Money Matters

11th November 2025

15/10/15:
A full-time working newlywed woman was transitioning to become a full-time mother and a financially dependent woman. The words in the above sentence may appear as mere words to the readers, but they are a big deal for the individual who has to go through it uninformed and unprepared. Read on to know why I am saying so.
A fisherman catches a school of fish in a net, and most of the fish accept the fact that they are in a net, with no rescue in sight. But, above these hopeless fish are a few who wriggle, struggle to escape till the last breath. I was this fish. I left my job, but my urge to be financially independent did not leave me. I kept applying for part-time jobs in companies that were close to my residence. I also took up a course during the break in my career to possibly switch my domain altogether. After being a mother, I was brainwashed to be a teacher, as timings and holidays would conveniently collide with those of my child in the future. I agreed to that, too. With 0 intrest in teaching, I took up Early Childhood Care Education (ECCE). The course was going well, and I even got a couple of offers considering my caliber. But my domestic responsibilities and motherly duties became an obstacle. Timings could not be managed, and I used to be exhausted all the time. I was somehow pulling off everything, even beyond my capacity. But the day I was tagged "money-minded", "greedy," and "a careless, selfish mother", I was broken from the inside. I eventually gave up on everything and thought of getting clarity before I took my next step.

After the whole outdoor episode, I was all set to hunt work-from-home options, which were rare. With limited time and a restricted skill set, the only thing that kept running in my head was, "Is money really that important?" By then, I had a realisation, "Money is not everything, but it is difficult to survive without it." When you are financially dependent, you live, but not a life of your choice. That is a life of lease. Being brought up as an individual who has a peak level of self-esteem, I never asked anyone for money. I shrank my necessities, compromised on my choices, but refrained from asking for money.



One evening, a friend called and asked to meet at a park. She picked us up, my then 2.5-year-old son and me, from our place. We had a fun time at the park. While leaving, my son saw the hydrogen balloon and expressed his wish to have one. Then I realised I did not carry money. (I did not have any money. I stopped carrying a purse, too. Not that online payments were prevalent then, like today.) And that feeling shook me. My friend could sense my wet eyes. She quickly bought a balloon for my son and kept him distracted so that I could get some time to get over this feeling. I regained my senses and pretended to be normal after 5 minutes. And from that day, earning a little money for myself had become my priority.

Meanwhile, I was also gradually recovering from my postpartum depression. My daily diary writing ritual was healing me quietly.
My attempts to be financially independent bore fruit in the year 2023 when I was appointed as a creative writing instructor at a school. Since then, one way or another, I keep earning little amounts to fulfill my wishes.
A woman who yearns to be financially independent is not money-minded or greedy. And, there is nothing wrong with seeking financial freedom.
Now, when I look back, I feel so restless and feeble. How did I manage to live those times? I was so silly and spineless that I could not even take a stand. But, as they say, "You grow through what you go through", I am a work in progress every day. Today, my idea of running a venture does not fit into business ethics, nor do my intentions align with those of many in my field. But now I have a brain and spine, and I use them both wisely. There are legit ways to earn money; it comes. On your way, it is more important to leave a legacy so that more than people remembering how much they paid to avail your service, they remember what their experience was about it and how helpful it was for them.

This post is a part of 'Real and Rhythm Blog Hop' hosted by Sukaina Majeed and Manali Desai .