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A while back, I wrote a post that payed homage to Asian Americans. This homage was richly deserved. Just take a look at the statistics regarding median household income by race and ethnicity.
Median Household Income by Race and Ethnicity – 2016
| Demographic Group | Median Household Income |
|---|---|
| Asian | $81,431 |
| Non-Hispanic White | $65,041 |
| Hispanic | $47,675 |
| Black | $39,490 |
Asian Americans are kicking ass. And they’re doing it the old-fashioned way. They’re working hard, both in school and out, procreating responsibly, and obeying the law.
There’s an old saw in politics that says those who want to understand corruption should “follow the money.” Well, let’s give that old saw a financial twist. Those who want to understand why some succeed economically and others don’t should “follow the habits.”
Now, assuming my newly coined follow-the-habits proverb is worthwhile, I have one thing to say to white, Hispanic, and black Americans who are struggling financially. Don’t “go west,” my friends. “Go east!” That’s right. Stop all the bullshit excuses. Look at what your Asian brothers and sisters are doing and copy them. The solution to your economic woes is as simple as that.
Hail Asian American Financial Bloggers!
Okay, I admit it. I’m an Asian-phile. And this affliction, so to speak, has a tremendous impact on my reading habits. I love Asian American financial bloggers (hence forth Asian bloggers for brevity and ease of reading).
Before I go any further, though, I need to stress one important thing. Asian bloggers aren’t chauvinists. In other words, the Asian bloggers that I follow don’t make a big deal about being Asian. They’re just Americans trying help other Americans. Their racial background is really immaterial to their blogging work. The only one making a big deal out of it is I.
So why do I love Asian bloggers? Are they insightful? Yes. Do they promote sound financial advice? Of course. Are they entertaining? Without a doubt. But I can get insightful financial advice with a dash of funny from any number of non-Asian bloggers. What makes Asian bloggers so intriguing?
In order to provide the answer, I’m going to embarrass one of my favorite Asian bloggers, Lily from The Frugal Gene. Here’s her bio in a nutshell.
- When she was born, her parents were so poor, they gave her to an aunt to raise.
- She immigrated from China to America when she was 9.
- Her parents worked in a Chinese supermarket in San Francisco for over 10 years at $5.50 per hour each.
- She didn’t have health insurance until after college.
- At 16, her severe nearsightedness was finally discovered. She didn’t get her first pair of glasses until she was 19.
- Lily is 26. Her husband Jared is 29. She’s an AirBnB hostess and blogger. He’s an engineer. Their net worth at the end of September was $950,238.27.
Is this a compelling story or what? Lily arrived on these shores at the age of 9 not knowing a lick of English. Her parents were dirt poor. And yet despite all these disadvantages, she graduated college, married a great guy, and—at the age of 26—is on the cusp of becoming a millionaire.
Lily is hardly alone. Most of the Asian bloggers I follow come from very humble beginnings. And this is why I find Asian bloggers so intriguing. They put a lie to all the “privilege” bullshit being bandied about in academia and the mainstream media.
Asian bloggers didn’t grow up with “privilege.” But instead of bemoaning what they didn’t have, they focused on what they did have. They took their functioning brains, their desire to learn, and they worked. And what they found was that the “disadvantages” they supposedly had weren’t really disadvantages at all. After all, you don’t need wealthy parents in order to read a book. Nor do you need wealthy parents to do good in school, make something of yourself, and be a blessing to your family, friends, and community.
So that’s why I love Asian bloggers. In ways both big and small they prove that habits are destiny. They are the embodiment of the American Dream. And in no particular order, here are some of my favorite Asian bloggers.
Financial Samurai
Frugal Asian Finance
Retireby40
The Frugal Gene
Financial Panther
If you’re not familiar with any of these bloggers, do yourself a favor and change that. These guys are doing fantastic work. And if you want a more exhaustive list of great Asian bloggers, here’s one put together by Ms. Frugal Asian Finance.
Final Thoughts
Okay, groovy freedomists, I’m almost done. Last week, my brother-in-law came down from New York for a visit. Great dude. And because he’s such a great dude, he very graciously agreed to be a guest on Talking Trash. But be warned, especially if you’re a Millennial. My Groovy brother-in-law is going to explain that there was once a time in America when one could get a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree for free. That’s right. For FREE.
Have a great weekend. Grease for peace.
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