I hate to be the one to break it to you, I hate to be the one to say this, but this year is coming to a close. How are you doing? This is not the time to give an I’m fine response. It’s time to check in on your health, your psyche, your finances, and your overall well-being.
Today we’ll focus on our finances with our guest who is a Cowrywise ambassador at Ajayi Crowder University.
Emmanuella Ayo-Odugbemi is a Mass Communication graduate, a writer, a storyteller, and host. She is passionate about words, meaningful conversations, and creating spaces where people feel seen, heard, and able to grow. She is learning to build with intention, one story and one experience at a time.
Emmanuella, thank you so much for being here. You’re welcome.
Thank you, it’s my honor. Thank you for the opportunity.
So tell us about Cowrywise.
Cowrywise is a digital savings platform which helps individuals to save and invest. It helps people save towards a certain goal, or a certain plan, for a specific period of time. Basically, it gives structure to your money.
Our finances could use a little bit of structure, especially with the festive season coming around and the expenses that come with it. What does a Cowrywise ambassador do and how did you get to be one?
Cowrywise usually have these announcements that they’re looking for ambassadors from time to time. And, prior to that time, I had been using the app, personally. I had been using it to save. So, when I saw it, I was like, okay, let’s just give this a shot. And it helped. I knew someone that was once an ambassador, and I was like, oh, this would be a nice thing to do. And, basically, that was it. They get to educate you financially. They provide internship opportunities which gives you experience. You get live classes, in many cases, on finance. Like, one of the things now that has gone viral is the Dangote IPO investment, and there has been a class to enlighten us on that. Yeah, I would say Cowrywise does more for you than you do for Cowrywise.
That’s quite amazing. It’s nice to see, like, initiatives in Nigeria that are committed to helping people, young people, to understand money and to be financially independent and responsible.
It’s a commendable initiative.
What has been a Cowrywise user and then becoming an ambassador taught you about money? How did your money mindset and habits change over time with your involvement in Cowrywise?
Well, it has changed drastically because as a user, I have saved, though. I withdrew my first money, I think my first savings, rather, I think this year, the early days of this year, and that was even because when it was mature last year, I just took out of it and locked it up till this year.And when it was mature again, I was able to get it this year. Cowrywise has taught me that money is not just money. Money is not something that you can think because you have access to it, you can spend it anyhow. I have also learnt about investments, making research, basically, on what you have to do before you get yourself involved in it, making better financial-wise decisions.
Oh, that’s amazing. So, if not for Cowrywise, you will have made one or two financial mistakes.
Oh, yes.
So, do you have any saving tips you’d like to share?
Start small. Don’t go and be doing 50,000 Naira per day. Start very small. It depends on how much you have to spare. It depends on how much you have to spare. You can start with a thousand Naira per week. You can start with 200 every day. You can start with a certain amount of money per month. You can go per year, and we could go on and on and on. So, I would tell you, do start small. Start easy. Don’t put pressure on yourself, and I will tell you that saving is very easy. It’s a very difficult task. It requires discipline, and I must add that sometimes you might fall back, but don’t be scared. Just pick yourself up and get the money running like that never happened.
This is quite insightful. Thank you so much for being here today. We are very happy to have you.
My pleasure. Thank you.
Saving is the first step in building financial intelligence and securing a bright financial future. Don’t say oh, it’s already the end of the year. Don’t think “it’s too late for me, or I’ve made this mistake. How can I pick myself back up?” It’s never too late to start again.Take small steps towards becoming the person you want to be.
Feel free to leave a comment and share with someone you think will needs the heat this. Connect with Emmanuella Ayo-Odugbemi on Instagram.
