Skip navigation! Story from Money Diaries. R29 Team. Last Updated April 14, , PM. Welcome to Money Diaries where we are tackling the ever-present taboo that is money. We're asking real people how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period β and we're tracking every last dollar. Everything listed here is my personal net worth. 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?
My parents expected all of their kids to go to college so this was ingrained in me from an early age. When I was growing up, we were part of a religion where people tend to marry young. My parents went against the norm by teaching me that I should get a degree first and not marry before the age of 25 so that I would have the chance to chase my ambitions. My parents paid for my undergraduate degree and I also took out minor student loans and have not given my parents the access to pay them off.
I make enough to pay them myself and my parents have already helped so much. Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? My parents are good with money now but that wasn't the case when I was growing up. I overheard stressed conversations about not having enough.
It wasn't until I was a teenager that they started earning the big bucks and I feel that I grew up more modestly than my younger siblings. What was your first job and why did you get it? My first job was as a cashier at a sports supply store when I was My older sister worked there during the summers and got me the job. I was terrible at it, partly because I was so shy, but I learned how to speak to people and make sales.
I used the money I earned for spending. I never received an allowance, though my parents would give us money to buy things. It was nice to be able to pay for things without having to ask them and potentially have a debate. Did you worry about money growing up? I did worry about money growing up. I would overhear the stressful conversations my parents had. I don't believe that they had a budget, which caused tension at times.
