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5 Financial Life Lessons From Trump’s Vice President Pick, JD Vance
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Trump recently announced Your VP pick, J.D. Vance. You may be familiar with Vance’s background and upbringing. After all, he shared his story in “Hillbilly Elegy,” a memoir about his past that enriched Vance and earned him a lot of attention.
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In short, Vance shared in the book about his impoverished upbringing and the life path that led him to be worth millions of dollars today. Along the way, Vance said he learned valuable lessons about life and finance.
Here’s a look at five financial life lessons by Vance based on the stories and information he shared in the book.
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Your beginning does not determine your outcome
This is perhaps the most significant lesson Vance shares in his book: your beginnings do not determine where you will go in life.
While this is true in many areas of life, it certainly applies to finances. In Vance’s case, he talked about rising from a difficult beginning to creating a small fortune and a much better life for himself.
By finding creative ways to make money and not settling for where he started, Vance found financial success for himself and his family.
To read: Barbara Corcoran’s 5 Best Passive Income Ideas
Supporters can change your life
Vance may be a wonderful example of the importance of having supporters and cheerleaders in life. For Vance, according to his book, life took a very different direction thanks to his grandmother.
According to Forbes“Life changed when Vance moved in with his grandmother in his sophomore year. (His grandfather had died a few years earlier.) He got a part-time job as a cashier, and his grades improved.”
Creativity can save the day
When his grades started improving, Vance said he considered going to college. But he wasn’t convinced, especially considering the costs, that college was the right choice for him.
So Vance got creative and took a different path — enlisting in the Marines. According to Forbes, “He served in Iraq and used the extra money he earned playing online poker to pay for his grandmother’s health insurance.”
Discipline can bring success
“Vance, 39, is the first post-9/11 veteran to find a spot on a major party ticket and the first veteran on a major party ticket since John McCain in 2008,” according to USA Today.
Vance spoke about the difference being in the Marines has made in his life. Along with the typical discipline you learn in the service, Vance said the Marine Corps taught him how to live like an adult and learn how to save money, balance a checkbook and invest.
The story continues
Even if you’re not in the mood to take a rigorous approach to your finances, even a little discipline can make a big difference. Perhaps, like Vance, learning to save or invest could be a good choice when it comes to your own finances.
A straight path is not necessary
Here’s one final financial life lesson we can take away from Vance’s story: You don’t have to follow a straight path to find success.
Vance has had many twists and turns that have led him to where he is today. He eventually went to law school, used financial aid, worked to combat the opioid epidemic, focused on startups, and embarked on a political career that led to him being the VP pick.
Maybe your finances aren’t where you want them to be today. As Vance’s story shows, it’s not too late to take a different path to find your own success.
Editor’s note on election coverage: GOBankingRates is nonpartisan and strives to cover all aspects of the economy objectively and present balanced reporting on politically focused financial stories. You can find more coverage of this topic at GOBankingRates.com.
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This article was originally published in GOBankingRates.com: 5 Financial Life Lessons From Trump’s Vice President Pick, JD Vance