I want to take this week and dedicate it to recommending gifts of a certain type for each day of the 5and2Guy week. For Money Monday, I want to share three gifts that I believe can make a difference in the giftee’s life. Note that these are just recommendations and carry with them no guarantee of happiness or joy. Their only goal is to make a positive change in the receiver’s life regarding financial awareness. So, let’s get started listing the gifts in no special order…
Rich Dad Poor Dad Book
One of the best gifts you can give to someone whom you want to share financial awareness with is the Rich Dad Poor Dad book by Robert Kiyosaki. This is the best book I have ever read when it comes to understanding, at a high level, how money works regarding occupations and businesses. This is a great gift to give to someone who is struggling to find a career, someone who is more liability based rather than asset based, or for someone who is just learning about how to make money. This book is a great read and was the book that got me started on reading at least 30 minutes a day.
You can pick this book up via my affiliate link here:
If you have a special teenager you want to gift this knowledge to, Mr. Kiyosaki created a teen version which you can pick up here:
A Vanguard Account
This is a great gift to give to your kids. Open a Vanguard account for them and start a portfolio with a $100 investment. This will get them saving for their future. Take a moment to tell them about the compound effect and how investing as little as $25.00 a month can really add up over time. I recommend Vanguard, as I have had a very positive experience with them, but you could easily use another investment firm. The point here is to get them started investing as soon as possible. I started an account for each of my kids a couple years ago and it has had a very positive effect on their financial futures and mindset.
Here is a link to Vanguard. If you have any questions, just give them a call and tell them what you are trying to accomplish. They will help you get started.
A Savings Bond
Savings Bonds are a great gift to give to anyone. Savings Bonds are a debt security issued by the U.S. treasure department to help pay for the borrowing needs of the U. S. Government. Why is that valuable you may ask??? Savings Bonds are a safe investment of money where you are paid a fixed interest rate on the principle paid for the bond. The bad thing about Savings Bonds is that you can’t redeem them for at least five years without losing some of the interest gained. This may not be the most exciting gift right now, but it is a asset, it is a safe investment, and guarantees a return.
You can get started with Savings Bonds as a gift by reading here.
Conclusion
These are honestly some of the best gifts you can give to someone to help improve their financial situation. True, they may not be the most exciting gifts, especially to someone who is young, but the value you provide them could be huge. Think about it…all of these gifts are assets. The Rich Dad Poor Dad book is about knowledge, whereas the Vanguard account and Savings Bond is about having an asset that grows money. This is much different the the liabilities we typically buy for our friends and loved ones. Even though these are great gifts, you may also want to pick up something a little more “fun” or tangible when you give these gifts, as most people, especially kids, will most likely not be happy with receiving a book or piece of paper as a gift. Regardless, use these gifts wisely and hopefully make a positive impact on the receiver’s future!!!