Adongwot Manyoul, CEO of AM Strategic Solutions, Cultural Consultant & Public Speaker

Unlearning Money Habits: A First-Gen Reflection on Financial Literacy

“As a first-generation refugee growing up in Australia, I often compared myself to my white Australian school peers. Many worked part-time at McDonald’s and still managed to take trips, attend festivals, or buy the latest gadgets. Later, those same peers were buying homes and going on overseas holidays.

Meanwhile, I had started working at 12, yet had no savings, no holidays, no car, no home. For years, I asked myself: What am I doing wrong?

It wasn’t until I was tasked with teaching young migrant women about financial literacy, that I was forced to confront my own money habits.

In the first session, we explored our “money archetypes.” I discovered I was both a worrier and a compulsive spender. I believed money came and went, so it should be enjoyed while it lasted. I often paid for brunches or dinners, even when it strained my finances. Then came the guilt. I’d avoid checking my bank balance and ignore bills like they’d disappear on their own.

The real breakthrough came during a group reflection, where we were asked to trace the roots of our spending habits. That’s when it hit me. My parents, like many migrants, arrived with nothing—and what they had was never quite enough. Bills, school fees, groceries, rent, and mortgage payments were endless. But somehow, despite all of that, my mother always made sure our home was filled with the finest furniture, and her jewellery collection was unmatched. To me, it felt like money appeared out of thin air—just in time, every time.

I realized I had internalized this behaviour: the appearance of stability, the habit of spending to maintain pride and dignity, even when it hurt.

Now, as an adult determined to do better for myself and any future dependants, I’m actively working to shift my relationship with money. I’m taking financial literacy courses to understand both my current position and my long-term goals. I may not have chosen how I learned about money, but I can choose how I move forward.

As Edmund Burke once said, “If we command our wealth, we shall be rich and free. If our wealth commands us, we are poor indeed.”

Today, I’m committed to helping other women—especially those from migrant and refugee backgrounds—learn financial literacy, break harmful cycles, and build empowered futures. Because we all deserve the chance to rewrite our money stories.”