![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Piggyvest_Sept-week-3_Email_bann-1024x512.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nEveryone\u2019s financial journey is different; Piggyvest gives you the tools to plan, save, and invest, so you can create your own money story.\u00a0Start now<\/a>\u00a0with as low as \u20a61,000!<\/p>\n What\u2019s your earliest memory of money?<\/p>\n My secondary school didn\u2019t allow students to bring food from home; we had to buy our meals in school. So, my parents gave me \u20a6100 daily. I was 10 years old, and the naira was stronger then. I remember I\u2019d buy food and still have change left to do whatever.<\/p>\n What was the financial situation at home?<\/p>\n We were very comfortable. As a child, I thought other people had bigger and nicer things. But looking back now, I had it pretty good. My parents gave me everything I needed, and I lacked nothing.<\/p>\n In uni too, I had more than enough, and that might have contributed to my problem of not knowing what to do with money to this day.<\/p>\n How so?<\/p>\n I didn\u2019t have a monthly allowance. My parents just said, \u201cHere\u2019s money. Use it. When it\u2019s about to finish, let me know.\u201d I had so much money, I didn\u2019t know what to do with it. It just never ran out.<\/p>\n Also, I usually had a lot of cash from my parents\u2019 visits. So, I\u2019d just keep the cash in my drawers, and I later realised friends stole from me. I never identified the thief because my room was open to everyone. I had multiple friends coming in and out, and because of my money habits, I didn\u2019t notice someone was stealing until it became obvious.<\/p>\n That\u2019s wild. When was the first time you worked for money?<\/p>\n This was around 2015, and I was in 300 level. I heard people were making money online, and I decided to try it out of curiosity. I just wanted to see how I could do something for myself.<\/p>\n I tried a tech\/AI platform that needed people from several countries to get data for social media evaluation. Essentially, they wanted to know what search results would look like when people in certain localities searched for specific things. I basically helped them fine-tune their search engines. The platform was similar to Appen<\/a>, but I can\u2019t remember its name.<\/p>\n Anyway, I did that for a few weeks, made \u20a620k and never went back to it again.<\/p>\n Why?<\/p>\n I\u2019m not sure. I knew the system worked, but I didn\u2019t really care for it. Maybe the work wasn\u2019t exciting enough, or maybe it was that the money wasn\u2019t impressive enough. I just didn\u2019t want to dedicate my free time to it.<\/p>\n The next time I did anything for money was during NYSC in 2017. Even then, it was just the \u20a619800 allawee. My place of primary assignment was a government house, and they must\u2019ve only given me \u20a65k for the entire year I spent there.<\/p>\n How were you surviving on allawee?<\/p>\n I served in my state, so I still lived with my parents. I also didn\u2019t have transportation expenses because we have a driver. Allawee was small, but it was just enough for my basic needs, like data.\u00a0<\/p>\n After NYSC, I stayed home for about two years doing random internships and certificate courses before starting a master\u2019s program. I wasn\u2019t really particular about doing anything, really. I didn\u2019t get an actual job until 2021 after completing my master\u2019s degree.<\/p>\n Tell me about the job<\/p>\n It was an internship at an oil company, and the pay was \u20a6125k\/month. It felt nice and refreshing earning my first salary and making my own money decisions. But that feeling didn\u2019t last long. My newfound independence came with responsibilities I hadn\u2019t bothered with before.\u00a0<\/p>\n Suddenly, I was in a different state for work, going to the office daily and paying for my transportation. I mean, I used to pay for my transportation before, but it was usually when I went out with friends or went to get something. Having an actual job meant I had to do that consistently, and it was a major expense.<\/p>\n I could have relied on my family for support, but I was also at a point where I wanted to do things for myself. So, it was a bittersweet feeling. I liked that I was independent. The expenses part? Not so much.<\/p>\n Real. How long were you at this job?<\/p>\n One year. I left because the city I worked in was starting to affect my health. For context, the job was in Lagos, and I didn\u2019t grow up in Lagos. So, I found the city overwhelming. I endured robbery, flooding and the daily struggle to get to work.\u00a0<\/p>\n People might say I was just spoiled, but I felt leaving was the best decision for me at that point. It was a risk. I was leaving my job to go back home and recuperate, knowing how the job market was. But it was a decision I had to make.<\/p>\n Glad you prioritised your wellbeing. How long did this break last?<\/p>\n About eight months. During that time, I focused on getting back on my feet and researching and applying for opportunities.\u00a0<\/p>\n Working in Lagos had shown me the work culture in most Nigerian organisations, and I didn\u2019t like what I saw. I knew I didn\u2019t want an office-based or hybrid job, so I focused my search on remote roles outside of Nigeria.\u00a0<\/p>\n What kind of jobs were you searching for?<\/p>\n I was very open. I studied law, so I was looking for roles where I could apply my transferable skills. So like, project management, operations, admin and whatnot. I should also mention that I wasn\u2019t exactly trying to move away from law. It was just that what I wanted didn\u2019t necessarily fit what law practice looked like.<\/p>\n That said, I was pretty flexible in terms of what the role would be. The only constant in my search was that it should be a remote role with an organisation that wasn\u2019t based in Nigeria.<\/p>\n In March 2023, I finally landed a job that fit my requirements \u2014 legal research at a US-based organisation. It was my confirmation that my search for opportunities like that wasn\u2019t just a pipe dream; they actually existed.\u00a0<\/p>\n Love to see it. What was the pay like?<\/p>\n It was a contract role, and I was paid based on the number of hours I worked, but my monthly income ranged between $1800 and $2500. I don\u2019t remember the exact amount in naira, but it was around the \u20a62.7m mark.<\/p>\n That\u2019s a huge jump from \u20a6125k. How did that feel?<\/p>\n It was very satisfying. During my job search, several people in my life likely felt that I was unserious or just lazy for refusing to go to work and instead searching for opportunities online. So, it was a very gratifying feeling. Like, \u201cCan you see that this works?\u201d<\/p>\n At the same time, landing that job showed me a part of myself I didn\u2019t realise. I always knew I was an ambitious go-getter, but I didn\u2019t know how much until that first taste of money. I told myself, \u201cThere\u2019s no going back. I just have to keep going.\u201d<\/p>\n I worked there for about six months, and besides research, I did a bit of admin work here and there. That job brought the world to me in the sense that I began to see things with a clearer vision. The kinds of people I met and the types of organisations I suddenly became aware of through my job made it easy for me to secure my next job \u2014 this time in operations at an organisation in the advocacy space.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Was the pay better?<\/p>\n It was. $45k\/year for an entry-level position, which came down to $3k\/month after tax and all the deductibles. This was also in 2023, and I was at this job until two months ago, when I moved to another role in operations in the advocacy space. My new salary is $80k\/year and around $6600\/month. It\u2019s over \u20a69m\/month in naira, and it\u2019s the most I\u2019ve ever made.\u00a0<\/p>\n Mad figures. What\u2019s it like doing your job?<\/p>\n It\u2019s mixed feelings. On the one hand, it\u2019s amazing getting to work with the people and the organisation. Sometimes I feel I\u2019d still be good if I never surpassed this level. I mean, I want more, but I\u2019m also super grateful for where I am.<\/p>\n On the other hand, it reminds me of what the average Nigerian is losing out on. It\u2019s easy to get lost in the hustle and not realise how much the Nigerian factor is costing us. I didn\u2019t realise how much there was to see until my income changed. And I don\u2019t mean tourism or travelling to places, I mean the kinds of people and minds you can relate with and who can show you that what you think you have is little compared to the opportunities out there.\u00a0<\/p>\n I used to think I wouldn\u2019t need anything else once I earned \u20a6400k\/month. Now I know there\u2019s more out there, and I just need to figure my way into those places. It\u2019s a bitter feeling when I think about how there are so many people with great potential, maybe even more than I have, who will never have the opportunity to live a more comfortable life and have a certain level of fulfilment, both financially and intellectually.\u00a0<\/p>\n That\u2019s a lot to think about. Someone reading this would probably ask: But HOW do we get these opportunities?<\/p>\n That\u2019s a difficult question to answer, and it\u2019s one I get all the time. Relationships with some family and friends have turned sour because they feel there\u2019s a magic potion to get here. Sometimes it\u2019s insulting when people think what I have is easy to obtain.\u00a0<\/p>\n My last two jobs were global recruitments; I had to compete with people from all around the world. So, it can feel like an insult to my intellectual capacity when people think I can just give them jobs but refuse to do so. But I try to understand that it\u2019s not always deliberate; some just don\u2019t understand exactly what I do and how I navigated my way here.<\/p>\n To answer the question, it really depends on the person\u2019s field. I always advise people looking for a field to pivot into to choose something that\u2019s globally relevant, not just applicable to Nigeria. Big things can happen in Nigeria, but even bigger things \u2014 especially in terms of income \u2014 come from outside the country.<\/p>\n Also, utilise LinkedIn. Don\u2019t just be on LinkedIn, follow the right people in the sector you want to pivot into, and you\u2019d be surprised by the network and organisations that would pop up on your timeline and the vacancies you can apply to. That\u2019s how I got my last two jobs.<\/p>\n Lastly, if you had to choose, follow the money first. Passion is great, but it\u2019s easier to pursue it when you have a safety net. Once you\u2019re financially comfortable, you can afford to let passion start paying you.<\/p>\n Interesting. How has your income growth impacted how you think about money?<\/p>\n The more I earn, the more isn\u2019t enough for me. Maybe this makes me sound like an ungrateful person who isn\u2019t easily satisfied, but that\u2019s something I\u2019ve learned about myself. I always want more, and I\u2019m just trying to strike a balance.<\/p>\n When I earned \u20a62m, I recall telling a friend that my goal was \u20a65m, and they asked, \u201cWhat do you want to use that kind of money for?\u201d I said I didn\u2019t know, I just wanted it. I now understand and accept that money is a spirit, and my needs and wants will increase as my money grows.\u00a0<\/p>\n I just need to manage it; if not, I\u2019ll never get to a point where I\u2019ll want to retire, and that\u2019s not healthy.<\/p>\n How about your money habits?<\/p>\n Now, this is one negative I\u2019ve noticed about myself in the last two to three years \u2014 I tend to do for others more than myself. I don\u2019t think I\u2019ve done anything for myself in these last few years that I can be proud of, or at least show how my finances have changed. But everyone around me can testify that their quality of life has improved in one way or another. I\u2019ve been prudent to myself \u2014 even stingy \u2014 but very careless when it comes to other people.<\/p>\n The other day, my mum was telling me to invest \u20a6500k in a quality bag so I wouldn\u2019t have to replace bags all the time. I screamed and was like, \u201cWhy would I spend \u20a6500k on a bag?\u201d Tell me why, just last year, I had bought her a bag of over \u20a6500k without batting an eye.\u00a0<\/p>\n I can see an apartment with a rent price tag of \u20a64m and be like, \u201cWhere am I going to? I\u2019m in my parents\u2019 house\u201d, but I\u2019ll comfortably bring out that money to help someone else. It\u2019s a problem, and I\u2019m working on it.<\/p>\n What are some of the things you\u2019re doing to change this?<\/p>\n I want to be more intentional about savings. I\u2019ve been a bit relaxed about that because I didn\u2019t have specific responsibilities to plan for. But I\u2019ll get married someday and have kids, so I feel I should prepare for that.\u00a0<\/p>\n I know the societal expectation is that the man covers most of the expenses, but I don\u2019t 100% subscribe to that. Why will I manage a tiny apartment because that\u2019s all he can afford when I can contribute to getting something better? Of course, there are limits to it, especially if you\u2019re dealing with someone who\u2019ll drop his responsibilities once you start bringing money. So, I don\u2019t judge people with different views because they know their partners better.\u00a0<\/p>\n That said, I have to be responsible for any little human I bring into this world, so things need to change. I don\u2019t have a specific savings schedule yet because I\u2019m working on relocating, but I hope to have a working savings plan I can implement by the end of the year.<\/p>\n I want to explore investments too, but I\u2019m a bit lost. I know people do crypto, stocks and whatnot, but I\u2019m not sure where to start. My parents are pretty old school, so they may not be able to give me the guidance I need. They\u2019re from the generation of \u201cbuy land and keep it for 10 years.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n I know there are newer ways to make money and earn passive income, and I want to explore them because I truly don\u2019t have an entrepreneurial mindset. I just don\u2019t know where to start.<\/p>\n Do you have a safety net right now?<\/p>\n Yes and no. No, because I don\u2019t have access to the money right now. I lent about $15k to a family member, and I\u2019m expecting it in a few weeks. Everything is going according to schedule, and it\u2019s guaranteed, so I guess you can say I have money somewhere. Oh, wait, I also got some land last year. I spent $8k on that, so that\u2019s an investment I have to my name.<\/p>\n It\u2019s insane that I\u2019m more or less living from paycheck to paycheck with how much I\u2019m earning, and I know people will say it\u2019s very careless financial management, but this is like a wake-up call to do better.\u00a0<\/p>\n Also, to be fair, my expenses have still stayed at $3k since I got the pay increase two months ago. So, there\u2019s that extra money in my account.\u00a0<\/p>\n Let\u2019s break down those expenses in a typical month<\/p>\n Honestly, there\u2019s always one massive unplanned expense that depletes my money. My siblings are in uni, and they often need money for something. Sometimes I find that almost my entire salary goes back to them in one way or another.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n What kind of lifestyle does your income afford you?<\/p>\n I live very modestly, way below what someone else who earns the same probably lives. If I didn\u2019t have to bring out money for multiple requests, I\u2019d probably live a very luxurious life. Unfortunately, I don\u2019t.\u00a0<\/p>\n Hmm. Is there an ideal amount you think you should be earning?<\/p>\n I think my current income is pretty good pay. But if I had to answer, I\u2019d say $10k. It\u2019d be nice to earn that monthly. Knowing myself, once I hit $10k, I\u2019ll start saying, \u201c$15k isn\u2019t bad too.\u201d<\/p>\n Is there anything you want right now but can\u2019t afford?<\/p>\n I don\u2019t think so. I can afford most of the things I want right now, in terms of lifestyle and travel, I just feel a need to go for them yet.<\/p>\n What was the last thing you bought that made you happy?<\/p>\n This is funny, but it was the shortbread I got a few days ago. It was \u20a62500, so I splurged and bought two and was very happy with myself.<\/p>\n I\u2019m really very simple. My family keeps asking me to act and look like what I earn, but I\u2019m not crazy about materialistic things and appearance. I\u2019m actually trying to take the appearance bit seriously, though. Dressing like you want to be addressed is very valid.<\/p>\n I\u2019m curious. Does your family know how much you earn?<\/p>\n Yes. I come from a very close-knit family. I also feel comfortable sharing because I don\u2019t come from a family that gives you responsibilities once they hear you have money.<\/p>\n However, I\u2019m also trying to be cautious. Not because they\u2019ve given me a reason to be, but because I want to be able to say I don\u2019t have money to attend to a need without feeling like they\u2019re silently questioning why I\u2019m saying no.<\/p>\n How would you rate your financial happiness on a scale of 1-10?<\/p>\n In terms of my earnings, I\u2019d rate it an 8. I\u2019m happy I earn this much, and I know there\u2019s room to grow. However, in terms of how secure I am in my finances, I\u2019d rate it a 3. I don\u2019t have systems in place to feel financially secure.<\/p>\n What would make you feel secure?<\/p>\n Knowing I\u2019ve made good investments and that I\u2019m using my salary to create channels for passive income that\u2019s giving me more money that I don\u2019t have to work a 9-5 for.\u00a0<\/p>\n What stage would you say you are in your money journey now?<\/p>\n The learning stage. I\u2019m still learning that there\u2019s a lot of money out there. Also learning what to do with money and the various ways to make it without having to \u201cwork\u201d for it. Legally, of course.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re interested in talking about your Naira Life story, this is a good place to start.<\/p>\n Find all the past Naira Life stories\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"Nairalife](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/345-bio-NL-1024x1024.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"Nairalife](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Nairalife-345-exp-1024x1024.png\")
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