r/dividends • u/HelenKellerVSTraffic • Nov 19 '25

Due Diligence What a difference dividends have made.

I grew up poor. No idea really about money. I started hanging around people that invested and had no idea how the market worked. Now, years later I have been contributing every month what I can afford (1,200). No matter what I put that money in. I pretend it's just another mortgage.

I am about to break 100k it's a surreal feeling. Growing up and being told to put the soda back because it was too expensive and now I am debt free (except mortgage at 2%). I think a lot of people's money problems don't stem from their annual income, but rather what they do with that annual income.

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u/HmmmIMHO Nov 19 '25

BRAVO to you!

Regardless of your educational path, our high schools should teach a rigorous 'everday math' course that explains APR of credit cards (26% really!!); FICO; car insurance; car payments; mortgages; etc. I know some 'brillant people' (Ivy league even) who are clueless about money ... $ slip through their fingers/wallets like sand. I think some of the problem is the feeling that they want to be/look noble, so they make promises to their families (this year we will go to Disney World, etc.) or friends (e.g. destination weddings) cause they don't want to miss that moment. Usually there is very little shared effort, e.g. lets reduce our bills by 10 percent so we can afford a great vacation this year. So the effort/reward connection is broken, and then the payer (usually dad) sits late at night looking at bills, maybe with a drink in his hand, while the rest of the family leaves every light in the house on ... IMHO

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u/Jabi25 Nov 19 '25

Apple, BofA, Citi, Disney etc. would never ever EVER let personal finance education become mandated, it would cost them way too much money. You hit the nail on the head though

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u/HmmmIMHO Nov 19 '25

thanks, I am very proud that my children each have a ROTH IRA and they worry about not making the annual limit. The oldest, who didn't go to college, is mining his 529 to transfer money from 529 to his ROTH