Matthew, Registered Financial Advisor: My father promised me $200 if I refrained from smoking cigarettes until I was 18. On my 18th birthday, my parents upheld their promise and presented me with $200. They did this as a way to discourage smoking because of the health issues they had seen in their parents’ generation.
My dad also taught me the importance of tithing. Every Sunday, he would write a check for our church tithe and give me a small amount to contribute in my own envelope. This is a practice I continue to honor in my own life.