Teen Shares - Making Sacrifices Today Can Lead to a Brighter Future Tomorrow!
by Team Sammy
Guest Blogger Tanish Muralidhar
In this special guest blog, Sammy Rabbit is proud to showcase teen financial literacy education champion Tanish Muralidhar!
About Tanish in His Own Words
Hi, my name is Tanish Muralidhar, and I’m a rising high school senior at Rouse High School in Leander, Texas. I have a passion for finance and engineering. Through my involvement in high school robotics, DECA, and the Young Investors Society, I’ve had countless opportunities to explore my interests. But whenever someone asks how my financial literacy journey began, they’re often surprised by how relatable—or perhaps unconventional—my story is.
Saving and Sacrificing for a Better Future!
It all started when I was 15, earning pocket money by doing chores around the house. Simple tasks like taking out the trash or mowing the lawn earned me $5 to $10 from my parents. Like most teenagers, I couldn’t resist spending my earnings right away. My go-to indulgences were boba tea from my local Taiwanese shop or coffee from Starbucks. I also enjoyed going out with friends and watching movies occasionally. Saving didn’t even cross my mind—the short-term joy of treating myself always seemed more rewarding than the “pointless” idea of setting money aside.
That all changed when the Nintendo Switch was released. All my friends were asking their parents to buy it the moment it came out, and I desperately wanted to join the hype. Naturally, I asked my parents to buy it for me, but they said it was too expensive and encouraged me to save up for it myself. At first, the idea of saving $300 seemed impossible—it was such a big number to me at the time. But with no other option, I decided to give it a try.
Saving proved to be much harder than I expected. Skipping Starbucks runs or resisting trips to the boba shop with my friends felt like huge sacrifices. Frustrated by how slow my progress was, I turned to my parents for advice. That’s when they introduced me to the idea of saving not just for short-term goals but also for investing in a brighter future. I started watching financial YouTube videos and documentaries like The Big Short to expand my knowledge. At first, I barely understood any of the financial jargon, but the process sparked my curiosity. I began building foundational knowledge from websites like Investopedia and embraced the principle that small sacrifices today could lead to bigger rewards tomorrow.
Eventually, I saved enough to buy the Nintendo Switch. But looking back, the real accomplishment wasn’t the console—it was the financial lessons I gained along the way. I realized that even someone like me, who had impulsive spending habits, could take control of their money to achieve their goals.
This early experience inspired me to join my school’s DECA and Young Investors Society chapters to further explore my passion for finance. I wanted to help others achieve their financial goals, which motivated me to compete in DECA’s Personal Financial Literacy event. I’ve since enjoyed advising clients, such as college students, on managing their money to achieve milestones like buying a home or saving for retirement. Helping others build their financial knowledge brings me immense joy because I remember how it felt to lack direction and motivation to reach my own goals.
If my story—whether you find it conventional or unconventional—resonates with you, I encourage you to start small in building positive financial habits. Maybe trade your daily Starbucks run for a latte made at home. Small changes like these might seem insignificant at first, but over time, they can lead to monumental growth, just as they did for me.
So, I urge you: make the small sacrifices today to learn fundamental financial literacy skills and enjoy the rewards of a brighter, more secure future.
Discover more about our featured Guest Blogger
To learn more about Wesley, connect with him on LinkedIn: Tanish Muralidhar
Attention Young Leaders
We welcome and invite you to participate in Sammy's 'Be the Change' financial literacy initiative for college and high school students.
(1) Join peers advancing awareness on the importance of early age, youth, and family financial education by having your journey into financial literacy featured as a Sammy Rabbit Guest Blogger.
Arin Wani: Teen Leader Was Encouraged to Aim High!
Jacklin Wang: Becoming Financially Literate Since Age 9
Index of Student Blogs (Click and scroll down)
(2) Then volunteer as a Sammy Rabbit Ambassador or Intern championing financial literacy in your community and around the globe! Learn more in these blogs or by CONTACTING Team Sammy today! We welcome your questions and suggestions on Sammy Rabbit and his mission to get kids, families & communities financially literate.
