When Priyanka Mishra returned to Brisbane’s shopping centres after her graduation ceremony, she found herself doing something she had never really done before.
Every price tag became a mental calculation.
Thirty Australian dollars? That was about $F70. Did she really need it?
“Most of the time, I’d quietly put it back on the shelf,” she said.
It was a small habit born out of living on her own savings and one that has shaped her understanding of financial literacy.
Returning to her former school, Swami Vivekananda College, as chief guest at its Financial Literacy Awards, the 2018 head girl shared lessons not drawn out of textbooks, but from personal experience.
She reminded students that everyone’s financial journey is different.
While some receive pocket money, others juggle part-time work or help support their families.
Because circumstances differ, financial success is not measured by income but by the choices people make.
“It’s not about how much money you have, but about the decisions you make with what you have.”
Priyanka also urged students to avoid comparing themselves with others, particularly on social media.
Having stepped away from Instagram two years ago, she said she grew tired of the constant pressure to keep up with carefully curated versions of other people’s lives.
“Comparison is a race nobody ever truly wins, so run your own race and trust your own journey.”
Financial literacy should not mean denying yourself every enjoyment, instead it is about making deliberate choices.
She shared the story of saving for a bungy jump in Queenstown, New Zealand, an experience she had dreamed about for years.
Rather than spending impulsively, she planned and saved until she could afford it.
“I’ll always remember standing on that bridge before taking that leap,” she said, describing it as money well spent on a lifelong memory.
Now working full-time, Priyanka automatically sets aside part of every pay cheque for savings and has begun investing to build for the future.
She does not claim to have mastered personal finance.
“I’m still learning,” she admitted.
“But I realised something – future Priyanka deserves a little help from present Priyanka.”
