possible as early as possible. I was in for a huge surprise, you can imagine, when another H&A adviser and I met with a girl who was not a year older than me, who had not started to save a nickel. This girl was smart and hard-working. She had a good job and was on track to excel in her career. But she didn’t understand the basic concept of saving, of compounded growth, or the importance of saving into your 401(k). After doing some research, I found 41 percent of millennials are not even saving into their 401(k).
I was truly shocked. What I thought was common sense, she did not know anything about. It was a true wake-up call. A wake-up call for me not just in realizing how few young professionals are saving enough – or at all – but just how essential my parents were in developing that mindset, that understanding, in me.
I only consider the matter of saving – into a personal account and into my 401(k) – common sense because my parents taught that to me. They made it a point to always show me the rewards you reap not just for hard work, but for saving the fruits of that hard work. Every once in a while, I might imagine the pairs of shoes I could have right now if the money weren’t in another account – it’s always tempting to have the latest and greatest of things when everyone else has it. But my wherewithal to never stop saving is because of my parents’ constant reminders. It’s a common sense that I feel lucky to have.
Hapanowicz & Associates is an investment and wealth management firm based in downtown Pittsburgh. whose clients reside in the Pittsburgh region and in several other areas of the country.
The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and may not be invested into directly.
Newsroom.wf.com was used as a general source for multiple sections of this article.
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