How Free Money and a Big Salary Left Me One Letter from Zero

In Part 2 of my money lessons, I look back at how my brother’s support changed life for my family. While I was still in school, he regularly sent me money from the United States. Later, I landed a well-paying job and finally had the freedom to enjoy the things I had gone without growing up. I spent freely on clothes, shoes, watches and good meals. I wasn’t saving or investing. I had started to rely on my brother’s support and a salary I didn’t control, without building a backup plan of my own. Less than five years into the job, my contract ended and wasn’t renewed. I suddenly had to face a question I’d never prepared for: “What now?” I learned that money can fund a lifestyle without building a foundation, but I didn’t fully take the lesson to heart. I used part of my severance to bet on something I believed in. It was one of my smartest decisions—and it led to the worst experience of my life. In Part 3, I’ll tell that story. What was your biggest money mistake in your first years of working?

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