Was there an expectation for you to attend higher education? Did you participate in any form of higher education? If yes, how did you pay for it?
Definitely. I’m the first born of a Black parent in a second-generation immigrant family so suffice to say there was a serious focus on education pretty much immediately. I was raised in the classic “work twice as hard to get half as far” kind of mentality (cue the iconic Scandal scene with Kerry Washington and her dad), with the added pressure that neither of my parents were able to complete their college degrees. Good grades were expected and the bar was quite high. I’m first generation in a lot of ways and in terms of the financial part, it was kind of like, “well, figure it out.” My parents gave me a lot of love and support but they just honestly did not have these practices to pass on to me. I was awarded quite a few different scholarships when I graduated high school and worked as a dish washer at a local restaurant that summer to raise enough money to buy a laptop and the dorm necessities for starting out. After that, it was largely a combination of Pell grants and loans that both my parents and I had to take out to cover things. I was able to study abroad but again, only because I was awarded a hefty scholarship.
Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent(s)/guardian(s) educate you about finances?
My mom was probably a little too transparent with me about finances from an early age. I was told a lot about what was going on, what we could and could not afford, and had a lot of context for any decisions that were made. While I think it’s great to be transparent with your family, I also think I was kind of “parentified” early on in many ways and I do remember a constant state of fear and anxiety around money. We did not have much money at all growing up and I can remember many times where checks would bounce or cards would decline and we’d have to put groceries back while in line. Things haven’t really changed a whole lot as far as my family’s financial situation goes and any financial education I have is based on things I’ve picked up from friends, school, jobs and the internet. I still have a lot to learn.
What was your first job and why did you get it?
I started working under the table at 13 as an administrative assistant for our neighbor and family friend — basically a lot of organizing, filing and scheduling. Since then, I’ve pretty much always had at least one job, if not multiple!
Did you worry about money growing up?
Absolutely, all the time.
Do you worry about money now?
Absolutely, all the time. I have a great salary, an awesome job and a lot more security than what I grew up with, but I am constantly nervous. Due to a lot of emotional factors, I also have some issues with overspending and managing my money. I’m trying not to make the same mistakes as my family but it can be really easy to get into a cycle with credit card debt especially. Even though I know I have money now, I still get anxiety in checkout lines.
At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net?
I became financially responsible for myself at 21, once I had graduated from college, started my first job and moved out on my own. I don’t really have a financial safety net, apart from my emergency savings.
Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain.
My nana would send me $20 or $50 whenever she could while I was in college. I didn’t keep track but I would guess the total amount over the course of four years was most likely around $500.
