When I was 12, I overheard my dad telling my mom, “The bank manager said this is 100% safe. We’ll just lock it in for 5 years.” Five years later, inflation had eaten a quarter of that money’s value. The “safe” choice wasn’t safe at all — it was slow financial death. Most middle-aged families in America still think like my parents did: keep money in savings, maybe CDs, because it feels secure. But if your return doesn’t beat inflation, you’re paying the “security tax” without realizing it. Here’s what I wish my parents knew back then: A balanced mix of index funds and TIPS could’ve kept up with inflation and grown their money. Even allocating 20% of savings to dividend-paying ETFs would’ve doubled their returns compared to that fixed deposit. The hardest part isn’t understanding the math — it’s breaking the family habit of playing it “safe.” If you don’t talk about money in your family, you’ll just pass the same slow-loss mindset to your kids. Don’t let “safe” cost you your future. #Finance #MakeMoney #FamilyWealth