Someone Will Take Care Of Me: Toxic Financial Attitudes

Don't rely on your family

It has been common in many cultures throughout history for multiple generations within a family to live together and take care of one another. Even in more modern, developed cultures, where working for a living is an integral part of survival, those who cannot work, whether too young, too old, or have some other impediment to physical activity or mental capacity, are supported by their more agile family members. Children obviously live with their parents until they have developed into capable workers, and sometimes, but not always, the adults who raised the children come to rely on them later in life, reversing the roles.

Unless a plan has been discussed for a long time, someone approaching retirement age shouldn't expect their children to support them once they don't have a steady or livable income. While there can be extenuating circumstances and every family is different, you shouldn't want to be a financial burden on those closest to you. Manage your money today and save for the future so you don't have to rely on your children or other family members later on. You don't know whether they will be in a position to help.

Don't rely on the government or charity

Regardless of whether you agree with the philosophy, the government provides assistance of various types to families who for whatever reason are needy. Taxpayer subsidies and support for the good of society come in the form of welfare, subsidized student loans, unemployment benefits, tax incentives, retirement plans, public schools, and transportation infrastructure. Some of these we count on for living our lives day-to-day, some we count on being available should we find ourselves in the difficult position of being unemployed during a recession, born into a micro-culture where basic needs for survival take precedence over education, or an unwitting victim of an accident that renders us unable to work.

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