Born in 1985 near Moscow, I spent my early years in Crimea before relocating to Germany in 2007. I hold two degrees — one in linguistics and another in media economics — and have gained extensive experience working across a variety of fields and projects.

The journey that led me to create this blog

It all started in 2018 when my friend and I went on a road trip through Morocco in a rented car. To save money, we decided to skip the car insurance. At the end of our two-week journey, a motorcycle carrying two people crashed into us from behind. The impact punctured the rear tire and damaged the entire left side of the car. The motorcycle flew into a ditch, and the police, after documenting the incident and taking our car papers, left us stranded in a field near Marrakech with a flat tire and a broken bumper.

This incident cost me 1800 euros — money that the rental company froze on my credit card and that I never saw again. No one cared that we weren’t at fault in the accident; the lack of insurance played a crucial role.

When I returned home, I realized that this situation had created a serious hole in my budget. I didn’t even have enough money to buy food for the month. At that time, I had no savings or investments. After a few days of self-pity, I realized it was time to make a change. I started learning about financial literacy so that in the future, I would always have a financial safety net and be able to handle unforeseen circumstances without such heavy losses.

This experience turned out to be a valuable lesson for me. Now, I know that sometimes it’s better not to skimp on important things, like insurance on a rental car.

The problem of transferring money to Crimea

Back in 2014, Crimea, where I spent my youth before moving to Germany, was annexed by Russia. In 2016, my grandmother, who stayed there, had a stroke. Since then, one of my biggest challenges has been transferring money to cover her care in a nursing home. Even then, sending money to Crimea became technically very difficult. I constantly had to find new ways to send money, as services that worked one month could stop functioning the next.

When the full-scale Russian aggression in Ukraine began, money transfers to all of Russia faced the same difficulties that Crimea experienced after its annexation. This added more challenges and anxieties, but I continued searching for solutions and adapting to the changing circumstances. 

This struggle was actually the catalyst for starting my blog — I wanted to help others facing the same challenges with money transfers. While many of the solutions I found back then are no longer valid due to the changing situation over the years, I didn't stop there. Instead, I chose to keep writing and sharing the broader financial knowledge I’ve gathered along the way. My goal is to offer guidance and insights on how to navigate the ever-evolving financial landscape.

What I'm doing now, when I'm not working on the blog

Until 2020, I had the privilege of working with renowned companies such as Porsche in Stuttgart, Google in Dublin, and several others across various industries.

Since then, I’ve transitioned to working independently as both a photographer and marketer. Based in Munich, I specialize in capturing images locally, while also offering photoshoots during my travels worldwide. In addition to photography, I provide marketing services, including Google and Meta advertising, as well as web design.

My portfolio in P2P Lending

Bondora Go & Grow

This was the first platform where I started investing back in 2018. It marks the beginning of my exciting journey into P2P lending. Here, I earn a daily return of 6.75% annually.

You can find all the detailed information here. Plus, by signing up for the platform, you'll receive a 5-euro bonus, which you can start investing right away.

Robocash

My second favorite platform, offering an annual return of 10.6%. I’ve been investing here for about three years now. While the investment amount is modest, it’s fascinating to watch the power of compound interest at work.

You can find all the details here.

Mintos

This platform isn’t as automated as Bondora and Robocash, but I’ve been investing here since 2019 and have gained a wealth of valuable experience along the way.

The Financial Tools I Use

Money Transfer Services

Banks I Use

Where I Invest

Books I Read on Financial Literacy

My Hobbies