At the ripe age of 26, my Facebook feed is starting to clog up with close-up photos of hands with the caption ‘I said YES!’, hundred-photo albums and cheesy videos of extravagant weddings. Soon come the ‘sold’ photos next to their first home followed by photos of sleeping babies from every angle, every moment of the day. The more of these photos that appear, the more meme, Daily Kitty and Dogspotting pages I follow to block out the newsfeed invasion.

As you tick off all the life milestones are you also ticking off the financial milestones as well?

For those living together with a partner, how much living costs are shared between you and your partner? Can you afford your lifestyle if your partner unexpectedly lost their job or in the event of a break-up? Can you singlehandedly afford to pay a full bond, mortgage, moving costs and also have enough to live off at the end of it?

Working forwards financial independence not just makes you a Queen B worthy independent woman but gives you the freedom to afford anything in the event that your personal situation turns sour. It’s the freedom to afford the lifestyle you want, buy without feeling guilty or asking for permission, and not feel stuck in a relationship, job or situation which you don’t want just to cover the bills.

xx Miss Piggy

Cover illustration by @jooleeloren