I used to believe that growing up with little money meant I’d always struggle—that my financial situation as a kid would define my future.
For a long time, I saw money as something that controlled me rather than something I could control.
I felt stuck in a cycle of just getting by, convinced that people who grew up with more had an advantage I could never overcome.
But over time, I learned that handling money isn’t just about how much you have—it’s about how you use it.
By shifting my mindset and being intentional with my finances, I turned what once felt like a disadvantage into one of my greatest strengths.
Here’s how I did it:
1) Money mindsets are learned
Growing up, I thought struggling with money was just part of who I was.
My family always lived paycheck to paycheck, and I assumed that was my future too.
But I’ve since realized that the way we think about money isn’t something we’re born with—it’s something we learn.
Just like any learned habit, it can be changed.
Many of us pick up unhelpful beliefs about money from our environment.
Maybe we were taught that making ends meet is all we can hope for or that saving is impossible when you don’t earn much.
These beliefs can feel like the truth, but they’re really just stories we’ve absorbed over time.
Everything changed after I started questioning those beliefs and replacing them with new ones.
Instead of seeing money as something that controlled me, I started seeing it as a tool I could learn to manage.
2) Small changes add up
For a long time, I believed that if I couldn’t make big financial moves—like landing a high-paying job or winning the lottery—then nothing would change.
That mindset kept me stuck.
But one day, I decided to start small—I set a goal to save just $5 a week.
It seemed almost pointless at first, but I stuck with it.
Over time, that small habit grew.
I found other little ways to cut costs—making coffee at home, canceling subscriptions I didn’t use, negotiating bills.
At first, the progress was slow, but then something unexpected happened: I started feeling in control of my money for the first time in my life.
Those tiny changes built momentum, and before I knew it, they became bigger habits.
Looking back, that $5-a-week decision was a turning point.
It showed me that improving my finances wasn’t about making one huge leap—it was about making small, consistent choices that added up over time.
3) Budgeting creates freedom, not restriction
Honestly speaking, I thought budgeting meant giving up everything fun—no dinners out, no little splurges, just a life of saying “no.”
But in reality, budgeting isn’t about restriction—it’s about control.
When you tell your money where to go instead of wondering where it went, you actually gain more freedom, not less.
Studies have shown that people who create and follow a budget report lower stress levels and greater financial confidence than those who don’t.
That’s because a budget removes uncertainty. It turns money from something unpredictable into something you can manage with intention.
Afterwards, I realized that budgeting didn’t mean I had to cut out everything I enjoyed—it just meant I had to plan for it. And that made all the difference.
4) Your income matters less than your habits
I used to believe that making more money was the only way to improve my financial situation.
If I could just land a higher-paying job, everything would fall into place.
But the truth is, plenty of people earn good money and still struggle financially.
A significant percentage of high-income earners live paycheck to paycheck because their spending habits grow with their income.
That’s when I realized that managing money well isn’t just about how much you make—it’s about what you do with what you have.
Learning to save, budget, and spend wisely mattered far more than waiting for a bigger paycheck to solve my problems.
Once I focused on building better financial habits rather than obsessing over my income, I started making real progress, no matter how much I was earning.
5) Avoiding money doesn’t make problems go away
For the longest time, I ignored my finances as much as possible.
I’d avoid checking my bank balance, put off opening bills, and convince myself that if I didn’t think about money, I wouldn’t have to feel stressed about it.
But ignoring the problem didn’t make it disappear—it only made things worse.
Late fees piled up, small issues turned into big ones, and the anxiety of not knowing where I stood financially weighed on me constantly.
The turning point came when I forced myself to sit down and face the numbers, no matter how uncomfortable it felt.
It wasn’t easy, but once I knew exactly where I stood, I could start making a plan.
With each step forward, the fear that had kept me stuck started to fade.
I learned that avoiding money doesn’t protect you from stress—it only prolongs it.
Facing it head-on is the only way to take back control.
6) Financial stability is built on consistency, not perfection
I used to think that managing money meant doing everything perfectly—never overspending, never making mistakes, always having the perfect plan.
But every time I slipped up, I’d feel like I had completely failed and fall back into old habits.
What I didn’t realize was that financial stability isn’t about being perfect.
It’s about being consistent.
You don’t have to follow a budget flawlessly every single month—you just have to keep coming back to it.
You don’t have to save a huge amount all at once—you just have to save what you can, regularly.
Even the most financially successful people make mistakes or have unexpected setbacks.
What matters is not letting those moments define you.
Progress comes from sticking with good habits over time, even when things don’t go exactly as planned.
7) Your financial past doesn’t define your future
For years, I believed that because I grew up struggling with money, I was destined to always struggle.
That financial security was something meant for other people—people who had a head start, better opportunities, or some secret knowledge I didn’t have.
But that belief was the biggest thing holding me back.
The truth is, no matter where you start, you can learn how to manage money in a way that works for you.
Your past might shape your perspective, but it doesn’t have to dictate your future.
Changing my financial situation wasn’t about luck or suddenly making more money—it was about shifting my mindset and taking small, consistent steps forward.
Once I stopped seeing my upbringing as a limitation and started focusing on what I could control, everything changed.
Bottom line: Mindset shapes money
The way we handle money isn’t just about numbers—it’s about mindset.
And for those who grew up in financial hardship, the beliefs formed in those early years can shape financial habits long into adulthood.
Research shows that scarcity can rewire the way we think, often leading to short-term decision-making and a sense of financial helplessness—but the brain is adaptable.
Just as we learn limiting beliefs about money, we can unlearn them and replace them with habits that build financial security.
Every small step—whether it’s saving a little, budgeting with intention, or simply believing change is possible—creates momentum.
Over time, these steps add up, turning past struggles into valuable lessons rather than lifelong limitations.
Where you start doesn’t have to determine where you end up.
