When you’re first making the decision of whether to invest your money in the stock market, it’s always a good idea to weigh the possible risks and rewards. If you do your homework and are a conscious investor, though, you can tip the scale in your favor.

While you may feel like you’re in over your head if you’re embarking on your first investments, know that you have one major thing in your favor: no one cares more about your money than you do. That alone should serve as motivation for you to take the necessary steps to become an informed, knowledgeable and successful investor.

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I recently received an email from an individual (who will remain nameless) that wanted to know why it was they felt like they would never get ahead financially. A feeling of being stuck in the rat race of life, struggling to never get ahead in the end. My answer to his question was simple and it paralleled the ideologies expressed by Robert T. Kiyosaki in the book “Rich Dad, Poor Dad”. The answer is one that is not readily taught in our school systems. Before I give you the answer to why you aren’t rich yet, let me first ask you a couple questions and see if you can’t figure it out yourself.

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One of our recent posts discussed a researcher’s view on the differences between economic classes. The researcher stated that the upper, lower and middle classes live their lives based on the past, present and future, respectively. What this researcher was getting at is that there are a number of differences in classes aside from the job titles and bank statements typical of the group’s members.

We typically consider nationality, religious views and geographic location to be the main factors which determine a person’s culture. We consider ourselves to be “Americans” so we celebrate the traditional holidays and eat the customary foods. But what role does economic class play in our culture?

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Which is more dangerous, a gun or a swimming pool? What do schoolteachers and sumo wrestlers have in common? Why do drug dealers still live with their moms? How much do parents really matter? What kind of impact did Roe v. Wade have on violent crime?
– Freakonomics

These questions and more are posed in Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner’s “Freakonomics” a book which uses seemingly unthinkable comparisons to examine the economics which make up our everyday lives. It was these questions that interested me in the book, and caused me to check it out recently to find out exactly what conclusions the writers could draw based on such questions.

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Several weeks ago we raffled off a copy of Robert T. Kiyosaki’s book “Rich Dad, Poor Dad.” In his book, Kiyosaki discusses how upper class parents raise their children differently from those with low socio-economic status. His topics of discussion range from the development of value systems, to the intricacies of when and how to discuss money, to what kids learn from their parents in terms of investing.

This book reminded me of a seminar I attended a few years back which focussed on how wealth and economic status impact how we live our lives. Part of the presentation focused on the common characteristics associated with each economic class. While much of the researcher’s data could be considered stereotypical assumptions, the conclusions presented provide an interesting look at the mindset of a cross-section of our society.

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