A must-read Best Seller book on personal finance – Rich Dad, Poor Dad for Teens: The Secrets about Money – That you don’t learn in school!
Books are written for several purposes. Some books are informative and educational. These books are often used in academia and are part of the school curriculum. Other books are for entertainment — fantasy books, fiction, classic, and the like fall under this category.
Whatever genre we prefer, reading books leaves us knowledge about certain things or brings us to an imaginary time and space that stimulates our creative and imaginative tendencies.
Rich Dad, Poor Dad For Teens, a self-help book written by renowned Author Robert Kiyosaki, is one of the most read how to make money books. Money, in general, is a vast subject matter. And when money becomes the topic, only a specific group of people are eager to jump into the discussion. I’d say nobody is ever too young to learn the language of money. Understanding the value of money at a young age can open our minds to financial opportunities and possibilities beyond our comprehension.
The book tells the story of how Robert (the author) and his two fathers (his real dad and his best friend’s dad) shaped his thoughts about money and investing. This book breaks the long-running myth that you need to have a high paying job to become rich. The book gives a thorough and somehow detailed explanation of the difference between working for money and having your money work for you.
Many teenagers share a common concept about money; parents hand it down to them to spend. They can use the money for school, or buy whatever they want or spend it for fun. However, time has changed, and more teenagers are becoming aware of how important money is. They start to develop an interest in financial matters. Or maybe it’s a realization that someday, they will no longer be teenagers and that they need to start earning money for themselves.
The book acknowledges its target readers: teenagers. The author recognizes that teenagers are smart and are full of bright ideas. His observation states that teens focus on the money at hand (tracking their allowance, budgeting, saving, how to spend it, etc.) He suggests that teens should be able to identify an income-generating opportunity no matter how small it may seem. He says that teens need to come up with a projection, something that is beneficial in the long run. He encourages his teen readers to understand his success philosophy: Work to learn, not to earn.
Teens of today are fortunate. They have access to the internet! Of course, we only become teenagers once in our lives, and we deserve all the fun we can have while we are at it. It wouldn’t hurt, though, if teens would take a step back and start to think about money matters.
Teens need to identify their skills and how they can use it to make money. Teens always think of buying something for themselves from their hard-earned money. The feeling is blissful and rewarding. Teens need to learn to turn this enthusiasm into something productive.
The author also covered some basic financial literacy concepts. Teens would learn some basic concepts behind financial statements. They would also be presented with some ideas on how they can earn money through their endeavors. The possibilities are endless. It’s worth giving it a try.
Teenagers, intentional or unintentional, are affected by financial uncertainties. Learning the language of money would help them understand how to be practical. This book, Rich Dad, Poor Dad for Teens: The Secrets about Money- That you don’t learn in school! –is enlightening and a must-read. You’d be surprised to find yourself flipping through the pages! As the title suggests, you don’t learn everything in school.
