Self-blame and the fear of being judged stifles people facing financial woes, but since discovering who and where to turn to for help, I’m in a better place six months on
“Once you speak up about anything personal, especially finances, you can expect to be judged.” Illustration: Eoin Flynn
Six months ago, I wrote a story about financial fear. On the morning the article appeared, my nine-year-old daughter was going on an outing to spend the vouchers she had been given over Christmas. All week she had been discussing and planning the trip, “the spending spree” as we had taken to calling it as a joke, with great excitement. As she ran across the road to the waiting car, I stood at the front door waving her away. “Enjoy your spending spree!” I called, and she laughed back.
“Probably not the morning for that,” my boyfriend said with a grin when I turned back inside. He was joking, but also spot on.