aMuslima Life Series: Become Financially Independent.
I often heard story of a wife who her husband left because of death, divorce, remarriage, or sick and unable to provide their family needs anymore. Then the wife is not ready, does not have enough savings, still renting a home, does not have any investment or steady job, and so on. I know this is uncomfortable situation, and some people do not want to talk about it.
If the wife works and has her own income maybe it is a different story, but if the wife does not work and has no income, how she can feed herself and her family after her husband no longer be her family’s back bone? Yes…Allah Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala is a Giver Rizq, we as believers certainly should not doubt it. But we still need to work and effort!
According to Suze Orman on her book Women and Money, the followings are reality and common in our lives:
- Increasing number of divorce rate. It applies to all groups, young and old, rich and poor, rural or urban communities.
- Stay home mum, and family finance is held by the husband. The wife gets money for weekly or monthly expenditures, but financial decisions remain in the husband’s hands.
- The fact that women live 6 times longer than men.
- Modern human life expectancy is longer than their parents or grandparents.
So how do we deal with the above facts?
If you are not married or married but do not have your own income, try to find a business opportunity instead of just wait for a company which willing to accept you. A housewife, particularly, is often lulled by comfort zone. Complacent with routine life such as raising family, determining food menu, cooking, cleaning the house (when does not have a helper), delivering children to go to school or bring them home. As a mother who does not work outside, try to always keep up to date with any beneficial information. Try to do self-employment although only done from home if not possible to work outside of home.
Many things we can do even at home. If you have ability to teach, you can teach (with payment) your friend’s children in your house. If you have a hobby, develop your hobby. Who knows your hobby will be your source of sustenance in the future? Now is the era where information is easily obtainable. If you own / rent a computer and internet, you can find information how to cook a cake / side dishes, sew, craft, write, paint, play music, create a blog, trade, care for animals, draw, knit, and so on so forth. If you do not have any internet access, you may be able to buy a book or magazine that can expand your knowledge or talent. If it is difficult to go out of your house and buys some books, at least you can interact with fellow sharing recipes, teach each other, and exchange information. Who knows, they may inspire you to do something that give you income later. There is no term in vain for useful knowledge, although it seems there is no benefit now.
We do not know that with a willingness to learn to sew a year ago, will help your businesses of manufacturing dolls or hijab creations today. We do not know if cake decorating course today will save families’ financial in the future. We do not know if learned Qur’an during childhood could be a saving of hereafter by teaching our children and neighborhood these days!
Many women spend time every day to shop, meals out with friends, sharing jokes for hours frequently without realizing that their time is very valuable. If you like shopping, why don’t you use your hobby to start buying and selling; offering items needed from people around you. If you like to eat out, why don’t you start trying to make similar meals at home and taking orders food from your friends.
If you do not have any business, start from now to learn how to invest and study entrepreneurship, although the results may not be enjoyed right now. If you do not have enough savings, start from now to be disciplined to set aside money or monthly income though as only $ 100 per month. Calculate your savings in 10 years’ time….it’s $ 12,000! When you do not have to provide for a pension, start from now. What will you do when you have retired?
Start from now to plan your future.
