Lavanya Mohan’s Money Doesn’t Grow On Trees dives deep into personal finance

Lavanya Mohan
| Photo Credit: S Shiva Raj

In her debut book Money Doesn’t Grow On Trees, Lavanya Mohan makes a tongue-in-cheek comparison in the first chapter. “Money is a lot like high school mathematics, in that, perfectly intelligent people who are fully capable of mastering the subject are convinced that they will just not get it,” she writes. 

This might sound all too familiar for many of us, whether we are millennials or Gen Z. For Lavanya too, the book, she says, is a handy personal finance guide she probably needed when she was in her twenties. “This is a very conversational guide for beginners who are trying to get their personal finances in order. There are no lectures, jargon, and most importantly, there is no condescension either. This book isn’t telling you what you are doing wrong, but it holds your hand and helps you understand money better,” she explains. 

In a world that is teeming with finance bros and influencers talking in crores, Lavanya’s book sets its sights a lot more simpler. At 200 pages, the book tackles a range of topics — from mutual funds, types of insurance policies, ESOPs, and investing in gold, to name a few. Lavanya also goes beyond merely explaining the brass tacks of personal finance, and delves into our evolving relationship with money — whether in a marriage,  when planning for children, and ultimately, for retirement. 

“I think the book is unique in how it acknowledges how money makes you feel, and not just how you should be managing it,” she says. “All of us have grown up with different values with money and different experiences. This book acknowledges that, and it also gives you the tools to recognise when you are being emotional with money and how to handle it in a more practical way,” she says. 

Through her blog pennmoney, and on her Instagram, Lavanya has been an advocate for simplifying personal finance for women in particular. This is an important part of her book as well. “I realised a few years ago how unapproachable we have made the world of finance for women and the boys club it has become. We hear so many stories of domestic abuse, and of women who stay in bad marriages and realise the impact money can have on their lives. Understanding finance and figuring out what to do with their pay checks will go a long way in making women deal with money better,” she says. 

Early on in the book, Lavanya candidly describes millennials as a generation that is ‘woke’, but unfortunately terrible at managing money. Every year when tax season comes around, jokes are aplenty on the internet as to how knowing all about what the mitochondria is, or what parallelograms are, has proven to be hardly useful in the real world where a large part of ‘adulting’ involves budgeting, filing for taxes and exploring investments. 

“Children are so much more perceptive, and I believe we can introduce finance to them in a systematic way from as early primary school,” she explains. Lavanya says many adults are uncomfortable discussing this with their children. “Instead of holding back, there are so many fun ways you can initiate these conversations with children. With my son for example, I took to a Dr Seuss story, The Sneetches,” she laughs.

Given how the internet is teeming with finance influencers, Lavanya acknowledges that while influencers are important when it comes to awareness, many millennials and the Gen Z are holding back from seeking professional help and guidance when it comes to their finances. “People should remember that for influencers, it is more of a content game and that they are focussed on catching your attention versus trying to do right by you. I constantly emphasize on the importance of professional guidance in my videos,” she adds.

While she stresses on the importance of acknowledging and being observant of how one’s relationship with money changes as they get older, Lavanya says that it is important to not just look at money from the lens of investments, savings and the likes, but also from relationships and big life decisions that one is going to take. 

“Be curious, instead of dismissing personal finance as a topic you don’t understand. Do not hold yourself back about any questions you might have. It all comes down to being open and losing your inhibitions when it comes to learning about all things money,” she says. 

Published by Simon & Schuster, Money Doesn’t Grow On Trees is available for pre-orders, and will release on May 12.