Perhaps it is just within my circle, but it seems that the character trait or the skill of being handy has lost its value.
People seem unable to fix simple things. Around their house, their car, what have you.
I’m curious if the majority of people know the difference between a Phillips head screwdriver and a flathead screwdriver.
At no time was the importance of being handy more clear than during the last few months, when the entire country went into lockdown. You never know when that service you rely on will be unable to help you.
My Experience
My dad taught me from an early age the importance of being able to fix things yourself and the value of a strong work ethic. Those may seem unrelated, but I believe they are directly correlated.
I watched him and helped him with all of his projects. Plumbing, changing the oil on his car, renovations, replacing his brakes, you name it.
Not only did it save him and us, as a family, money, but it was quality time I got to spend with him. There were valuable lessons taught in those experiences.
Now, I can fix almost anything. It gives me a sense of pride, it saves me money, and now, it’s making me money.
At my last apartment, I was the go-to handyman for our complex. They took a small chunk off my rent and paid me by the hour when I was on a job. Saving and earning at the same time.
Now that I’ve moved, I no longer am the go-to for that complex. Instead, I’m the go-to for all rental units owned by that investor in my city. That’s an incredible opportunity for me to make money outside of my normal 9-5.
Growing up, did I think this kind of circumstance would come upon me? Of course not. But that’s the thing. No matter how you think your life will turn out, it hardly goes that way.
You have to vary your knowledge and competencies across a range of industries. You truly never know what will fall into your lap.
From there, we’re going to take a hard right turn into a different topic
Consumer Math
This is something that should have been on my radar, but it wasn’t. Until this morning. My cousin is taking a consumer math course, and after learning about what it was, I have to promote it.
You can find a consumer math course anywhere, and they all teach the same thing.
Math for real-world situations.
It’s basically a personal finance course. It teaches things like budgeting, taxes, loans, buying a car, wages, deductions, spending, and transportation.
These are topics that everyone should be knowledgeable about, as they lay the foundation for your financial life. Ace these, and you’re steadfastly in the driver’s seat of your finances.
Quick Wrap-Up
Above, we covered two things. Being handy and having a wide range of knowledge can help you later in life, and how having a foundational understanding of consumer math puts you in control of your finances.
Both of these are vitally important but dramatically undervalued by the masses.
Related Reading:
My Life and How I Manage Stress
How to Teach Your Kids About Money
Why Financial Literacy is Important
Jacob Sensible is a financial advisor with decades of experience in the financial planning industry. His journey into finance began out of necessity, stepping up to support his grandfather during a health crisis. This period not only grounded him in the essentials of stock analysis, investment strategies, and the critical roles of insurance and trusts in asset preservation but also instilled a comprehensive understanding of financial markets and wealth management. Jacob can be reached at: jake.sensiba@mygfpartner.com.