Money Doesn't Always Buy Happiness

but it sure buys options

olympia, washington, usa | 2026

My aunt, who was shopping with me, turned to me as we were leaving the store, “I felt like I was watching an ad – and that was such perfect timing! How did you know all of that?” she asked.

Full disclosure: a year prior, I was just as clueless as our new friends at Macy’s.

That's when it hit me: so many of us rely on the U.S. credit system without really understanding how it works.

“You know you could teach this stuff, Jaylana!” my aunt remarked. I couldn’t help agreeing with her.

My 15-plus years of prior teaching experience certainly would help, I thought to myself as we sat down for a much-needed cup of coffee.

“Hmm, I don’t know if I should apply – do you know if it’ll hurt my credit?” I overheard a lady saying to a sales associate at Macy’s one afternoon. We’ll call her Monica.

Meanwhile, I was completing a purchase at the cash register next to Monica and the gentleman assisting her.

“I’m not sure, to be honest,” he admitted slightly sheepishly.

“Well I’ve applied for several things over the past couple of weeks and I don’t want to get rejected!” Monica responded.

Clearly, Monica was contemplating whether or not to apply for a store credit card.

I politely asked if I could interject and they agreed. I then proceeded to explain the difference between hard and soft inquiries as well as how they can affect your credit score.

I finished my transaction and wished Monica good luck with her next move.

And I'd spent decades getting much of it wrong.

I'm Jaylana. At 43, I realized I had a lot to learn about money.

I did what felt like the scariest thing I'd done in years: I checked my credit score for the first time in my entire life in September 2025. That was the moment my entire relationship with money changed.

In less than one year, I went from having no credit score at all to an Experian score in the mid-700s, with two solid credit relationships and issuers upgrading me to their higher-tier cards.

That’s not to say things always happen that way for everyone – but when I applied what I learned and stuck to my plan, that was the result.

You may be wondering – how were you 43 with absolutely no credit? Are you even American? Were you living under a rock for 20 years?

This is where the real story begins.

First of all, yes — I was born and raised in California.

And, no, I don’t particularly enjoy living under rocks. Rather, I was out exploring the world – and lived overseas for nearly 15 years – which meant that I had no recent credit history at all by the time I returned.

salt lake city, utah, usa | 2000-2004

When you’re 18, you believe the world is your oyster — and you have decades ahead of you.

"Retirement? What’s that?"

"I don’t really care about money. (Isn’t that kind of selfish and greedy?) I just want to have a job where I help people. Who cares what it pays?"

"What should I even major in? I have NO idea what I even want to do."

(Please just nothing boring for the love of God!)

"Another credit card? Cool, why not?"

"Work through school? Oh hell no. My family wants me to live at home and enjoy my summers."

"Education loans – yeah sure, sign me up for a couple. I’ll figure it out in a few years!"

in case you’re wondering how a lot of that turned out, i’ll tell you.

Having seven credit cards seemed like a baller move at the time – until I was 21 and standing at a register with my best friend, getting declined for a $19 top.

Yes, I still remember the humiliation I felt when not one, but both credit cards in my wallet were rejected!

And for some reason, the years seem to speed up after the age of 37!
When you’re approaching age 45, the realization that retirement is a mere 20 years away hits you hard.

‘Not caring about money’ meant choosing a major that was interesting, but not necessarily future-proof.

It also often meant accepting jobs that paid peanuts and not putting myself on a career path that would pay well.

whether you're 20, 30, 40, or 50 ... i hope you're taking notes

(on what not to do)

alexandria, egypt • perth, australia • kuala lumpur, malaysia | 2009-2023

In 2009, I packed up everything, put it in storage, and took off for the unknown. I wanted to study briefly in Alexandria – and I knew I would need to find a job afterwards if I wanted to stay for any length of time. I loved teaching and I was hired to teach ESL almost immediately, which resulted in my teaching career taking off.

However, my income hovered at peanuts and was occasionally upgraded to deluxe peanuts for many of my years abroad.

The 2011 Arab Spring was an experience – and my parents insisted on flying me home (although I was happy to wait it out). I returned several weeks later once things calmed down and resumed my life – however, the political tide was starting to turn.

In 2012, I got engaged to a gentleman from Australia, who I’ll call Chris. Chris had come to live in Alexandria for a bit; however, it was clear that the social climate was trending negatively towards foreigners in general and that our days in Egypt might be numbered.

Chris and I ultimately decided to move to his hometown of Perth, Australia.  What I hadn’t realized was that I would have no way to earn income there at all. I didn’t have a legal option to apply for a visa – so there I was with no money of my own, staying with Chris and his family.

To say that things did not go well between his family and me is putting it mildly.

They didn’t exactly hide their resentment of the fact that I had no money of my own. The tension became intolerable and I left for Kuala Lumpur in April, 2013 since I was able to legally secure a job there. (Chris’s family, of course, finally came around to treating me with respect once I’d been hired – however, the damage had been done. I wanted no part of marrying into his family. Chris and I broke up a week after I landed in KL.)

this is when i promised myself never to be without my own money ever again.

The amount of disrespect and BS one sometimes has to put up with when having no financial power is unpleasant to say the least.

I landed in Kuala Lumpur with two suitcases – and quite a bit of invisible baggage to unpack.

At least you don’t have to pay airline baggage fees for that kind!

I spent eight years in Kuala Lumpur and built a whole life there.  For the first time ever, it was a life I could really call my own.

No roommates, no fiancé, no dreadful future-in-laws – just me. I wasn’t making a fortune by any means – but I was finally able to afford a decent standard of living in Southeast Asia, especially by the time I reached job number three in 2017.

I could hop up to Bangkok for a weekend if I wanted to. I could get my nails done every two weeks. Plans with my best friends every weekend? Done.  I had no shortage of friends or fun — or even money — simply because the cost of living is a different ball game compared to the U.S.

2020: the pandemic hit – and i didn’t have a dime of savings to fall back on.

Nothing humbles you faster than having to ask a trusted family member to wire you money for rent because you are that screwed.

Believe it or not, I didn’t even have a checking account at the time so Western Union was my one option.

The world reopened and work picked up; however things never went back to pre-2020 in so many ways. I ultimately wrapped up my life abroad and returned to the U.S. in 2023 after a brief stint in a couple of other countries.

This time, I had three suitcases and far less invisible baggage. I was rich in experiences, but flat broke.

At least by then I had managed to open a U.S. checking account online.

Which is exactly why I started this business.

if i could do things over again, i would do them a lot differently.

I’ve read many books on how to become wealthy and how to manage money.

In case you haven’t noticed, the financial education landscape is the equivalent of a dining room with four tables of the same types of contributors.