Finance & HustleAnonymous

16 Jul 2 min read

I Earn Every Month, Yet I'm Still Broke. I Don't Know What Else to Do

Hello everyone. Please keep me anonymous because I'm honestly ashamed of where I am in life. I'm a 29-years old and on paper, it looks like I'm doing okay. I have a decent job, I earn my salary every month, and people around me think I have my life together. But the truth is, I'm drowning financially. The cost of living keeps increasing. Rent has gone up. Transportation is more expensive than ever. Food prices change almost every week. Before the middle of the month, my account is almost empty, and I'm already counting down to payday. The worst part is that I'm the first child. Almost everyone in my family depends on me. My younger siblings call whenever they need school fees or money for handouts. My mum needs money for medication. My uncle believes that because I'm working, I should contribute whenever there's a family event. Even relatives I barely hear from suddenly remember my number whenever they need financial help. I understand that family is important, and I genuinely want to help. But nobody ever asks if I'm okay. To survive, I started borrowing money. At first, it was from friends. Later, I began using loan apps, thinking I would repay them after salary. Instead, one loan led to another. Now, a huge part of my salary disappears immediately it enters my account because I'm paying old debts. I haven't bought new clothes in almost a year. I hardly go out anymore because I can't afford it. I stopped dating because I don't want to bring someone into my financial mess. Sometimes I skip meals just to save money until month-end. The painful part is that people still think I'm rich because I have a job. Some even call me stingy because I no longer give money the way I used to. If only they knew that many nights I lie awake wondering how I'll survive the next month. I've tried looking for side hustles, but nothing has worked out. I even invested in a small business with someone I trusted, and the business collapsed after a few months. That loss pushed me even deeper into debt. These days, I feel tired all the time. I smile around people, but inside, I'm constantly worried. Sometimes I wonder if I'm failing as a son and as an older brother because I can't meet everyone's expectations anymore. I don't want to run away from my responsibilities, but I also don't know how long I can continue living like this. Every month feels like a battle I barely survive. Has anyone here ever been in this kind of financial situation? How did you get out of debt and rebuild your life? How do you help your family without destroying yourself financially? I'm sincerely asking for advice because I feel like I'm carrying a load that's becoming too heavy for me.