You're Not Bad With Money (The System Is Broken)
It's usually a system problem, not a you problem Wages haven't kept up with costs in decades. If you're stretched thin, you're not failing — you're navigating a system that was never designed to make it easy.
If you've ever thought "I'm just bad with money," I need you to hear this: the system is working exactly as designed. And it's not designed for you.
Consider:
- Wages have been flat for decades while housing, healthcare, and education costs have skyrocketed
- Banks make $15+ billion a year from overdraft fees—they profit from your tight margins
- Credit card companies literally call their most profitable customers "revolvers" (people who carry balances)
- Pay cycles are 2 weeks behind, not because they have to be, but because float benefits employers
You're not bad with money. You're playing a game with rules designed to make you lose.
Does this mean you're helpless? No. It means:
- Stop blaming yourself for systemic problems
- Learn how the system works so you can work it better
- Focus on the moves you CAN make, not the ones you can't
- Build small buffers that protect you from the traps
WHAT TO DO TODAY:
- Forgive yourself for past money "mistakes"—many weren't really mistakes
- Pick ONE thing you can control (a due date to move, an automatic savings to set up)
- Do that one thing this week
- Recognize: working the system isn't failing—it's smart
