Small Money, Big Lessons From My Childhood

Everyone of us remembers the first time we touched money that felt like ours. It may not have been much, but it carried meaning, excitement, and lessons that stayed longer than the money itself. For me, two moments stand out clearly: My first pocket money and my first actual earning.

My first pocket money came when I had just started primary school. At that time, my dad wasn’t always available to prepare meals for my siblings and I before school. To make things easier, he decided to give us a small allowance so we could buy snacks during school break time. I'll say that was my introduction to having money in my own hands to spend how I want to.

I still remember how simple my choices with my first pocket money were back then, I didn’t think of saving or variety. I loved peanuts and they were very cheap at that time, so most days I spent my money buying plenty of peanuts. It felt like a luxury to buy something I liked without asking again or waiting for permission. That pocket money may have been small, but it taught me independence early to get stuffs myself lol.

As memorable as that pocket money was, my first actual earning meant even more to me.

One day, I helped a neighbour by going to the bakery to buy bread for her shop. After buying, I carried the bread in a basket on my head and started walking back home. Along the way, people stopped me and asked to buy bread from me. I sold to one person, then another, and before I even reached halfway, all the bread was gone.

I had to turn back to the bakery to buy more bread so I could complete the errand. When I finally got home with the breads left, something unexpected happened, the lady paid for the service. I didn’t even think of it as work at the time, I was just helping. But being paid made it feel different, that moment gave me a kind of happiness and a sense of pride I had never felt.

It wasn’t just about the money, it was about realizing that I could do something useful and be rewarded for it. Well, I didn’t keep the money for long like most children would lol, I spent it almost immediately. But not without proudly telling my dad about what happened. I was excited, proud, and surprised at myself. That moment showed me that, even as a child, efforts turn into value.

Both experiences shaped how I see money today. My first pocket money taught me choice and responsibility. My first earning taught me confidence and the joy of being useful. But if I had to choose, my first earning remains one of my happiest childhood memories. It was the moment money stopped being just something given to me and became something I could earn.