It’s too late when the money is gone
Once upon a time I was a career woman. I held myself confidently in executive meetings and flew around the world, I owned, bought and sold commercial and residential properties many times. I moved cities and even countries, I renewed this, registered that, my father would be proud to say I was a can do girl. More importantly I was in control of my finances and had been my whole life, I was solely reliant on myself for survival and I was doing a very good job of it.
Then something strange happened, I fell in-love and got married. Newly pregnant I began working for my husband, this suited me fine, but honestly speaking I did feel a twinge of self-doubt start to loom as my former self slowly disappeared. Where was the ‘me’ who so passionately and confidently pursued her career and supported herself? Not paying the rent, the bills or getting a true fixed income, I was loosing my sense of reality and independence.
With the blink of an eye I had become a dependent woman.
When I look back on the past year, one of the greatest challenges of getting married and having a baby was no longer earning my own money and having to depend on my husband. Lucky for me I had savings put aside for my maternity period, and I managed, with the help of my husband, to keep them going after I stopped earning, but not everyone is in the same boat. Many women don’t really think about money until it’s gone, and once we’ve given up work and have the baby in our arms, it’s often too late.
This harsh reality founded my thinking for www.womenmoneyandstyle.com. What began in an emotional realm soon developed into practical advice on how women can protect themselves with the changes we face in our lives? Sharing questions and views (in real girl terms) on our financial lives and where we want to go to feel protected. Before I knew it, my blog and website had taken off and I had launched a ‘Money Club’ to help women address their money-life issues in a practical way.
Many people say they will start saving when they can afford to. That is not the answer! You need to look at your lifestyle and address your savings today. I recently had an article published by The Conversation called ‘Who is afraid of the ‘F’ word’ which addresses my personal saving story and why financial freedom is important to me. Check it out – I think it makes interesting reading.
Today kicks off UAE save week! I’m back working and although not at pre-parenthood capacity, I’m feeling pretty good – emotionally, professionally and, of course, financially. However for many others the mere thought of the word savings make people feel sick, it’s the last thing they want to think about. But the reality is that life and money are intertwined.
Someone once said; money may be the heartbeat off life but it certainly isn’t the soul. I get it… but I wonder if that person was truly ever broke, ever made redundant, or without a penny to pay the bills? The fact is money affects the emotional, the practical and the reality of life – so it is time for us to think about our finances because it’s too late when the money’s gone!
Janelle x
