1. When did you really learn to manage money?
‘When I was 16 I dreamed of being a DJ. I needed a lot of money to invest in records, an amplifier and a sound system. I partnered up with my friends and we each borrowed 500 euros from our parents. My parents had two conditions: I had to pay back the money within two years and I had to keep focusing on my studies. It is clear that I did not become David Guetta. But I paid back my loan in less than two years.’
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I am willing to earn less if my work makes more sense.
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2. What is your best financial decision?
‘Start university studies. The poverty figures in Belgium prove that with a higher education diploma you have little chance of ending up in poverty. My diploma was a passport to freedom. I do not dream of being very rich, I do strive to have enough money so that my freedom is not restricted. If I feel like going to a cafe or restaurant, I want to be able to do that.’
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3. What is your worst financial decision?
‘After my studies in the United States, I returned to Brussels with my wife. For a short period, we thought, because we wanted to move abroad. We ended up living in Brussels for seven years in an overpriced apartment. Had I known, I would have bought a small apartment there.’
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4. Did you give up financially when you switched from consultancy to politics?
‘I returned to Charleroi from London to work with Paul Magnette. I had to give up a lot of wages then. Yet I never doubted. Maybe that’s my generation, but I mainly want to have an impact with what I do. I’m willing to earn less if my work makes more sense.’
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5. Do you invest?
‘I have never bought individual stocks. If I can put some savings aside, I will invest it in some broad thematic funds that are closely aligned with my personal values. These are funds that invest in sustainable energy or the water sector, for example.’
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6. What is your biggest annoyance about money matters?
‘That you still can’t pay with Bancontact in some cafes and restaurants. I never carry cash, that is something from another time. I usually pay with the payment app on my smartphone: super handy.’
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7. What is your last big purchase?
“I recently bought a mountain bike for my 35th birthday. It’s still not a super expensive model, but it was already a big expense. I haven’t had much fun with it yet: like everyone who buys a bicycle now, I have to wait a very long time for the delivery. I won’t be able to pick it up until the summer of 2022. Then I’ll be another year older.’
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8. What expenses do you have a weakness for?
‘At home my wife does the shopping. I have absolutely no passion for shopping. That’s why I always buy the same clothes: a white shirt with blue pants. I don’t need anything else. If I have time, I’d rather spend it with my two daughters than in the store.’
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9. Are you already working on the financial education of your children?
‘My oldest daughter is four. That’s too young to really talk about money. I do make sure that we don’t spoil them too much with gifts that are too big. Children are often happy with small things.’
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10. What is the greatest luxury for you?
‘Time. I try to be a modern dad who is really there for his kids. That is why I am extremely disciplined in managing my agenda. Yet it remains a permanent struggle to keep the balance in balance.’
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