Words & Banter

RED & BLACK … Like Money More Than Math?

Design by Sawyer Pennington, Underlying photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash


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April is National Financial Literacy Month, and you love to talk about money, but I think it should be called National Financial Intimidation Month. After all, most of us “mere mortals” find personal finance intimidating. And boring. And tedious.


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Are you done? Besides, I thought you got over that years ago.


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Being forced to figure out the basics doesn’t make personal finance any more interesting. It’s like getting my teeth cleaned. I know I need to do it, but that doesn’t make it any more enjoyable.


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Great analogy, especially as getting you even to think you could “do” personal finance was like pulling teeth.


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Fine, is this where you’re going to remind me how I freaked out when you first mentioned financial statements? Or when you told me that if I could add and subtract, I was qualified?


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Actually, it quickly became obvious that a big part of the problem was the terminology, which is why I simplified it.

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I remember. Especially since you love to tell people how emphatic I was that I couldn’t deal with assets and liabilities until you told me we were going to talk about “what you own” and “what you owe,” and I said I could do that. Neglecting to tell me those were the definitions.

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My version is technically accurate. But, making it a funny story makes the topic relevant and relatable. And, memorable.

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Like when you used to ask auditoriums full of eighth graders how many liked math, and only a handful raised their hands. But when you asked how many liked money, they ALL raised their hands!

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Exactly. The difference is focusing on practical applications versus terminology and theory. Many people will think they are not good at math when, in reality, they are not good at theory.

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Do you remember when you took the girls and me to Central Market? Back when Natasha was in high school and close to failing math. She had a store gift card and a basket full of items. Sawyer and I watched as the cashier entered each item, and we were betting on how much Natasha would overspend. Instead, she came in slightly under!

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She seemed to know exactly where she stood. And, was doing it in her head. Which did not surprise me as she was always good with numbers. It is why business plans for bars, not just the creative concepts and drinks, but the numbers, come so easily to her. Natasha often struggled with the supposed “correct order” of the mathematical steps, but she understood the application.

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But I’ve always thought of math as being very structured. With right and wrong answers.

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Ok, if something is $7.84 and I give you a $10 bill, how will you figure out the change? And, you cannot use a calculator or smartphone.

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Easy. Subtract $7.84 from $10. How else would you do it?

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Add $0.16 to get to $8. Then $2 more to get to $10. I can get to the “correct” answer of $2.16 faster using addition than subtraction.


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That’s really interesting. When you asked me how to figure it out, the straight-A student in me defaulted to how I was taught to do it. But your approach is a much easier way to get to the same answer.


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Basic algebra.


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Don’t even think of going there. But it does explain the trick Mommy taught me years ago about calculating the cost of something with tax. Rather than figuring out what 8.25% of the price was and then adding it to the price, I’d just multiply the number by 1.0825.


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I doubt Mom realized the mathematical equation behind solving for “x,” but she knew why take two steps when you can take just one. Whether in your head, on paper, or using a calculator.


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So, just like you made me realize being open to “trying” to do personal finance is about mindset, so is math. Using your logic, why not teach math, at least to those who aren’t into theory, in a practical way? And by using money examples, you also could be teaching personal finance. After all, kids may not like math, but they sure do love money.


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Mom used to say that I excelled in math because, as a kid. I would substitute “dollars and cents” for “apples and oranges” in word problems. Although, looking back, putting me on a clothing budget when I was in middle school is what probably taught me the most.


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I still can’t believe you never realized it was intended as a punishment, not a life lesson, until you were trying to explain budgets to me while I was in the midst of my “crisis”.


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I still can’t believe you never learned about money until you were in your 40s, and it took your husband getting fired. But, the bottom line is that you are never too young or too old to learn.


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About math. About money. About life.

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Did you know that April's Autism Awareness Month? I wasn't aware (pun intended) of it until I read our local homeowner's monthly newsletter and it caught my eye.


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Actually, last month the founding organization, the Autism Society, changed "Awareness "to "Acceptance" to foster inclusivity, as knowing about something is very different from accepting it. But I am guessing that is not the point of this call.


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Although it isn't autism, it reminded me of years ago when we found out that Natasha has learning disabilities.


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I think you mean DIFF-abilities.


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Of course, that's another thing I remember. I was focused on the negative aspects of her diagnosis until you asked me, point-blank, "Why are they called disabilities?" And proceeded to explain that everyone has different strengths and weaknesses.


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Exactly! Imagine the world if everyone excelled at math, but flunked English. Or, a world of lawyers, but no musicians. Some people are better at social skills, while others excel at handling technical data. Why not just say that people who have different skillsets and abilities have DIFF-abilities versus making them feel like they have shortcomings?
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I had no idea that April was “Second Chance Month” until you sent me the official proclamation. I find it interesting that in the midst of juggling our usual million and one Red & Black things, your interest in criminal justice, which I know you consider a “passion project”, is as strong as ever, maybe even stronger.


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It is not intentional, sometimes “ passion projects” find you. And, when you least expect it.


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Or where you least expect it! Only you would take a “field trip” to a men’s prison.


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I will not get on my soapbox about how our education system contributes to the criminal justice problem. I will never forget a friend of mine who was formerly incarcerated telling me, “Rehabilitating people makes the assumption they were habilitated in the first place.”


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When you stop and think about that statement, it’s pretty powerful! But I have to smile as once upon a time you, and I, used words like “offenders” and “prisoners” until we learned how our choice of words could be dehumanizing .


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Says the woman who once believed in the idea of “lock ’em up and throw away the key”.
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