Living Paycheck to Paycheck

 Every two weeks, something inside me feels relieved as I check my payroll account to see if my salary has been credited. Seeing numbers on my account gives me a sense of survival, that I can get through another week. But that relief fades almost instantly. Deep down, I know it’s not enough and will only serve as quick spending money. The rent, bills, and debts keep piling up. I have no time for leisure, going out, or buying the things I want. After working 48 hours a week, I still can’t live the life I truly want. One day, I took my notepad and pen, wrote down the remaining coins in my wallet, and listed my expected expenses for the next two weeks. After subtracting everything from the amount in my bank account, I saw that I still had a little left for savings. But in reality, I knew I might still need to touch that portion. Every time I list all my expenses and pay my bills, my balance goes back to almost zero. It’s exhausting, a tiring cycle that never seems to end. It feels like financial chaos with no sense of security. I never imagined myself being in this position. I thought I knew enough about financial literacy, but reality hits hard. It’s only when you experience living paycheck to paycheck that you truly understand how difficult it is to manage your finances. I used to get mad at my mother when we didn’t have enough money. I thought she was mismanaging our budget. I believed that listing everything down would be enough to survive, just track what’s coming in and going out. But it turns out, budgeting is more than that. It’s a skill you have to develop if you want to be financially free. I know there’s still so much to learn about personal finance. One of the most important things is building a routine that supports financial freedom. I’m taking my first step now, and I can already see progress compared to before. At least, I’m just starting my career, and I still have time to reach my financial goals. > **Disclaimer:** [I edited this blog using ChatGPT](https://marklaurence.net/how-to-use-chatgpt-to-edit-your-posts/)