How to Talk to Friends About Money Troubles
Conversations about finances and investing have to be approached cautiously.
Let’s talk about that later.
Photographer: Niklas Halle’n/AFP
Millennials and Gen Z seem to be more comfortable talking about money than older generations. Or at least the TikTok and Instagram trends would indicate as much. If you’re a member of one of those cohorts, I wouldn’t be surprised if you’ve had conversations with friends about whether to buy Bitcoin, your plans for buying a home and what’s the right way to save for retirement.
Still, we all probably have those friends who don’t like discussing money matters — even when we think they should. Say your friend is a financial train-wreck. They talk about credit card debt as if it’s expected, worry about moving or trying to buy a home because of bad credit or just generally seem to spend a lot for the salary you think they probably earn. You’ve tried all kinds of things to help, from giving them personal finance books, to recommending podcasts to outright offering advice. Yet nothing changes. What’s a pal to do?