It’s the last day of New Beginnings month here at FEMME MAG and we’re feeling a bit nostalgic! Not trying to trigger an existential crisis (you’re doing amazing sis), but it’s important every now and then to pause, take stock and have a nice think. Today, we’re taking a short stroll down memory lane to the first salary we earned. For me, my first salary signified a new beginning because it was the first time I actually felt like an adult. Fresh out of school, I had real responsibilities and bills to pay. I was suddenly thinking about how to make ends meet while also trying to maintain a bubbling social life. Not that glamorous I must admit, but it offered me some sort of independence – a feeling I wouldn’t trade for the world. To tap into some of this nostalgia with me, I spoke to five womxn in our FEMME MAG community about their first salaries and how it made them feel!
Aanu, 23
My first salary was N100,000! It was in 2017 and I was still in school, so it was a lot! It was an interior decorating company and I had an amazing time there. The salary came as a surprise because we hadn’t even discussed payment before I started working. I was more interested in the work than in the pay if I’m being honest! I was also lucky because I was still getting an allowance from home as well, so I was able to save a huge chunk of my salary. When the full weight of adulthood came knocking in full force, I was able to use some of what I had saved to help me during some tough times.
Shola, 22
I got my first salary during my Industrial Training year at a Quantity Surveying Company in 2017. It was just N20,000 but I was so broke at that time that it felt like a lot! You know that scene in Sugar Rush where the sisters spread their loot on the bed and lay on it? Yes, that was me but with N20,000, which is laughable now. It just felt so good to finally earn my own money that I didn’t care about how much. At least initially…
Anu, 28
My first salary was N5,000 in 2012. It was an Administrative Assistant position at Ekiti State University for my NYSC year. I honestly don’t know how the government thought that amount would be enough to sustain anybody. But I made it work. I already had a business I was running so the extra income helped me. Even though I was practically earning peanuts, I felt independent and happy because I was earning my own money. The first time I was paid, I sent the money home to my parents. I’m the first child, so it seemed right to do that.
Mfon, 26
I got my first salary at a startup IT firm in 2015. It was N60,000 and I was quite content with it. The naira and dollar were still on friendly terms then so I could satisfy my inner shopaholic and still have enough money to save. It honestly felt good that I didn’t have to worry about certain things anymore. It’s one thing when all you’re thinking about is bills, bills, bills and that’s all you can afford to spend money on, and it’s another when after all the priorities have been sorted, you still have spare cash to indulge in the things that make you happy!
Sandra, 24
I got my first salary from a Customer Service job in 2019 and it was N80,000 a month. When I got the job, I was so excited. I mean, it was a huge amount for a first salary and it felt great to know that I would be earning enough to take care of myself. But after my first pay, I realized that I had a million and one things for me to spend money on. I think we can all agree that for every inhale and exhale you take in Lagos, you get a debit alert. It didn’t take long for that initial excitement to slowly die. I found a way to save as much as I could and then I budgeted the rest for transportation, feeding and family.
