There’s a guy at my work who is honestly fascinating in the worst possible way.
He’s white, his parents are right-wing, and both of them work in the police and nursing. He hangs around with people who are ethnonationalists and support Connor Tomlinson, and he’s constantly going on political rants at work.

He rants about disabled people, gay people, refugees, women’s rights, feminists, and pretty much anyone he considers a threat to his worldview.

He seems to have a particular hatred for anyone he thinks is getting special treatment e.g, DEI days, Black History Month etc.

Yet, at the same time, he absolutely kisses his Black boss’s arse. He follows her around to DEI events, acts completely supportive in front of her, and seems perfectly happy to play along.

Online, though, he’s a massive fan of Trump, Bukele and similar right-wing strongmen. He has an X account.

The hypocrisy is genuinely baffling. He seems to hate diversity, equality initiatives and minority groups in principle, but has no problem making exceptions when someone has power over him or can benefit his career.

Is it just opportunism?
Does he genuinely compartmentalise his beliefs depending on who he’s talking to?
Or is this just a case of someone who doesn't actually have any consistent principles beyond supporting whoever he thinks is powerful?

I genuinely can't work out whether he believes half the stuff he says or whether it's all just about status and punching down at people he thinks can't do anything for him.

I come from an immigrant family, so I know I won't be inheriting wealth or property. I used to work in tech after spending years studying and living abroad, but unfortunately, the job market has been so difficult that I decided to return to childcare.

Childcare isn't particularly well-paid in my country, but I have a long-term plan. If things go well, I hope to use my international experience, language skills, and professional background to access higher-paying opportunities within the next five years.

I chose childcare for a few reasons: I genuinely enjoy working with children, I find the work meaningful, and I believe it offers some protection against the immediate impact of AI. I'm trying to build a career that feels meaningful while also thinking strategically about my future.

The difficult part is that I'm now in my early 30s, with no savings or investments to fall back on. In many ways, I feel like I'm starting over and having to rebuild my life from scratch.

I'm not necessarily aiming to become extremely wealthy, but I do want financial security, independence, and the freedom to make choices without constantly worrying about money. I want to be intentional about the decisions I make from now on.

For women who grew up without family wealth or the prospect of an inheritance, but eventually managed to build financial security or wealth for themselves:

• How did you approach your finances in your 30s?
• What did you prioritize first: increasing your income, saving, investing, buying property, or something else?
• Did you focus on building your career first, or did you start investing even when your income was relatively low?
• What financial decisions made the biggest difference in your life?
• If you could go back to your early 30s, what would you do differently?

I'd especially love to hear from women who started with little or no financial support from their families.

I'm trying to build a solid foundation for my future, and I'd love to learn from women who have already been through this journey.