Welcome! We’re happy to have you as a new Member of the Tribe.
You may have just stumbled across the blog, or you may have already read The Old Money Book, The Old Money Guide To Marriage, or Old Money, New Woman. Either way, you’re probably interested in learning more about this way of life, and how you can start to live it.
You’ll be relieved to know that our Membership Dues are nonexistent, and we haven’t quite decided on what kind of Initiation Rites to inflict upon newbies. So, for now, there will be no clandestine, candlelit induction ceremonies conducted in a remote New England farmhouse, no secret handshakes to master, and no hierarchy of Grand Pooh-bears to swear obedience to.
You are not required to purchase anything. In fact, just the opposite. As you start to understand and adopt this way of life, you’re going to live a little differently than most people. You’re going to prioritize being and doing over buying and having.
So let’s talk about that shift. Starting from the inside, and working our way out.
The Core Values. To get started, pick up a copy of The Old Money Book (the ebook price is what you’d spend on a cup of coffee) and become intimately familiar with the Core Values that are detailed in the first section of the book. These include: Health, Education, The Work Ethic, Etiquette & Manners, Financial Independence, Family & Marriage, and Privacy.
After you read (or reread) each chapter, ask yourself this simple question: how I am doing with this Core Value overall? If it’s Health, ask yourself: am I eating fresh food? Am I exercising regularly? Are the hereditary diseases I have to watch out for? Most importantly, ask yourself: how can I improve in this category? And do that for each Core Value, starting with Health, and weaving your way down the list.
That’s the work. It’s simple. It’s personal. It’s a lifelong endeavor. It’s not something you can brag about on social media. The results and rewards from this work may be yours and yours alone to appreciate. But adopting these Core Values and working slowly over time to improve in each category will pay dividends in terms of health, happiness, and prosperity. The rewards may not be obvious to others, but they are worthwhile, and they will endure.
The New Choices. When you change your values, priorities, and habits, your choices and actions begin to change. You may not party as hard, because Health has become a priority. You may not shop as much, because Financial Independence as become important to you. You may not be on social media as much because you begin to treasure your Privacy.
Over time, you’ll absorb the Core Values internally and understand them instinctively. They’ll become individual to you. You’ll tailor them to elevate your personal situation. They’ll spontaneously and positively influence your behavior. You’ll make progress personally, professionally, and financially.
The New Look. The most obvious expression of this personal change will be in your appearance. This is the last thing to discuss because it’s the easiest to change. But without getting a grip on the Core Values that are detailed in The Old Money Book, or the 8 Old Money Secrets discussed in Old Money, New Woman, buying a new closet full of clothes isn’t going to help much.
You can’t just run over to Brooks Brothers and buy an oxford cloth button down shirt, a pair of khakis, and some penny loafers and christen yourself ‘Old Money’. It doesn’t work like that. Your clothing and your appearance will naturally change over time once you embrace this philosophy, this way of life.
So that’s how you get started. The resources you have at your disposal are as follows:
- the Old Money series of books and audiobooks,
- the posts on this blog (feel free to take a Saturday morning with a cup of coffee and browse through the Archives–we’ve been at this for awhile),
- and the community of like-minded readers and contributors who share questions, wisdom, and experiences every week here.
So, whether you’re an OMG (Old Money Gal or Old Money Guy) by birth or by choice, we’re glad you’re here. Learn, grow, share.
And, above all, keep it Old.
- BGT