Our culture discourages people from being wise with their money

We don't want to be perceived as "obsessing" about money, so we fiercely resist what's arguably the most useful financial exercise we can ever do -- account for all our income and expenses as they occur. (We demand that corporations and the government do this, but can't be bothered with our own money).

We poke fun at stereotypical, supposedly socially-awkward "math geeks" but lack the skills to calculate investment returns or estimate how much we need to save to have what we'll need in the future. (And may not even realize how basic those skills are).

And we get so caught up with the "daily living" -- including, for many, accumulating stuff and keeping up with the perceived expectations of others -- that we neglect to build a basic financial foundation that would make our lives both easier and simpler.

Our culture discourages people from being wise with their money
Source: Sun-Sentinel.com