Good money stories
A prompt I couldn’t wait to journal on - then felt a lot of fear around sharing.
I spent Monday this week catching up on alllllll the past week’s
posts after being away last week and taking a phone break.Reading about the lives of others who are living with chronic illness and in some way waking up to what they know to be true are my most favourite reads. I am gripped!
I’m also a huge fan of
author of where I pay to be in her membership space. I read her latest post before bed, asking the question “what’s on your money joy list?” and after responding with the first one that came up for me couldn’t wait to get up the next day and journal on it.
The first good money story that came through for me has kept me company for the past 2-3 years. After moving into a static caravan to reduce my outgoings even further than the many previous attempts in the years proceeding, I realised one day that
I can go into the supermarket and buy anything I want.
What a privilege that is.
It was an insight that came on the back of needing to buy a few bits for my new home like a kettle, pillows and pans. I got everything I needed from the middle of Lidl and realised how fortunate I was that I could spend £100 and have the money in my bank to pay for it.
The gratitude I felt with that knowledge after all I’ve been through with losing my job, career and income back in 2018 has been immense. I’ve not been able to work in a salaried job since. Leaning into this insight helped me worry less about money and the uncertainty. Trusting that my needs are taken care of has allowed me to free up time for recovery.
Journaling good money stories the following morning took me on a journey with an overview of my life and past few decades.
Paying £10,000 of debt off in 4 years (back in the noughties) and committing to living debt free ever since.1
I remember buying my first top from Primark during this time (I didn’t have many clothes). It was a green halter-neck that I still have now. It cost £2.50. I’d been scrimping and scraping so much to pay my debt off that I couldn’t afford it. I bought it anyway, because, well it cost £2.50.
Starting an ISA as soon as I paid my debt off. Knowing that the only way I could save was if I set up an automatic direct debit on payday then forgot about it. A practice that led to my being surprised I had £3.5k saved a few years later.
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash Buying my first house entirely on my own in 2010. It was an ex-council house that had been repossessed and needed work doing to it. When my boyfriend saw it, he said “WTF have you bought this for?”. It was what I could afford at the time and I pledged to myself that I’d never live beyond my means again.
Later that same year, I received a £10k pay rise and an Audi TT for a company car. Up until this point, I’d always worked 2 jobs – a full-time post and a part time one.
Using the mantra “unexpected income flows to me” throughout 2016/17/18 led to the unexpected income of £2,000, £5,000 and £10,000.
I’ve worked since the age of 11. Many babysitting jobs, collecting milk money, mushroom picking and working in Burger King for 2 years through college. I earnt a fortune for a young person with no outgoings. My Dad’s financial advice to me when I was 14 was that “you can’t live without credit”. I was taught nothing about savings or how when you spend less money, you have more money. In this era I spent all my money on books, Walkers cheese and onion crisps and Mars Bars (eaten at the same time whilst losing myself in the stories). It only occurred to me when I found myself physically unable to work in 2018 that this was the first break I had taken from work since 1991.
For the past 6 years I’ve kept a roof over my head and food on the table. All throughout chronic illness and disability by it, a global pandemic swiping my income for the 2nd time in 2 years and the cost of living crisis. I’ve managed this even though the work I’ve been doing all this time generates little to no income (less than I earnt in the noughties). The majority of the work I’ve been doing for the past 6 years is unrecognised, unvalued and unrewarded by the society we live in today (something I became deeply comfortable with over 3 years ago - after feeling cast aside in the 3 years before that).
After making cutbacks and re-budgeting many times over, putting myself on a shopping ban and prioritising my needs, I live a simple life. My spending habits have drastically changed in the last 9 years. My boyfriend can’t believe how little we spend. I feel much happier for it and more in alignment with what it is I truly want and need.
Throughout my adult life I tried my best to live a life away from the fear, scarcity and lack mentality I was brought up with. In some respects, I got quite far. I learnt my lessons around debt early on. I enjoyed the benefits of being debt free in my 30’s and 40’s.
Right now, I’m trusting the deeper work I’ve been doing around money stories and the energy I give to money will take me further in my 50’s and 60’s. Reflecting on my good money stories in the way I have here, I feel sure I will - excited even.
What are some of your good money stories?
What picture does this paint over your life time?
Related reads:
Earlier this year, Keris interviewed me on my relationship with money, biggest money mistake and hindsight advice. I can’t wait to be re-interviewed 2 years on (only another 18 months to go):
Keris’ post I read asking the question “what’s on your money joy list?”
To put the debt into perspective, my annual salary was £15k at the time and I’d always lived out of home from the age of 18.
Amazing craic Amber! Loved it. So open of you. ✨🌀✨
This is all so amazing, Amber!