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Showing posts with label Antwone Fisher. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Antwone Fisher. Show all posts

Friday, August 20, 2010

How Much is that TV in the Window?



Here’s one for you. Antwone Fisher recently wrote a book entitled A BOY SHOULD KNOW HOW TO TIE A TIE. It is a book of advice for—boys.

In his chapter on finances, Fisher grabbed my attention.  He creates the scenario of a young man, who wants to buy a $2000 television. He is given a “good deal” by a credit card company to receive a card that charges 18% a month in interest. He is told he can buy the $2000 television on his new card and pay only the minimum payment each month--$40.

This is too good to be true. The young man purchases the TV on his new card and begins paying it off-$40 each month.

That new TV will take 30 years to pay off.

The young man will ultimately pay $5000 in interest for a $2000 TV. After thirty years, he will have spent $7000.

In contrast, were that young man to commit $40 to a mutual fund or other stocks averaging a return of 8 % over a thirty-year period (a very realistic possibility), his investment will be worth $64,000. $46,000 will be interest paid to him!

Money. It works for us, or it works against us.

Desire. It works for us, or it works against us.