Oh Danny boy..

I grew up living with a person who was perpetually about to go bankrupt.

I love him to bits but when it comes to managing his finances, I don't buy any of his ideas and to a certain extent, I know he is irresponsible but I will never tell that to his face because it will be a knife cutting through his heart.

It has not made me a spendthrift, it has not make me careless with my money, neither has it made me a kiam siap kui (stingy ghost).

I learnt how to manage my own finances when I was 12, building my own secret bank in a pretty Pocahontas notebook which was a present from a family friend.

Of course I had a proper bank account managed by my parents but I soon learnt never to trust or rely on money that I cannot see.

You might think that a 12 year old only saves to get fancy stuff their parents won't buy for them because it is a waste of money but I was saving to get myself proper things like my school uniform and books.

It wasn't that they were denying me basic rights to go to school, I did it because I wanted to feel independent, that I was capable enough to survive on my own without having to rely on my parents and without having to live to fulfil their expectations instead of my own.

Today, I know to keep a close eye on our finances and make sure it does not go running into trouble.

I do not dislike or look down on people who have gone bankrupt because I can understand why and how easy it would be for someone who blindly chases after money.

I DO keep away from the stock markets like I would do a bad egg because I have seen more than enough damage it has on reckless, often over-ambitious and frequently unlucky sods looking for fast and big money.

But what I am NOT, is paranoid about being bankrupt!

I don't go scanning around reading articles about how not to go bankrupt although sound financial advice is always welcomed.

I do not want to be a bankrupt BUT I also do not fear being bankrupt because I know I have lived through it and although it was not pleasant, it is certainly nothing you cannot recover from if you are determined to.

Also, if you take it positively, it is an experience to learn from and it should hopefully make you wiser ;)