Top 5 Best Personal Finance Lessons in the Movies

Movie: Fun with Dick & Jane (2005)
Description: When the couple's all-to-meager emergency savings fund runs out after he's fired and she quits, foreclosure and poverty (not to mention revenge) threaten their perfect lifestyle.
Scene: Jim Carrey and Tia Leone attempt their first robbery post-unemployment in order save their home from foreclosure
Financial Lesson: Build an emergency savings fund that will last long enough for you to weather any period of unemployment. It should cover housing (rent or mortgage and utilities), food, transportation, phone and necessary clothing.
More Info: See Money Fit's Money Pie budget for ideas on how and where to save money for future needs

Movie: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)
Description: When 11-year old Harry finally learns he's a wizard living in the human world, he's invited to the best wizarding school in the land - Hogwarts. Through all of his adventures, Harry learns to value relationships above all else.
Scene: Harry meets his future best friend, Ron Weasley, for the first time onboard the Hogwarts Express. Instead of showing off his money, Harry is generous with it, buying the entire stock of the food trolley.
Financial Lesson: "Generosity First" is always a good rule to live by. Additionally, Harry and Ron together help us understand that happiness is not found in wealth (Ron belongs to one of the poorest yet happiest families in the country, and Harry has more than enough money to live on but finds spending on himself not nearly as enjoyable as spending on others).
More Info: Money Fit's Money Pie monthly spending plan prioritizes generosity above all else. Check it out here.

Movie: Aladdin (1992)
Description: A "street rat" finds a lamp whose resident genie grants him three wishes. Thinking wealth and riches will make him happy, Aladdin nearly fails to recognize what is more important than money.
Scene: Aladdin meets the genie - voiced by comic genius Robin Williams - and not only learns about his good fortune but begins a journey of friendship and comradery that changes his life the most.
Financial Lesson: When money is your central focus, you will find frustration and, thanks to greed, disappointment at not having more. Aladdin learns the hard way that true happiness is based upon our open and honest relationships. In simple terms, it's about "who you are, not what you have."
More Info: Check out Money Fit's free course on, "Who Wants to Live Like a Millionaire?" to see if you have what it takes to earn, keep and enjoy riches. Find it by clicking here.

Movie: Schindler's List (1993)
Description: An opportunities at the outbreak of World War II, Oscar Schindler takes advantage of cheep labor available in the ghettos and the concentration camps to build enormous wealth. Along the way, reality challenges his lust for wealth and prestige.
Scene: Coming to grips with what he has done in the past six year, Oscar Schindler bids farewell to the Jewish prisoners left in his factory, saved from extermination in the death camps. Realization after realization eventually knocks him to his knees.
Financial Lesson: Money is of no value to the individual or society. Instead, it is a tool to use in achieving what the individual or what society values.
More Info: Read more about hope and how it is tied to financial goals at the Money Fit blog.

Movie: Field of Dreams (1998)
Description: An Iowa farmer with a young family to raise risks his harvest, his home, and his reputation to build his field of dreams.
Scene: Faced with foreclosure, Ray must decide whether to sell or lose his home. When reminded of the power of dreams, Ray arrives at the movies pivotal moment.
Financial Lesson: By nature, reward comes AFTER risk. Whether you are an entrepreneur or a new employee at a fast food restaurant, you will see the value of doing what you love, even when it means going against logic and social norms. More often than not, success comes after hardship, not before.
More Info: Many entrepreneurs believe they have to choose between business success and relationships. Read about the importance of holding a weekly financial huddle with your spouse in order to protect your relationship.