Lessons for My Sister

In February my sister will turn 17. I'm 30. There are years and miles between us and we've spent most of her life not being terribly close. We're just incredibly different people and the age difference is quite large. However we're trying to be closer and we're enjoying spending time together whenever we get the chance.

Several weeks ago I had an epiphany about my relationship with money. It made me wish I'd learned much more about money, credit, fico scores, interest rates, and other financial topics from my parents and educators before I got out into the real world. I didn't know anything about money and it put me in some financial holes that I'm still digging my way out of. My parents haven't really changed much since I left home so I'm not real confident that they're teaching my sister any more about money than they taught me so it occurred to me that I should try to teach her some basics about money and finance.

I thought that was a really great idea except I couldn't figure out how to actually do it. Should I call her on the phone? Take her out to dinner? Write a dissertation? Eventually it came to me. It's great to want to teach her about money but there are several more areas where I have recent or intimate knowledge that could maybe help her as she becomes an adult, heads toward college, etc. So instead of just giving her some notes on money management I decided I should write some lessons for My Sister As She Turns 17. I'll write the lessons, make then into a book and give them as a gift on her 17th birthday.

Ideally I'd come up with 17 lessons but I don't know if I have that many in me, maybe 10 is more realistic. Ones that I'm definitely writing though include:

1. Credit Cards aren't free money
2. The secret to good buttercream icing (my sister loves to bake as do I)
3. Never buy generic Q-tips
4. The one class a semester rule
5. Why it's good to have your heart broken once