🪙 Hanging on till salary day

👋 Good morning. If you're a salary earner, you've either been paid already or you're refreshing your bank app. Either way, you have something freelancers envy: predictability. And predictability is the only thing standing between you and a savings system that actually works.

This week — we spoke to a creator about her first brand deal, we have a real conversation about investing, and a savings hack worth bookmarking. Let’s get right into it.

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THE STACK

How Foluadig Turned Outfit Posts Into a Paid Brand Deal

For many creators, the first brand deal isn’t just a paycheck, it’s the moment their hobby starts to feel like work people are willing to pay for.

For fashion creator Foluadig, that shift came after a few outfit posts unexpectedly went semi-viral, pulling in thousands of views and catching the attention of a brand. What started as tagging a look for fun turned into a first official paycheck.

We speak to her about how her first brand deal came in, what she spent her first paycheck on, and how that moment changed the way she thinks about money and fashion.

Take me back to your first brand deal. How did it come in, and at what point did it feel real to you?

I’m a fashion creator. I bought an outfit, wore it, and tagged the brand. Three of the videos I posted in that outfit got about 50k views each.

The brand saw it and reached out, offering to pay me to wear more of their pieces. That was when it started to feel real.

It also made me realise something: whenever I dress up and create outfit content, it performs really well. People were not just watching; they were paying attention to what I wore. That’s when I understood that people really do buy what looks good on me.

What was the very first thing you spent that money on, and why that specifically?

I bought a dress from Bawsty. I wanted to take fashion more seriously, and I had realised that most things I wear tend to look really good on me. So I thought, why not invest in pieces that help me lean into that?

Was that purchase something you had always imagined making when you “made it", or was it a spontaneous decision?

It was more spontaneous. I just wanted to spend that first paycheck on something that made me feel proud of myself in that moment.

Looking back, was that amount fair for what you made, and would you negotiate differently now?

It definitely wasn’t fair, lol. And yes, I would negotiate very differently now,  probably charge like 10x more.

Do you think you spent that money wisely, or did you just need to feel something in that moment?

I think I spent it wisely at that time. I bought something I liked and would actually wear. And it wasn’t a lot of money, so it didn’t feel like something I needed to overthink.

What’s the most valuable saving hack that has helped you?

Saving immediately, I get paid. That way, I already know what I’ve set aside, and I can budget properly with what’s left.

BAG CHECK

Damilola Ipadeola is learning to play the long game by investing

Damilola Ipadeola has always liked the idea of passive income. Like many, she was infatuated with the concept of making money in your sleep.

Basically, making money through assets rather than active work, but she has never been financially responsible enough to really lean into the aesthetics of a passive income boss lady. But things changed when she started working in consulting.

Ipadeola listened in on conversations around stocks and assets for a long time, till she started feeling left out. Then came the impulse to start living a financially healthy life. Although she had dabbled in investing in the past, it was a lazy attempt, but now she is energised and investing for real this time. 

We spoke to her about her investment journey, how she started, lessons she learnt so far, and even shared which stocks own a piece of her heart.

Before you started investing, what was your relationship with it like? Had you ever tried it before?

It was completely new to me. My first real exposure was through the S&P 500; I liked the idea of it being multiple companies in one place. Basically, you’re investing in big companies like Apple and Microsoft, and your money is spread across them.

That was my first investment. I remember thinking, “Okay, I’ll just keep adding money over time.” I didn’t have any deep strategy, but I understood the basics and started from there. I think that was around 2020 or 2021.

What did you think investing was about before you started, and has that changed?

Honestly, what I thought it was is still what I think it is. To me, it was always about growing money over time. That hasn’t changed. The only difference now is that I know there are more options, more ways to grow your money while you’re still earning.

Where did you start your investing journey? What made you choose that route?

I started with Bamboo. I had seen people talk about it online, especially the founder on Instagram, so I decided to try it out.

I didn’t have a strategy. I just downloaded the app, set it up, and put my money into the S&P 500 because a few people recommended it. It was very much a “let me just start somewhere” decision.

How has investing been so far? Any wins, mistakes, or regrets?

So far, it’s been good. At some point, my portfolio was up about 16%, and I only recently started actively reinvesting again.

No major mistakes or disappointments, but I do have one painful regret. There was a stock I wanted to buy; it felt expensive at the time, so I hesitated. I told myself I’d wait for it to drop.

Then one day, I checked again, and it had gone up significantly, like a ₦20,000 difference if I had just bought a few units. That one pained me, honestly. It just reminded me that sometimes waiting too much can also cost you.

For someone who hasn’t started investing yet, what would you tell them?

First, it’s not a get-rich-quick scheme. If that’s what you’re looking for, you’ll likely fall for scams. Investing requires patience. My approach now is long-term; I don’t even check my app often. I just put money in when I can and leave it.

Stick to reliable options: bonds, stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, things that are proven to work. And invest in companies you actually believe in. Your money will grow, but it takes time. That’s the whole point.

#3 Saving hack (from a finance expert)

Pay yourself first; this is the real cheat code.

The moment any money enters your account, move a fixed percentage (even 10%) into a separate savings account before you touch anything else.

If you wait till the end of the month, there’ll be nothing left.