I Joined a Susu… and Here’s What Happened!

 So in 2025, I joined a sol (or susu, depending on what you call it). In the Haitian community, we usually have a “sol lady” who organizes everything and helps people save money together. Basically, imagine a group of 10 people — every two weeks, each person contributes $300, which makes a total of $3,000 collected every two weeks. Then, the group rotates, and one person receives the full $3,000 payout each cycle. It’s kind of like a forced savings account.

This particular sol has been running for more than seven years. Anyone new usually gets one of the later payout positions, while the OG members get the earlier ones. That way, the organizer reduces the risk of someone taking the money and disappearing without continuing to pay. So honestly, only join a susu with people you truly trust.

Last year, I really wanted to save more money, so I decided to join — and it actually worked! I don’t think I would have been able to save that much on my own because seeing a large amount sitting in my bank account would have tempted me to spend it.

The sol I joined started on January 10, 2025, and is set to end on March 6, 2026 — so yes, technically it’s still ongoing lol. I received my payout on February 6, 2026. The contribution was $300 every two weeks, with 31 hands total, and each hand paid out $9,300. Some people had multiple hands. For example, if someone had two hands, they paid $600 every two weeks and received two separate payouts of $9,300, totaling $18,600. Others had three hands — it just depends on your financial goals and needs.

I actually liked the system because it feels like you’re paying a bill, which removes the temptation to spend the money. I’m still debating whether I want to join the next cycle since they just keep renewing it every year.

Also, I was supposed to go to court this week regarding Gianny’s passport, but it got rescheduled for two more weeks. I’ll update you all once it’s officially over. Bye!!!!