My parents’ generation and mine played by completely different financial rules.

By the time my dad was 30, he already had a home, a stable retirement plan, and confidence that years of work would eventually pay off.
At the same age, many people today are still trying to save for a down payment, juggling higher healthcare costs, and wondering whether retirement will ever feel attainable.
The other night he told me I should be better with money.
I didn’t argue.
I didn’t explain that wages and the cost of living haven’t moved in the same direction.
I didn’t point out that the path to financial security looks very different today than it did decades ago.
I just smiled, passed the food, and changed the subject.
Sometimes the hardest part isn’t getting advice.
It’s knowing the world that advice came from no longer exists.