My Worst Financial Mistake & What I Learned From It

My name’s Samantha, and this is The Budget Mom UK. This channel relates to my finances, budgeting, and journey to becoming debt free. I’ve paid off over 100,000 pounds (about $125,000) and my debt is down to the last few thousand dollars now. It’s been an interesting journey.


But, today’s story is raw and real. It’s about a major financial mistake I made and a client who just wouldn’t pay. Here’s what happened.

Why I’m sharing this

There’s been a lot going on lately that I can’t share for legal reasons and, to be quite honest, I’m a little scared of what will happen. If you’ve been watching me for a while, you’ll know I have a very chaotic life. There are lots of elements and angles that are outside of my control.


I’m mindful for you to get what you can from the channel. And, I know you get a lot from it, and I get support and encouragement from you. I feel like I need to fill you in on my backstory, and how I got to where I am, from having everything to having literally nothing.


I went from designer heels and handbags to one-dollar YMCA clothes. I’ll think about how I can share this story in the future without putting people into impossible situations and exposing people.


Meanwhile, this one particular financial mistake has been bothering me, and I wanted to share it with you because I felt quite foolish.


I felt like, because of all the life lessons I’ve already had, I’ve become quite savvy and astute in being able to read people and figure out when they are genuine and honest. I got a bad vibe about a situation recently, but let my heart control my head. Here’s what happened.

Tutoring students

This client won’t pay

I recently quit my full-time teaching job and set up my own private tutoring company. In addition, I have independent education/teaching jobs.


I’m fully aware that I am a luxury that not everyone can afford to have – that’s life at the moment — but I also know my worth. Also, these teaching jobs keep me in education, which means I can still help people, which is what I really want to do.


I recently came across somebody who was clearly struggling. Every single time I sent an invoice, I had to ask, and ask, and ask. I felt embarrassed every time I had to ask for the money. And, I could see they were embarrassed.


There were so many different excuses. Eventually, you could start to read between the lines. This is where my heart overruled my head.


I knew this child needed help and I knew she was getting a lot from the sessions with me. I don’t just build educational experiences, I also build self-esteem and confidence. That’s why a lot of parents prefer to come to me, to begin with.


I have lots of experience with special needs children and adults, and I provide an educational environment that everyone can access, regardless of their ability.


The family finally agreed to pay every week to stay on top of it. I was about to tell them that it wasn’t working, but I thought this could be a way forward. That was the end of March, and I haven’t seen a penny since then. Now, it’s mid-May.


Last week, I got a text that said, “I can’t afford you. Don’t come anymore.” Fair enough. However, they also said, “I can’t afford to pay you right now. I will pay you as soon as I can.” That was it. The client won’t pay.

Working on a freelance basis

How I feel

They owe me a lot of money right now. I let them get away with a lot. I invested my time, my money, myself, and my experience. It’s going to massively impact my budget. It’s going to mean I’ve got to go without lots of things for the next few weeks. I feel foolish and annoyed. That was time I could’ve spent with my children.


That’s my money and right now I don’t know how I’m going to get it back. I’ve messaged them and I’ve emailed them. I even asked if it would help if they paid just £10 (about $12) a week.


The reason I’m sharing this with you is because you’re going to see it impacting my budget very shortly and I felt it was easiest to explain it in one video.


But, I’ve always been soft, especially because that person’s been coming to me for a long time. That’s why I thought they would eventually pay. I’m the same with all my students. I know, as a parent, that things get chaotic.

Invoicing a client

I have a payment system in place that parents are supposed to pay at the beginning of the month, and people just don’t. I know they don’t and I let them get away with it because I’m soft and I think people might need a little bit of leeway. I know what it’s like when you just need a few more days to get the money together and you know you’re going to do it.


I go out of my way to think of ways to make money for me and my children and this is the thanks I get. You know, that parent has just come back from a two-week vacation, they took the child to a concert, and the child constantly turns up in designer clothing.


And, there’s me in my one-dollar pants from the YMCA and my Primark t-shirt. My kids have hand-me-downs. It’s the equivalent of rubbing it in my face.


I’m pretty frustrated. I’ve looked at the small claims thing. You have to set out £35 (about $43) initially. I don’t know if it’s worth the hassle and the effort. You also have to have the most current address. I think I have the most current address, but I don’t know for certain.


Financial mistakes

Right now, I don’t need these financial mistakes and clients who won’t pay in my life. Now, I need to figure out how to figure out my budget with this in mind.


What was your worst financial mistake? Let me know in the comments.

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  • Sally Sally on Jun 13, 2023

    You need to stand up for yourself, if for no other reason than to set the example for your children. The Bible says the laborer is worthy of his hire, so you're not doing something wrong. And you can't fix bad parenting. When those people value their lifestyle extravagances over their child, it tells you where their priorities lie. Take them to court. It's pretty easy to find someone's address anymore. Do it, and stop sending the message to your kids that other people's kids are more important than they are. And I mean this kindly

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