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Financial advice to my 18 year old self
Stanbic IBTC team
Not applicable

Imagine you had a golden opportunity to talk to your eighteen year-old self, what would you say? At that age, you probably only cared about studying or partying (not necessarily in that order) and knew Dad, Mom or guardian would take care of your basic needs.

So we did some soul-searching and here is what we would say:

S.O - Pay for experiences, not things
The truth is spending money for an experience — concert tickets, French lessons, baking classes — produces longer-lasting satisfaction than spending money on plain old stuff. I wish I had gone on that excursion rather buying those Sean John jeans.

B.B - Save with a project in mind
You need to identify what you want, enrolling in a particular professional course or maybe to buy a new computer and once you have done that, you should estimate, calculate and determine how much money you'll need to meet the goal.

T.O- Get a job
Getting a job can equip you with important skills that you don’t learn in school. It could also help you get that awesome phone you really want, save money, and have extra money for movies and stuff. Once you get a job you will see the value of your hard work when money is not just handed to you whenever you ask. And hey, your job doesn’t have to get in the way of school.

M.K - Develop a healthy way of spending
As an eighteen year old, you are probably thinking, what do I need to save for? You can put away money for the things that are important to you. Learn to live on a budget and invest the rest of your allowance.

A.A - Don’t date her if you can’t afford to.
Yes, you are 18 now and you are probably looking into dating. Relax, don’t go for his or her looks or brains alone, those are really cool but if dating means you have to totally change your wardrobe, host parties or skip on buying a few textbooks…trust me it’s not worth it. Find someone with similar financial goals as you, someone who is practical with their money.

F.M- Be generous where you can afford to be.
For now, you really cannot afford to be Lady Bountiful, but you can gift others with your time, with your friendship, with a lift for an elderly neighbor, and with giving your neighbors’ children tutorials in a subject you are good at.

In general, take it a day at a time. Start small, set goals, reward yourself a little.

What would YOU say to a teenage you?