October 24, 2020 5 min read
This article has been translated from our Spanish edition using AI technologies. Errors can occur due to this process.
Adina Chelminsky’s grandfather left Poland when he was just 13 years old and couldn’t speak a single word of Spanish. However, when he got to the port of Minatitlán in Veracruz, he had no money, but he began to work tirelessly until he managed to open a tlapalería which, believe it or not, continued to operate in Corregidora, Mexico City becomes.
“The most important thing I know about finance I learned from my immigrant grandparents who came to Mexico with nothing,” said Chelminsky when she attended MoneyFest 2020. “My grandfather was a true entrepreneur because he knew that Entrepreneurship is 50% sweating and not just having a ‘millionaire’ idea. “
Adina Chelminsky is not only an accomplished economist and entrepreneur, but also the author of the popular financial book Cabrona y Millonaria. However, despite his academic background, he points out that the best lessons he has received in money management always come from immigrants. “
“People like my grandparents who came to Mexico in search of opportunity understand better than anyone how to manage money in a crisis because they know how to deal with adversity and thrive in a world they understand “said the expert.
Image: Geldfest 2020
5 hours of love told with money
Adina’s two paternal grandparents, both immigrants, taught her five basic universal financial principles. “You didn’t just leave me an unpronounceable last name [he says laughing], but also strategies that can always be used by anyone. “
1. There is no more valuable good than education: For a kid or for children, education is one of the smartest investments that can be made as it is a portable tool that does not lose any returns over time.
“When I was born, my grandfather opened an account for me to pay for a masters degree. No BA, a MASTER’S DEGREE . This so that there is no doubt about what I could achieve. “
2. “Whoever has a business to take care of”: And in the same way, those who have savings and investments keep track of them.
“My other grandfather was the smartest investor because he was always informed. It taught me never to go into a business that I didn’t understand or to sign a contract that I didn’t read.
3. Don’t fuck your kids and plan your retirement: “My grandparents came to Mexico and they knew they wanted to die there. At that time there were no afores or retirement plans, but month after month they saved for this moment, even if it came at the expense of a luxury. “
Adina pointed out that her grandparents always knew that in due course they did not want to be a burden to their children, and on the contrary, they always tried to achieve a worthy age.
4. Finances are ALWAYS a family affair and especially a couple: Sometimes talking to your partner about money can start an uphill battle, but it’s about being a team.
“There was never a time my grandmothers had no say in financial discussions because they ran the house. At that time, my grandparents had the last word, but they always made up their minds between all of us, ”Adina recalls and points out that her grandparents were exactly one in times of crisis PAIR Partner.
“Today there is a lot of financial infidelity, individual debt, hidden problems and half-truths. I think my grandparents were ahead of their time. “
5. There is nothing more patriotic than building well-being for others: Adina’s grandparents lived enthusiastically in Mexico, and job creation has always been one of her top priority.
“As an immigrant, you want to help the country that made you its own. There is nothing more patriotic than building wellbeing for others. “
It doesn’t matter where we come from, Adina observed, whether from immigrants, born savers, born devious, or parents who just did what they could with what they had. “Learning from the past and the financial history that shaped us is critical to your future.
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