My Money Story

Our money story starts when we are 8 years old – that’s when most of our thoughts and beliefs about money are formed. 

Looking back on my life, I’ve always had quite a negative and unhealthy relationship with money, and have been in pretty much a constant state of debt and scarcity since I can remember.

Really significant stuff happened in my world when I was 8, and taking myself back to look at the money aspect of it has been really eye opening.

I was born in Yorkshire to a mechanically-minded-car-salesman-rally-driving dad and a stay-at-home mum who worked part-time at Bumpers Fast Food restaurant and hosted Tupperware parties for ‘pin money’.

My earliest money-related memories are being a Second-Hand-Rose – living in hand-me-down clothes my sister had outgrown.

I hated being Second-Hand-Rose.

I wanted pretty party dresses and sparkly shoes but instead was forced into hideous brown cords with Muppets on the pockets.

Another memory that lodged in my brain is wistfully paging through a toy catalogue and circling one of those Palitoy Tree Houses (are you old enough to remember them??).

I pictured myself playing with it and I yearned for that damn tree. Christmas and birthday came and went – no tree ever materialized.

Funny how small stuff like that sticks with us.

Don’t get me wrong, we never wanted for anything and I guess I wasn’t really that aware of any real-world money issues back then, but I can well believe that those earliest memories played a part in shaping me.

Fast forward a few years and we’d emigrated to South Africa and then, when I was 8 years old, my Mum and Dad divorced.

Suddenly I was in a single-parent family with a Mum who had to go back to work and become the sole breadwinner.

She worked really hard did my Mum and I know that she gave my sister and I everything she possibly could. I was always really proud of her for that. She was a strong woman and I love that about her.

At the end of the day we were a tight-knit and incredibly loving family who relied on each other. We never had a lot. We always had enough. I had a lot of second hand stuff. I didn’t always get what my friends got but I cherished what I had. I was happy.

BUT…what impact did those frugal formative money-related experiences have on my life?

As soon as I started earning money at 15 years old working in a clothes shop it was like water through my fingers. And that’s been the theme ever since.

I always say money means nothing to me – easy come easy go.

I’ve racked up debts, paid them off, racked them up again, and lived in a constant state of careless scarcity my whole life.

So, what’s changed?

Well, I’m now living in a Financially Abundant Mindset, for real, and it’s already had a profound impact on my life.

I’ve focused on my finances. I’m debt free and will stay that way. I celebrate every penny that comes in.

I understand the compound effect (thanks Darren Hardy!). I’ve stopped spending. I’m starting to save.

Money finally means something to me and I’m moving into the second half of my life ready to reap the rewards of my new money story.

Sally xo