Honey, the business deal was a scam, I lost all my husband said amidst sobs, after trying to get him to talk to me about what the problem was, seeing his despair look after he arrived from work that day, I froze at that instance because I knew what the gravity of this statement meant, he had put literally all we had into the business introduced to him by a childhood friend he so much trusted, he even went as far as getting loans from the bank to meet up with the capital needed to invest in this business, his friend had called him some months back to that time, introducing a company in oversea that was into production of some gadgets, hubby was already into gadgets sales so he knew about this company but didn't go ahead with his plans to invest yet since he didn't have enough for the travel cost involved, and it felt like an opportunity when this friend of his who resides over there came up with the business idea of helping him buy and ship those goods to him here in Nigeria, it was like an opportunity he had been waiting for, excitedly, he started looking for funds to invest in the new business which promises a huge profit, even liquidating his current business at the time.
As a lady, I felt unsettled with this idea and asked him several times that it became upsetting to him at some point, I know he is your long-time/childhood friend, but do you trust him? People change, remember and it's a huge amount we are talking about I trust him, he replied to me, Francis wouldn't scam me of my money, he is like a brother, and he is doing very well for himself, he just wants to help those were the words of my husband till I stopped pestering and hoped that everything plays out successfully.
Months passed by and we kept expecting the shipment, there were several excuses from Francis at first that seem understandable, we hanged on, still hoping, and one day his calls were not connecting anymore, we waited for weeks, hoping, still nothing, reached out to some mutual friends, as soon as they could reach him, he blocks them too, and that was when it dawned on us that we've been scammed, all hopes came crashing down, when the reality of what we just became a victim of faced us, the loans, the business folding up due to liquidating and investing in something else, the depression was evident, I had a baby and wasn't into my business full time, double hardship, 2022 was pure hardship, then 2023 came, I couldn't continue like that anymore, I needed to step up my game, my hubby is a caring man and wouldn't let me lack, he provided all we needed, but when he couldn't do as much anymore, he became depressed and at some point tried to avoid coming back home, my marriage was threatened, instead of giving in to depression, I put my all into hard work, took charge of my finances without caring or looking up to anyone, I had two daughters to take care of, and if hubby was down financially, that doesn't mean I had to be down too, I became a financial independent woman, making sure my children didn't lack any basic needs,
In a world where opportunities for women continue to expand, achieving financial independence stands as a significant milestone for me in 2023, I didn't rely on one stream of income, but diversified, my fashion job, sales of fabrics, and other fashion accessories took every job, no matter how little the income was, if added to others, it would settle my bills and even give me spare for saving, which is a very part of financial success, Hive also became a part of my success in 2023, helping me pass through the storms. Being financially independent didn't only help me settle my bills,
It boosted my confidence
Before, I was never fully confident about making certain decisions in my life, especially when it involved money, because I felt intimidated that I couldn't afford it, and would wait and seek advice from hubby before going ahead, in essence, I had no control over my life and couldn't make decision on my own, but all of that changed, even though I still seek counsel, but the decision making solely depends on me, that is the confidence being able to cater for your financial needs as a lady brings.
Investment in Personal Growth
Remember where I stated I had to take more jobs, as a fashion designer, most of these jobs required me to upgrade my skills, which I did, I paid for professional courses and even now, I'm still acquiring more skills and would be furthering my education this year, all due to some certain level of financial independence, I'm not where I want to be yet in my finances and to grow to that level I want, personal growth, development and continuous improvement is a key factor I need to attain that height, it wouldn't be possible If I didn't step up to take charge of my finances.
And finally
I held my home together
I have witness and heard stories of women leaving their marriages when things go bad, especially when it involves financial matters, some go as far as messing with other men, using their body as a tool for financial gain, even some single ladies are guilty of this, but that wasn't me, I won't sugar coat things and say it was easy going through the difficult time, no, it wasn't, there were sleepless nights, I cried at some point, oh yes I became depressed, but it didn't block my vision for victory, I encouraged my husband, walk through the storm with him, I became the hand that stretched forth to bring him out of the pit of depression, we lost all, yea, but we didn't lose our lives I told him, we worked and achieve all that was lost together before, we can still do it again, even better than before, and today, we might not have gotten all lost, no longer are we in that dark phase, I'm a better, stronger and wiser woman and from the experiences gathered in the year 2022/2023, I know 2024 would be a better year and the learning continues.
Conclusion
The benefits of being a financially independent woman extend far beyond personal prosperity, financially independence for me became a safety net for my family to bounce back, providing security for my home during the trying moment for my husband. As a woman, it is expected for us to Embrace financial independence as a key to unlocking our full potential and influencing positive change not just in our life, our families and society would feel our impact.