Silver Spoon Kid

Being born into not-so-wealthy family, as I mentioned before, doesn't mean a nightmare. How many times have you heard, "Shirtsleeves to shirtsleeves"? This curse is often heard, and its origins are probably buried in those rich-kids-gone-bad tales. Nobody would deny that growing up amid affluence can easily backfire.

Before I tell you what I mean by backfire, let me explain what I don't mean. I would not go so far as to say that the son of a less privileged family learns a good deal about finance management. No. I don't remember any financial education. As a kid or teenager, I was [insert the word am here] woefully ignorant about finance. I had no idea of a paycheck, and I didn't have my personal piggy bank. My knowledge about money can be summed up in a single word. Zilch. "Something that's hard earned," I thought.

So let me go further. From my vantage point, one of the most important lessons from my upbringing is the down-to-earth spending habit. Here's how. I wasn't born to be a spender. My parents never gave me regular pocket money or set up an allowance for me. Although I knew nothing about investing, my dad and mum didn't impose strict rules on how each and every penny was spent. Every time I needed money (often, I didn't) when I was a kid, I simply took whatever I wanted from their purse or wallet. They seldom asked where the money was going and why, and I am glad to this day. My chest swelled with pride, as would my mother's, to know that how much my parents trust me.