"Old Money" Living

Photo: Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi & Princess Beatrice ©Getty

Old Money wants to stay that way. Growing up in an Old Money household offers a distinct, non-financial advantage: it is an education unto itself. People who have made a lot of money are sometimes smart. Sometimes they can articulate the concepts that contributed to their success and pass those onto the next generation in terms of raw financial intelligence and moral principals that help their offspring lead successful, productive lives, sometimes not. Okay, more often not.

In a household where wealth has been created and preserved for several generations through the adoption, acceptance, and implementation of the Core Values I talk about in The Old Money Book, you’re likely find an abundance of communication between young and old. How to live, what to watch out for in business and in life, the importance of ethics, education, and hard work…these topics are discussed early, often, and in no uncertain terms. By the time they are adolescents, children have a clear picture of what their family has accomplished, how lucky they are, and what is expected of them.

In The Proper Bostonians, author Cleveland Amory recalled a conversation with a Boston lawyer who worked his way through Harvard by tutoring scions of Boston’s Old Money families. He knew them, and their parents, well. He was unabashed in his admiration. “It is strong stock,” he said, “that can produce the same traits of character generation after generation.”

He wasn’t speaking in the relative short term, of second or third generation wealth that had managed to survive without decline or decimation over a few decades. He was speaking of families who’d made their fortunes in the 1800’s and whose descendants were still getting an education, excelling at a profession, and contributing to Boston society 150 years later.

Strong stock, indeed.

About Byron Tully (right)

Grandson of a newspaper publisher and son of an oil industry executive, Byron Tully is an author who also writes for the entertainment industry. His nonfiction debut, "The Old Money Book," was published in April of 2013 to excellent reviews and enjoys consistently strong sales worldwide. His other works include "The Old Money Guide To Marriage", "Old Money, New Woman: How To Manage Your Money and Your Life", and "Old Money Style - The Gentleman's Edition".

Byron regularly contributes to its blog, www.theoldmoneybook.com, which has been visited by over 1 million readers since 2014.

In February of 2020, "Old Money Style - The Gentleman's Edition" was published by Acorn Street Press. This fourth book in the Old Money series reveals the fundamentals of dressing well in a classic and timeless style. In November of 2020, Byron published a 2nd Edition of "The Old Money Book", which expands on his original classic. This 2nd Edition includes vital information and insights for readers as they navigate a very different, post-pandemic world.

Byron speaks frequently about the culture and values of Old Money. He has been interviewed by KABC New York's Financial Quarterback Show, The Huffington Post, and The Simple Dollar, among others.

He lives in Paris and is happily married to an Old Money Gal from Boston.