How to Talk With Your Family About Money | Culture Meets Money with Berna Anat

• Statistics show that people would rather talk about politics or relationships than money.
• Bernadette “Berna” Anat, also dubbed as the Financial Hype Women, is helping people to learn about money in a fun way. 
• Berna Anat joined the Culture Meets Money show to talk about how others can have the “Money Talk” with their family.

Have you ever talked about money with your family or friends? Statistics show that people would rather talk about politics or relationships than money. However, not talking about money can lead to more harm than good regarding your financial future.

Bernadette “Berna” Anat, also dubbed as the Financial Hype Women, is helping people to learn about money in a fun way. Huge emphasis on FUN! You will see Berna on Instagram dancing, singing, and twerking to help people learn about savings, investing, and paying off debt. 

For decades the finance industry has lacked diversity in teaching POC (People of Color) about money management skills. On Berna’s Instagram channel, she describes the old way of learning about money as “hella male, hella pale, hella stale.” However, Berna is on a mission to make money more relatable and easy to understand.

Berna Anat joined the Culture Meets Money show to talk about how others can have the “Money Talk” with their family. She shared the importance of learning about money at a young age, fun toys to give kids to assist them in learning about money, and tips on starting the money conversation with your family without it being awkward.

Money Lessons from Your Parents

“So many of us were told to never ever talk about money.” 

- Berna Anat, Culture Meets Money

If you grew up in a household where money was rarely talked about in a positive or informative manner, you aren’t alone. You may have heard common phrases that eluded to your parents not having money, like, “Do you have McDonald’s money?” or “When we go into this store, don’t touch, look, or think about picking anything up.” 

Unbeknownst to our parents, these phrases still taught us about money in subtle ways. Whether those phrases meant your family didn’t have any money or if it meant that it was never okay to discuss anything regarding money.
 

The social cues teach us that talking about money is not okay, which diminishes a child's curiosity about learning. This can translate into a child suppressing their emotions and cutting off their means of communication because they don’t want to upset their parents.
 

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For parents, it’s especially important to be honest with their children about money so they can feel included in the family’s finances. But it’s equally important to encourage children and teenagers to learn how money works and how to use it as a tool. So, even if finances are tight, it can teach a child how Mommy and Daddy budget for things like food, clothes, and school supplies. You can help your child develop strong financial literacy skills by talking with them about money. 

Financial Literacy Pays Off

“There are folks who profit off of our ignorance when we don’t know how to manage our money. When we don’t know how overdraft fees work and late fees work. When no one explains to us how interest works.” 

- Berna Anat, Culture Meets Money

When money isn’t talked about in your household, it can make you feel like you are in the dark about certain money rules. However, there is value in talking about money healthily and productively. You are more likely to make the right money moves when you know how to budget, save, and invest.
 

Recommended Read: 7 Ways to Teach Your Kids About Money

“If we taught money as a component of life from the very beginning, then there wouldn’t have to be any awkward conversations when they’re older.” 

- Berna Anat, Culture Meets Money
 

Talking to your loved ones about money can make you feel uneasy, especially when the first conversation is difficult. A few examples of having hard conversations can include helping your parents set up their retirement fund, writing a will, and creating an estate plan. However, hard conversations can build stronger relationships. So, it’s important to be open and practical for everyone involved. The earlier you discuss money with your loved ones, the easier it will be because everyone will be on the same page. 

Recommended Read: Parents Can Use School Shopping as a Financial Lesson

The Money Wrap-Up

Money conversations are never easy, but they make a huge difference in how we communicate and trust one another. Whenever 

Watch the full Culture Meets Money video on YouTube!