Financial Planning Lessons Learned in My Youth: The Candy Man

I started delivering newspapers as a paperboy for the ‘Long Island Press’ when I was about 10 years old as discussed in the last post.  I generally collected about 10 cents per home as a tip. The newspaper route, as well as other small jobs such as setting up for the local bingo for $2 a session at my St. Barnabas Parish, provided this 11-year-old boy with enough money to be able to splurge every Friday afternoon on as much candy as an active boy would want. 

Another newspaper boy (who delivered for the much bigger ‘Newsday’) and I would meet at the local five and dime to spend some of our weekly bounty.  We would even buy baseball cards for the cheap hard gum that was pressed in with the cards.

Even with this habit of purchasing large amounts of candy weekly (which would be more than frowned upon today) I was still able to save on a regular basis.  The target of my desire at the time, for which I saved months of newspaper delivery tips, was a 10 speed bicycle.  I can still remember the joy of purchasing the bright red Panasonic 10 speed bike which I can only imagine would be the equivalent today of purchasing a Ferrari.

But as much joy as the purchase of that 10 speed bike brought me, there was nothing better than the financial security of having some money in my pocket.  I realized even at an early age the tremendous value of just having enough money to be able to handle my current needs.

Financial planning at its heart is seeking to bring financial comfort to people as they deal with complex and at times overwhelming financial problems. 

The issues vary but ultimately it all comes back to what is important to each of us.  Work with an advisor who helps you clarify what your wants, needs and concerns are and then works with you on a plan to accomplish all that is important to you.

While the desires people have today may be much greater than my 10 speed bicycle, satisfying the human desire for helping and protecting one’s family and helping people to enjoy and to protect their lifestyle is still the greatest challenge and accomplishment for this great profession.

Everyone desires to have financial security.  The challenge is  developing a way to achieve their personal financial security, and that begins and ends with having a financial plan designed with this goal in mind. And maybe the goal of purchasing something greater than a weekly Snickers.