When Books Inspire

Let’s start with a little backstory…

Ages ago Oprah was giving away the ebook version of Suze Orman’s book, Women and Money, on her website. I didn’t have an ereader back then (they had yet to be invented–or at least become available/known to plebs like me), but any time any book was available for free, I downloaded it. Because, hey, it’s a free book. (And yes, that is a little odd seeing as I hated reading big files on my computer and thus, never did. But I downloaded it. It’s one of the many, slightly odd, book-hording type things I’ve done in my increasingly seeming could-it-be-shady? not-so-long-ago past.)

So…

The other night I was looking for something to read on my ereader and this was THE LAST UNREAD BOOK in my special little horde of pdf files. (Yep, I even read career planning worksheets and editing tips.) And so I started reading. Strangely enough, despite Women and Money being a distinctly ‘financial’ book, it’s surprisingly readable and enjoyable! (Sorry, Suze. You know, women, money, women reading about money… Money books aren’t usually the first thing we seek out (especially at 3AM when we’re bleary-eyed and breastfeeding the wee one). But actually, she does know. Which is exactly why she wrote the book. Well, not exactly-exactly. But you know what I am getting at.)

Anyway, I started reading and a lot of the pep talk stuff doesn’t particularly apply (although pep talks are always welcome) to me since I’ve always been somewhat involved with my money–you know the type–reads RESPs for Dummies before going and setting one up at the local bank (after shopping around) for her kid–and who used to throw her entire first ‘real’ paycheck on her and her hubby’s student loans. And, yes, I check every bill before I pay it. I’m that gal. And because of that, our assets outweigh our debts. (Yippee!)

But then good ol’ Suze started talking about our relationship with money and why we don’t take charge. It snapped me to attention. In the past few years, I’ve let my money ‘prowess’ slip. I’ve stopped caring quite as much, and lost some of my motivation. Maybe because the student loans are paid off and we owe less than half our home’s value?? Or maybe because I’m busy and money stuff can be boring and you have to talk to annoying people who sometimes know less than you do, or else think they know ‘best’ and are insistent and awful when you insist right back that you want it done your way because it’s-your-bloody-money-and-no-they-can’t-have-more-of-it-thank-you-very-much. (Yeah, it’s probably that last one.)

So. I snapped to. I marched into the bank and closed an account that I’d been meaning to close for months. (Even that annoying $6.95 a month charge for them doing nothing had yet to spur me into going in and facing them and saying, “I want out!”) Maybe I was dragging my heels because of a bad experience closing an account with another bank (same reason)–I hate arguing and fighting for my rights as a consumer. If I am leaving your bank it’s too damn late to make good!

But that’s not all I did. Because, dammit it, their ‘sounds good ethical’ RRSP actually blows chunks. I’ve wasted 7 years on that bloody crap RRSP and haven’t felt good about it for years. I don’t have forever to earn some bucks on that baby. I’m out. I’m done. I’m going to change that to another bank too! What good is my money if it isn’t working for me, right?

And while I’m at it, I’m going to put another lump sum on our mortgage. And I’m going to transfer more into the kids’ RESPs. And while I’m at it, I might even roll my coins. (Whoa! Let’s not crazy now.)

Banking Prowess. You betcha, honey. Rrrrrrrowll! Feels good.

Thanks, Suze! Someday, I hope my written words inspire someone to make great changes in their life.

Have you read something that’s inspired you to take action (big or small) lately?

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