Stancy

Is this a good price?

Living abroad comes with a reality many of us don’t talk about:
You become the person so many people depend on.
Family from different regions.
Friends from different stages of life.
Old classmates, church members, cousins, neighbours — all with your number.
All calling the same person: you.
And over time, you start to notice there are two kinds of people in your circle.
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The first kind: those who rarely ask
These are people who:
• Try everything before they come to you.
• Have a Plan B, sometimes even a Plan C.
• When their budget gets tight, they think:
• “How can I earn extra?”
• “What can I cut?”
• “What opportunity can I create?”
When they finally ask for help, it’s not the first thing they tried.
And when they receive from you, they make the most of it.
They hold on to it tight.
They use it to stand, not to lean on forever.
They understand that:
• You have your own life abroad.
• You have your own family and bills.
• Many other people are also reaching into your pocket.
They know that if this keeps happening, you’ll run dry.
That you’ll just be eating from paycheck to paycheck:
Get paid → send money home → survive → wait for the next pay.
No growth. No building. No future.
So when they get help from you, they don’t keep coming back again and again.
They use it, they grow, they stand on their own.
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The second kind: those who live on “my person is abroad”
These are people who:
• Rarely try before they call.
• Have no emergency fund, no backup plan.
• Live their life, enjoy themselves, eat well, spend freely —
and when things get tight, they come to you.
Every tight month = “Can you help?”
Every new business idea = “Can you fund this?”
Every family emergency = “You’re our only hope.”
Year after year, you’re:
• Opening business for the same person.
• Helping with one emergency after another.
• Counting how many times in a year you’ve bailed them out — and it’s not once, not twice, but many times.
They don’t care if other people are also asking you.
They don’t care if you’re eating from hand to mouth.
They don’t care if you’re stuck, not growing, not building anything for yourself.
To them, you’re not a person with limits.
You’re an income source.
And the sad part?
Over time, they start to expect it.
If you can’t send, they feel offended.
If you say you’re struggling, they act like you’re lying.
They make you feel guilty, anxious, scared.
Scared of losing your family.
Scared of saying no.
Scared of their disappointment.
But deep down, you know:
When their call comes and your whole body tenses, that’s not love.
That’s anxiety.
That’s pressure.
That’s a relationship that has become more about money than about you.
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So here’s the question:
Which kind of people do you have in your circle?
• Those who rarely ask, make the most of what they get, and try to stand on their own?
• Or those who live on “my family/friend is abroad,” keep coming back, and treat you like their permanent income source?
If your phone lights up and your stomach drops because you already know it’s about money again…
That’s not just stress. That’s a pattern.
You can love your family.
You can care about your friends.
But you are not obligated to be someone’s ATM.
Your money is your time, your energy, your future.
If you keep giving until you’re empty, you won’t be able to help anyone — including yourself.
Real love will understand your limits.
Real family will want you to grow, not just to send.
Take a moment and think:
Who in your circle sees you as a person?
And who sees you as a paycheck?

If you live abroad, you know this feeling.
A family member or friend calls.
They start with: “How are you? How’s the family?”
You relax for a second… then you feel it coming.
By the time they say, “Actually, I wanted to ask you something…”, your stomach already knows: this is about money.
It is never about your struggles, never about your welfare and certainly not to even ask if you have.

And the pattern is so clear now that the moment you see their name on your screen, your mind whispers:
“This is not a check‑in. This is a request.”

The hard truth a lot of immigrants eventually face:
To some people back home, you are no longer just family or friend.
You’ve become their income opportunity.
They don’t call to ask how your shift went, how your kids are doing, or whether you’re eating well.

They call when they need something: school fees, rent, hospital bills, business capital, “small help” that never comes back.
The “How are you?” is just the intro.
The real message is: “I need money, and I know you’re my best option.”

If you recognize yourself in this, you’re not alone.
Many immigrants carry this silent burden:
• Feeling guilty when they say no
• Being treated like an ATM, not a person
• Watching relationships change once money enters the picture

Here’s what I’m learning:
• You can love your family and still set boundaries.
• You can care and still say, “I can’t help financially right now.”
• You are allowed to be more than someone’s backup plan.

Real family and real friends will still be there when you’re not sending money.
They’ll ask about your life, your struggles, your dreams — not just your wallet.
If your phone lights up and your whole body tenses because you know it’s about money again… and you’re struggling to help yourself abroad, pay bills and stay alive.
That’s your sign to protect your peace, your finances, and your heart.
You are not an income opportunity.
You are a person with a life, limits, and a future to build.

😱👁️ Raw Frog Legs Gave This Chef a WORM in His EYE! 🐛 (True Story!)

He ate undercooked frog → days later, eye hurts bad → doctors cut open & pull out a 1cm WORM chewing inside his eyeball! It traveled from his tummy through blood right to his eye. Super painful, vision gone blurry—surgery fixed it.

Easy tip: Always cook meat fully. Gross, huh? What’s YOUR yuckiest food fail? Tell me below! 👇😂 Tag a friend who eats wild stuff!

Poverty is an invisible tax you pay for not being rich.
It’s not a line on your pay stub. It’s the extra you spend just to get by:
• Higher fees for banking, credit, and insurance
• Paying more per item because you can only buy small amounts
• Costlier energy, phone plans, and transport options
• Late fees and interest when cash flow is tight
In Canada, low‑income households spend over half their consumption on just shelter and food, so every extra dollar in fees or interest hits harder.
Being broke is expensive. That’s why people say “poverty is an invisible tax.”
If you’re on a tight budget, a few moves can lower that “tax”:
• Switch to no‑fee banking (e.g., Simplii, Tangerine, EQ, Wealthsimple) and use free e‑transfers
• Claim every benefit you qualify for (file taxes; check CRA My Account and the benefits calculator)
• Compare phone/internet plans and ask for retention deals or lower‑cost options
• Cook at home, buy generics, use sales/coupons, and consider discount grocers or food banks when needed
• Build a tiny emergency fund ($500–$1,000) to avoid high‑cost credit for surprises
You’re not bad with money if this sounds familiar. The system is built so that having less costs more. The goal isn’t perfection; it’s slowly reducing the hidden tax on your life.
Drop a 💬 if you want a simple checklist of “lower your poverty premium” steps tailored to Alberta/Canada.

Competition is good…
until it becomes comparison.
Healthy competition looks like this:
You see someone doing well, and it inspires you.
It makes you want to keep going, level up, and try again.
Unhealthy comparison looks like this:
You see someone doing well, and instead of feeling inspired, you start looking for flaws.
You try to pull it down.
You give reasons why it’s “not enough,” why it doesn’t count, why it’s not really that impressive.
That’s the moment competition stops helping you and starts hurting you.
Use competition to sharpen your skills.
Don’t let comparison steal your motivation.
Your lane. Your pace. Your progress. 🌱
Drop a 💯 if you’ve ever had to remind yourself: “I’m competing with my goals, not with other people.”

Bitterness is a burden that only you have to carry.
When you finally put it down, the first person who feels lighter… is you.
Letting go is not weakness.
It’s strength, wisdom, and self‑respect all in one.
Who needs to hear this today? Tag them or share it on your timeline. 💛