Why I’m Obsessed With Financial Freedom (Even If I’m Broke)

by Henrik Bacilieri

There’s something funny about chasing financial freedom when you don’t even have money.

Right now, I don’t have a savings account that impresses anyone. I don’t have stocks, bonds, or a high-income job. In fact, I’m barely a few steps ahead of where I was when I first got to the States. I’m learning, experimenting, failing, and slowly getting my feet under me.

So why am I already thinking about financial freedom?

Simple: because I’ve seen what life looks like without it.
And I know deep down I want something different.

Where I come from—Sicily, Italy—money was always tight. The conversations around it were mostly centered on survival:
Can we make rent this month?
Do we have enough for groceries?
Will there be something left over?

I don’t remember ever seeing someone who was free. People worked hard—very hard—but it never felt like it led to peace. If anything, the work just kept coming, and the life people dreamed about always stayed just out of reach.

When I moved to Ohio to live with my uncle, I started seeing a different perspective. My uncle wasn’t rich by any stretch, but he had control. He didn’t panic when bills came. He planned. He saved. He invested. He taught me that money wasn’t just something you use—it’s something you direct.

And it got me thinking…
What would my life look like if I built it with the end in mind?
What if I could design a life where I didn’t have to constantly worry about money?
What if I could raise a family and give them stability, freedom, and presence?

That’s when the idea of financial freedom took root in me.

For me, financial freedom doesn’t mean yachts or mansions or flying first class.
It means being able to choose how I spend my day.
It means having time for my wife and kids in the future.
It means not being stuck in a job I hate just to keep the lights on.

Right now, I’m far from that vision. But I’m not discouraged.

Because this blog is the beginning.

I’m not documenting a victory lap—I’m documenting a climb.
And every budget, every saved dollar, every lesson I learn is another brick in the foundation.

I may not have much now, but I have something just as valuable: clarity.
Clarity on what I want, and clarity on what I’m willing to do to get there.

That’s why I’m obsessed with financial freedom.
Even if I’m broke.

Henrik Bacilieri

Popular posts from this blog

About Me – The Start of Something Different

Image
Hey there, My name is  Henrik Bacilieri , and this blog is a new chapter for me—a space where I’ll be documenting a journey I’ve only just begun. I was born on  November 9, 1990 , in a small town called  Sicily , Italy. Life growing up was simple, and like a lot of kids, I had big dreams. First, I wanted to become a  pilot . That was the dream that lit up my childhood. I’d stare up at the skies and imagine myself flying across the world. That didn’t pan out. Then came  soccer . I was convinced I’d make it as a professional player. I worked hard, pushed myself, believed in it… but that didn’t take off either. After a few dead ends and a lot of self-questioning, I found myself in the  United States , living with my uncle in  Ohio . That’s where things started to shift—slowly. I was introduced to  finance , and something just clicked. It wasn’t love at first sight, but the more I learned, the more intrigued I became. The idea of building wealth, unde...
Read more

How I Found Finance in Ohio

  by Henrik Bacilieri If someone had told me five years ago that I’d be sitting in Ohio writing about  finance , I probably would’ve laughed. To be honest, I didn’t even know what “finance” really meant back then. I grew up in  Sicily , Italy—small town, small circle, and even smaller conversations about money. We talked about work, family, and dreams... but no one really talked about  wealth , or how it was built. For a long time, I didn’t even know that was an option. Back home, I dreamed big. First, I wanted to be a  pilot . That one didn’t last long after life hit me with a dose of reality. Then I tried to chase  soccer —my passion, my escape, my everything at one point. But sometimes passion isn’t enough when you’re missing the right system, resources, or timing. By the time I landed in the  United States , I was kind of at zero. I moved in with my  uncle in Ohio , just trying to reset and figure out what came next. No master plan, no backup ...
Read more

Stepping Away for Now

by Henrik Bacilieri I’ve written dozens of posts on this blog—some excited, some uncertain, some proud, some reflective. But this one feels different. Heavier, maybe. More personal. I’m stepping away from the blog for the foreseeable future. This decision hasn’t come lightly, and I owe it to you—whether you’ve read every post or just a few minutes of one—to explain why. Life Behind the Curtain The last few months have brought a mix of incredible highs and unexpected challenges. On paper, things look amazing—my portfolio has grown well past $8 million under management, my real estate journey is maturing, crypto has been strong, and I’ve even found someone special I’m building with. But success doesn’t inoculate you from struggle. I’ve been going through some personal issues that have made it hard to write, to share, to even show up publicly the way I used to. These challenges are deeply personal—rooted in identity, privacy, pressure, and the weight of rapid growth. As a result...
Read more