A Financial Recap of My Year

by Henrik Bacilieri

This year was different.

For the first time in my life, I actually paid attention to where my money was going.

I tracked it. I studied it. I reflected on it.
And what I learned?
It’s not about how much you make—it’s about how you use what you make.

Here’s a full, honest recap of my 2015 financially:

📊 1. My Starting Point

When I arrived in Ohio, I had:

  • Less than $300 to my name

  • No savings account

  • No budgeting habit

  • No clue what a credit score even was

But I had hunger.

💸 2. Income & Expenses

I earned roughly $13,000 this year through part-time work.
Minimum wage. Not stable. But I made it stretch.

Major expenses:

  • Rent to my uncle

  • Groceries

  • Transit

  • Books and online courses

Biggest financial mistake:

Overdrafting my account 3 times in one month. $105 in fees.
Lesson learned the hard way.

💰 3. Wins I’m Proud Of

  • Built a $600 emergency fund

  • Bought my first ever stock (even if it was tiny)

  • Bought $25 worth of Bitcoin

  • Read 5 finance books

  • Created a net worth tracker (and used it monthly)

🧠 4. What Changed Inside Me

The biggest shift wasn’t in my wallet—it was in my mindset.

I don’t feel like a victim anymore.
I feel like I’m building something—slowly, but on purpose.

Money isn’t this mysterious force anymore.
It’s a tool I’m learning to use.

I still have a long way to go, but for the first time, I feel in control.

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