Sweet, Sweet Money

Sometimes our relationships to our money are sentimental.  Wall Street might tell us that it shouldn’t be so, but really, why not?  A young man told me an interesting story recently about the way in which money from his father had taken on a special sweet significance. 

This young man’s father had died when he was only in his mid-20’s.  Sometime after the older man’s death he learned that he would be inheriting some money.  Money from his dead father.  It wasn’t unwelcome, of course, but this kind of news is always bittersweet. 

The money he was to receive was already invested and one part of it was invested in a type of investment that most young people don’t use – a very conservative portfolio of bonds that paid a regular interest payment.  And so we discussed selling this bond portfolio and moving the proceeds to something that might suit a young man better— something more aggressive or something more growth oriented.  But for some reason, he hesitated.  He said he wanted to “live with it” for awhile. 

Ultimately, he decided not to sell this bond investment.  His reasons were clear and very sweet.  “You know,” he said.  “I love getting that little check every month.  Each time I get one, I think of dad.  It’s like he’s giving me my allowance again!”