Down in the Valley, Where the Girls…
Get their life together!
I’m sure you have already caught onto the hot new series “P-Valley”. I was watching how they made it look like money comes so easily by doing something in exchange for money, legal or not. A little financial windfall would be ideal to resolve some debt, but this mom body of mine won’t bring in the money to save The Pynk lol! But I guess I have to do it the old fashion way by going slow and letting it grow aka hard work and proper investments. What the heck, it’s so much easier the fast way but I guess like Uncle Clifford said “Ain’t no crying at The Pynk!”. Let me pull my big girl panties up so I can get my life together.
Cigarettes & Lottery Tickets
Looking back at old photo of my childhood, playing double dutch with my sisters and other neighborhood girls. Other than securing your spot for an early turn to jump, there was literally no true worries or cares in the world. We lived “okay”...but as I look back, socioeconomically speaking, my family was considered the working class. Making just enough to keep us unqualified for public asssistance. My family consisted of two parents and four children, one of those kids with special needs. My family was rare in my Milwaukee neighborhood, by way of growing up in a two parent home. I can distinctly remember one other family, on our block, with two parents in their home. I bring that up because truly it was rare in the 80s/90s to be in a house with a mom and dad. Bringing that up because one of the major assets to financial stability is said to come from a two parent home. Just by the mere fact that there are two incomes entering into the home. Well that wasn’t my case.
My mom was the keeper of the coins, while was dad was the spender. We, the kids, knew who to go to when you wanted or needed something…daddy! We always knew when it was payday, he always came home with bags of groceries, cigarettes and lottery tickets. Often letting us scratch off the ticket if we found the quarter first. That was my first lesson on money, when you get paid, spend it. DASS IT!
““I had to make my own living and my own opportunity. But I made it! Don’t sit down and wait for the opportunities to come. Get up and make them.””
As I moved into working age, at 15 years old my first jobat the local grocery store. I was raking in the big bucks at $6/hr lol! When I got paid all I did was spend, I couldn’t tell you where it went to this day. I just loved the idea of not having to be told “no” when I wanted something. I remember going to the mall with my best friend to purchase matching outfits for school shiny, reversible Ecko jeans ($75) and a matching shirt ($50). That’s where my mind was at the time, although I was hesitant to make such a large person, I beleived I owed it to myself…I deserved the Echo outfit. I was just glad I didn’t have to ask my parents for money anymore. Even then, I had no goals with my money but get paid and spend it.
All I Got Was A Tshirt?!?!
Sadly, that “paid and spend” mindset flowed into my young adulthood. Being single and childless, the only thing that change was that I was getting paid more and spent more. During my college years was the turning point, not only was I not saving, I began stacking thousands upon thousands of dollars worth of students loan debt. Which I was assured would be fine, because I was following the path towards the American Dream, right. Being the first person in my family (maternal and paternal) to go to college, I knew I would break some financial chains. Yet all along, I had no idea the hole I was digging myself by taking the extra money after my tuition was paid. This unofficial holiday was known as Disbursment Week aka “Did you get your refund check yet?” and I did EVERY SINGLE TIME.
Not to forget the infamous mass amount of students walking around with the ‘COLLEGE” shirt. I was the ignorant student that signed up for the credit card. That measly $250 began my love affair with consumer debt and all I have to show for it was this t-shirt.
Six Figures Later…
Fast forward 2020, I’m married with a child and a dog. My previous lifestyle brought in over six figures of debt. It’s sickening and I regret it to this day, but now it’s time to get things back in order. It’s so hard to compare not your lifestyle to your peers because let’s be honest many of my peers, give or take 5 years, are in their homes and/or established businesses. The good thing is that I don’t feel the pressure to “be like them” but more so “I should of taken care of stuff then”.
Well it’s time…time to get rid of this debt and get settled into a home. Our home. So I had to have a “Come to Jesus” moment, having to be honest with myself to attack this debt. No longer ingnoring the monkey tapping me on my back, that I constantly feed my money.
But How Sway?
Well, I’m 36 and literally have 40 months before my 40th birthday and I’m seeking to tackle this mess before December 30, 2023. I’m calling it my 40x40 challenge. Check out my page where I am breaking it all the way down. Sharing the books, podcasts resources etc. that I’m reading/listening/following to help along the journey. If you are interested in following along check out link below!
CLICK HERE- 40x40 Debt Free Journey
