MyPiggyVest is a monthly PiggyVest series that focuses on the stories of real PiggyVest users to find out how PiggyVest has changed their lives and their first major accomplishments using the savings platform.
Marvellous Edwin was only in her 300 level when she started seeing herself through school. Her family’s finances were in a bad state, and there weren’t enough resources to cover all five children. Being the firstborn, she took responsibility for her tuition and other bills and began face and skincare modelling to make ends meet.
The first time Marvellous heard about PiggyVest, she was an electrical engineering undergrad looking for a way to save money. This was in 2021, just before she would leave for her 6-month mandatory industrial training. Marvellous had saving goals for when she returned to school: funds for her final year project, FYB fees, rent, school fees, and foodstuff, but she needed a trustworthy platform to keep her funds. She was convinced that the IT period would be the best time to raise funds and grow her savings, and her friends recommended she try PiggyVest.
“I had my doubts,” Marvellous admitted. “But I did a little research and found other people, apart from my friends, who had good testimonies about the app. So I decided to try it out.”
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By the end of her IT, Marvellous had close to ₦100k saved. From her savings, she bought foodstuff for herself and her sister and bought a bus ticket from Lagos, where she had her IT placement, back to the East, where her family and school were. With the help of PiggyVest, she also improved her saving habits and was able to gradually save for her other needs, including her final year project.
After graduating from the university, Marvellous moved to Lagos to pursue her acting dream. This came as a shock to many, as electrical engineering and acting were parallel lines. It didn’t add up that a child who loved to tinker, who would fix broken gadgets around the house, and who chose to study electrical engineering in the university would leave it all behind to become an actor. But Marvellous knew her course of study was heavily influenced by her parents. Deep down, she wanted so badly to study theatre arts.
“I thought studying electrical engineering would be a breeze since I had a knack for fixing things already. But, nah!” Marvellous recounted. “I had to do it anyway to make everyone happy. And thank God I pulled through. Now that I’m done, I’m able to choose for myself who I want to be, and I choose acting.”
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Ambitious and bright-eyed, Marvellous returned to Lagos after university to pursue her dream of becoming an actor. It was a hard choice, as she was used to placing her happiness on the back burner to please her family. “But you have to take care of yourself if you want to be able to care for others.” She acknowledged. “I love my family and will continue to care for them, but I have chosen not to let the pressure overtake my life.”
Chasing her dream career in Lagos has not been easy. First, she had to figure out her accommodation, but she was lucky enough to find people willing to house her for those first few months.
“With time, I was able to save up over ₦500k on PiggyVest for my rent, and I just recently moved into my own apartment. I’ve really enjoyed using the Flex Naira wallet to save, but as a new rent payer, discovering the new HouseMoney feature has given me joy. I just started saving for next year. I don’t want to be caught off guard.” Marvellous enjoys the accountability that comes with using PiggyVest. She believes that having a limit to how much she can spend has helped her meet her money goals and grow her savings.
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Marvellous has also grown in her career. Being in the industry has helped her step out of her comfort zone, and she’s no longer the shy girl she used to be. Now, she’s networking and reading more and is happier than she has ever been.
“During my IT, the 9-5 schedule almost caused me to slip into depression. But here I am, spending long days and nights on set and happily stressed. There are still days when I question whether or not I made the right decision, but I can never get used to the thrill of getting a new gig, going on set, or reading a new script. Sometimes, I’m unable to sleep due to excitement. It reminds me of the night before a big trip abroad or a visa interview. And I will not trade this feeling for anything else.”
