There's Rice At Home - The Wealth Series
INTRO
In 2016 I became interested in personal finance after reading Arese Ugwu’s book “The Smart Money Woman” – a book about Nigerian women whose lives cause them to rethink their approaches to wealth. The book isn’t just a fictional story, but Ugwu also included practical case studies and exercises for her readers to work through. Although I had trouble grasping terms and trying to figure out what it meant for me, I felt like something was ignited in me; I wanted to know more and I needed to do better with my money.
Three years later and I still want to know more about personal finance and I still need to do better with my money.
Who remembers those Sunday’s after church asking your mum or dad to stop McDonalds or Dixy’s Chicken for ‘lunch’? Sometimes you’d be asked, “what do you want?” (which really meant yes), or you would have been told, “there’s food at home” or “there’s rice at home” (which really meant no) and growing up in an African household, you knew it was true because there was always rice at home (and there still is). Hearing this response often deflated my pre-teen heart, because I mean how much was a box of chicken and chips really? I laugh now as a 30-year-old because I find that I often check myself with the same phrase when I want to spend money, “Layide, there’s food at home, you don’t need to go to Shake Shack.”
I haven’t always been this way, and to be honest, I’m probably still spending too much money on take-out, but I’m learning and I’m getting there.
Around the time I read “The Smart Money Woman” I was also praying to learn about personal finance from a [sound] Biblical perspective (I had actually written prayer points where this was requested), and then I was briefly introduced to Dave Ramsey on a Facebook video post. In the video, a very charismatic and almost offensive Dave spoke about being financially smart, creating wealth and being debt-free – I didn’t know who he was or that he was a Christian, but I remember praying “God, teach me this, help me save up for this programme.” Little did I know that it would take me almost 18 months before I could learn from Dave.
A year into my move to Dubai my finances were haggard! Between UK bills, deposits down for every essential utility and the cost of living in Dubai my finances were a mess. Admitting that something needed to change, I ‘stumbled’ across one of the many free classes offered at my church, the one that caught my eye was a free financial course called Financial Peace University (FPU). FPU was developed and is taught by Dave Ramsey over nine weeks (with tasks and homework included). My prayers – even though I had forgotten – were being answered. I completed the nine-week course almost two years ago now, and I feel like I’m just starting to implement what I learnt.
With this full introduction on how I’ve come to enjoy learning about personal finance, I’ll be sharing my wealth journey with you over the next few weeks in hopes that you’ll learn something that will encourage you to think about your wealth journey.
I’ll talk about:
My Relationship With Money and Wealth Goals
FPU – The 7 Baby Steps & What I’ve Done Differently (and probably shouldn’t have)
Paying Debts, Budgeting & Savings
Resources
At the end of this series I’ll share a review of where I’m at with my wealth goals.
I’m looking forward to sharing with you all and I’m also looking forward to hearing your wealth stories!
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