Growing Up Ramsey: A Unique Financial Upbringing

By Rachel Cruze

Posted on TikTok, November 24th

Normal Yet Special Experiences

I recently shared some unique experiences from my childhood. These were things I thought were normal, but they were actually special to my family.

Reading and Reporting

One of these things was reading "How to Win Friends and Influence People" by Dale Carnegie. My siblings and I had to write a two-page report about what we learned. It might sound like a lot of work, but it was a way for us to learn important life skills.

Flea Market Negotiations

Another interesting thing was going to flea markets with only $5 or $10. The goal was to learn how to negotiate prices. This was a hands-on way to understand the value of money and how to get the best deal.

Learning from Mistakes

I also talked about bouncing a check when I was a teenager. I had to go to the bank and apologize to the manager. It was a lesson in taking responsibility for my actions. I admitted that it was not a fun experience, but I am grateful for the lessons I learned.

Early Financial Education

In a previous interview, I talked about my early financial education. I mentioned that I and my siblings had to budget with the money we had. If we wanted more, we had to get a job. This taught us the importance of earning and managing money.

Money Management Mistakes

I also shared that I made some money management mistakes, like bouncing three checks in my second month of having a checking account. These experiences helped me learn the importance of being careful with money.