Tell Me If I’m Wrong, Lazy Investing Secrets, Appreciating Kids Like Sunsets and a Book on BS

Money-Smart Monday with John Lanza Hello, friends! Welcome back to Money-Smart Monday, where we explore simple, thoughtful (and occasionally surprising) ideas about money and life. Although the concepts I share are often focused on raising money-smart kids, they’re always designed to help everyone (Myself included!) think more clearly about money and living well. Let’s dive in! Tell me if I’m wrong (Seriously!) I’d appreciate your thoughts on these recent LinkedIn posts. Lectures Don’t Teach…

Financial Literacy Is Not the Goal, a Useful Allowance Check-In and What the Longest Study on Happiness Reveals

Money-Smart Monday with John Lanza Hello, friends, Let’s dive right in! Always. Be. Learning. If that headline doesn’t ring a bell, watch this. And for a laugh, watch this. I recently finished Justin Welsh’s terrific course on using LinkedIn more effectively. And last week I began implementing that learning by posting about the importance of starting money smarts early, why financial literacy is not the goal and how money can buy you happiness. Please jump into these conversations, and let me…

A Different Perspective on Success, the “Buffer Fund” Tool, Money 0.0 and “Exploding” the Severance Theme Song

Money-Smart Monday with John Lanza Hello, friends, I’m not sure if March is going out like a lion or a lamb, but I do know April is starting out with a monkey. Joe the Monkey, that is! Joe and his Money Mammals pals are bringing Credit Union Youth Month to life. So head over to your nearest branch to join in on the money-smart, mystery-themed fun. A bright idea you might consider Unlike a “rainy day fund,” which you expect to use only in emergencies, a “buffer fund” is a practical account to…

Purposeful Allowance, What’s “Free” Is Not, Being vs Becoming and Notes and Quotes from Atomic Habits

Money-Smart Monday with John Lanza Hello, friends, This week’s topics feature a mix of the practical and the philosophical. I hope you enjoy them! A simple, well-communicated idea Parents often object to allowance as a “handout.” I do too. Which is why this short audio explanation from podcast guest Will Rainey is helpful. He and his wife increased their eight-year-old’s allowance, along with her responsibility, to help her learn to make smart(er) money choices. (Will is full of useful…