How I built my life from $100 monthly salary

Young people working in an office. Illustration photo by Pexels

Fifteen years ago, I was in the same situation. Fresh out of university, I watched most of my classmates secure jobs through family connections, earning VND4-5 million (US$157-196) per month, a high salary at the time.

Without such connections, I had to navigate the job market on my own. After numerous interviews, I finally landed a professional job in Ho Chi Minh City, but the pay was just VND2.2 million per month. Nearly half of that went toward rent, which cost VND900,000. Finding a well-paid job without connections was difficult, so I told myself, "At least I have a job. I shouldn't ask for more."

Every morning, I ate a sticky rice packet for VND2,000 before heading to work. Lunch came from the company cafeteria, and I cooked dinner at home. On some nights, my girlfriend, now my wife, brought food over and prepared meals for me. Life was tough, but I pushed through.

Two years later, my wife and I had saved around VND10 million. With that money, I started a small fashion business. The early days were challenging, but through hard work, the business gradually became stable.

By the end of 2017, I had saved enough to open a private kindergarten, an idea inspired by my wife, who is a preschool teacher. The business ran smoothly at first, but then Covid-19 struck. The school had to close, leaving me with a nine-figure debt. For the first time, I truly understood what it meant to be a debtor.

After the pandemic, I returned to the fashion business, while my wife resumed teaching to help us get back on our feet. We worked tirelessly, and by mid-2023, we had repaid our debts.

Now, I am preparing to reopen the kindergarten, hoping for a fresh start.

Looking back on the past 15 years, I realize my greatest fortune was not money, it was having my strong wife by my side. No matter how hard things got, giving up was never an option to us.

To young people today, do not let a low starting salary discourage you. Stay persistent, work hard, and success will eventually find you.