Learning to drive a car is complicated and

18 years ago

some people feel that it is too difficult to learn how to do it.

Such people need to walk, ride a bike, or ride in public transit, or a taxicab. Or hitch-hike, maybe?

There are discussions as to the relative costs of being able to drive, and owning or leasing the vehicles to accomodate our needs, and not doing so.

It gets a bit expensive to try to live in a rural area, if that is one's choice, so inability to drive a vehicle may well limit the choices of where one lives, among other lifestyle choices. Possibly including the employment options that we are able to accept.

And through the years they have the option of either continuing to follow that path, or, as they achieve more experience and self-confidence, to take on the task of learning to drive, thus becoming more independent, of having more options in life. More strings on one's violin.

Similar circumstances relate to learning how money works, it seems to me.

Many of us claim that it is advisable for everyone to learn how to do it. It gives one more options, more freedom.

Some owners of assets, worried that if they choose to manage their money, and do a poor job of it, results could well be disastrous ...

... as some people fear that, as they either know too little, or are too fearful, to drive, choose to let others take charge of moving them from place to place.

Some worry about owning a car ... as they worry that someone may steal it: if someone steals a taxicab ... there are others that they can call. No skin off of their nose.

No one cares about the money that each of us earns, and the assets that we have accumulated and now possess, as much as we do ... except, in some cases, people who would like to move (some of) it from our pocket into theirs.

In both circumstances, it seems to me, a combination of learning and experience contribute to making one a skilled practitioner.

Actually, the driving issue could become more disastrous, and has proved so for many, for many, especially youthful persons, driving beyond the skill levels which they had achieved, have injured or killed themselves and/or others, and caused grave damage to machines.

Actually, learning how money works may be easier, for most of us have only small amounts to deal with us in our early days of that experience, so enjoy more protection from really disastrous consequences. Well, of major proportions, anyway.

With one exception - if we are foolish enough to seriously over-spend using credit cards, leaving ourselves with a large debt to pay off, at high operating costs before we achieve that fully-paid goal.

What reactions do you have to this comparison, please?

ole joyful

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Comments (3)

Meghane
18 years ago
I think that not all people SHOULD drive a car. Like the guy who tried to make a left hand turn in front of me and I couldn't avoid hitting him. Or the guy who fell asleep at the wheel no less than 5 minutes from his home, drove over a curb, across my front lawn, crashed through our Halloween graveyard, and plowed into my garden through an 18" tall stone wall and knocked over 3 8 foot tall banana trees. That's gonna cost his insurance company $2000, at least. Not to mention the first guy, who is costing his insurance company (oddly enough, same insurance company) $900. Did I mention both incidents occured within the last 2 weeks?

Driving is expensive, especially when you're stupid.
Chemocurl zn5b/6a Indiana
18 years ago
some people feel that it is too difficult to learn how to do it

When a neighbor found herself a 74 year old widow, living alone in the country, and not knowing how to drive, I mentioned teaching her. She took me up on it. It was so much fun, though a bit scary at times. We carried a chain with us in case we needed pulled out of the ditch.

The same neighbor had money invested in CDs. When the banks were giving a decent rate of return she received enough to pay her property taxes spring and fall. When the rates dropped so low, I told her that b4 I would accept such a mere pittance of interest, I'd bury the money in my back yard.

She then invested some in the market. The dividends she received were more than the interest she had been receiving.
The stock rose in value, and her heirs then inherited a bit more than if she had held the CDs.

We were the best of friends and neighbors. We both learned so much from one another.

Sue
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joyfulguy
Original Author
18 years ago
Sue,

I like the picture of you two old gals riding around, it sounds as though having fun ...

...with that chain lying in the trunk, in case of need, to haul you out of a ditch, should the necessity arise!

Seems to me that involves being willing to accept a measure of risk ...

... and assuming that one might well be able to get out of the problem without too much stress and trouble.

Having made some preparations beforehand.

I'm pleased that your friend was willing to accept the risk of investing into equity-based systems, as well. And that her choice turned out well for her ... and for her beneficiaries.

I've said over on the retirement forum that we should keep making new friends, and some asked the reason.

You've given part of that reason ... your counterpart has gone to her reward, it appears.

I'd said that, on retirement, or after, a number of our friends move away.

Or they lose their mental capacity, so that the friendship loses a good deal of its former lustre.

Or they, like your friend, depart this dimension of life.

Tha problem isn't a problem any more, of course ...

... on the day that we, in our turn, take our departure.

ole joyful

Learning to drive a car is complicated and

Comments (3)

Meghane

Chemocurl zn5b/6a Indiana

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Learning to drive a car is complicated and

Comments (3)

Meghane

Chemocurl zn5b/6a Indiana

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