Embrace the Cringe

Just the other day, while stuck in traffic near Kira Police Station in Kampala, boredom drove me to look at my surroundings. Across the road at the brown flats, there was a man squatting by a side gate, with vegetables and fruits for sale spread out on a makeshift tarp on the ground. A few ladies, obviously interested in his wares were haggling with him.

This scene took me back to a time when I was in secondary school vacation, waiting to join college. My mother would send me to the market every week to do the household shopping. Even then, I was always on the lookout for ways to make some extra money. This was especially important to me, because many of my peers always seemed to have money for “enjoyment” and I felt that I had to keep up.

I came up with an idea to help some neighbours with their market shopping for a small fee. I would collect everyone’s shopping lists, and go to the market. Because I was now buying in bulk, the vendors gave me discounts and “nyongeza” (extras) – which supplemented our house, so I was making a tidy profit in more ways than one.

Truth be told, I conducted this business early in the morning, because I didn’t want my friends to see me working in the market. Yes, I was young once, and keeping up appearances felt very important to me at the time. I didn’t want to be seen as “cringe” (in my day, we called it “fearing loss”, or simply being “uncool”). Sadly, because of this mindset, this business never grew into anything substantial, and I abandoned it when I started college.

Looking back, I now realise that this experience inadvertently taught me about profits, negotiation, and customer service. I also spectacularly failed at long-term thinking regarding saving, investing, and growing my money. Instead, I spent all my hard-earned money on fun and leisure without any thought for my future.

So here I am, at my big-age actively working toward reaching my highest potential by creating and sharing personal finance content for everyday people based on my past experiences and know-how. I’ve written a book on the subject and I’m putting myself out here online, despite my earlier fear of being perceived, having out-grown the need to be anyone but myself – cringe be damned.

Today, there are many saving and investment platforms that you can use to accumulate wealth and build for your future. It’s not about how much you start with, but how consistent you are on your journey to financial freedom. Open your eyes to the opportunities around you. Think and dream big – but start where you are, with what you have, and start now – no matter how cringeworthy.


Do you want to improve your money situation? “Are You Good with Money?” is a practical workbook and guide help you attain financial freedom and stability - order your copy today.

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Let's build your future, together.

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