The Opposite: Financial Wisdom From George Costanza

If you are a fan of the classic sitcom “Seinfeld“, you are very familiar with the travails of George Costanza.

George was Jerry’s best friend and the prototypical underachiever, loser type.

George wanted all the benefits of a great life but was unwilling to pay the price required.

Instead, he would much rather lie and take the easy way to get there.

Only once did George experience some level of success.

In the episode “The Opposite“, George realizes that every instinct he has ever had, has been wrong.

He then decides from that moment to do the opposite of what his instincts tell him in every situation.

Here is the video:

What can we learn from George Costanza?

We could take a cue from George with regard to our financial wisdom.

If you do the opposite of what most people are doing with their money, you will succeed.

Here are some examples. Statistics come from the 2014 Consumer Financial Literacy Survey conducted by the National Foundation For Credit Counseling):

61% of Americans do not have a working budget to manage their money and keep track of their expenses. If you get on a budget, your money will work harder for you. Trust me, you will feel like you got a raise.
Only 29% of Americans are spending less than they make.
34% of Americans do not have any non-retirement savings. This means that when an emergency comes, they have to borrow more money.
32% of Americans do not allocate any money to retirement savings. This means they are relying on the Social Insecurity system to take care of them in their golden years.
34% of Americans carry credit card debt from month to month. This means they pay more and longer for their purchases.
Many adults (41%) would give themselves a grade of C, D, or F on their knowledge of personal finance. Lack of knowledge leads to mistakes and lost opportunities.
Most Americans (71%) are worried about their financial situation. They lack financial peace.