Financial wellness is a mystery to me! I grew up poor, black and in the middle of nowhere. My mother was able to complete high school but worked multiple jobs and my father never made it to High School and became a day laborer in his teens. Growing up in a single parent home where the bank was often overdraft and the debt-to-income ratio was always skewed against us; I didn’t have the best examples of how to build wealth. BUT, what I did learn was how to SURVIVE & HUSTLE.
My financial wellness journal is starting out with knowing what I owe and formulating a plan to balance my income, my living expenses and my debt to get to a better, more secure financial journey.
So far, here is where my debt stands:
- Student Loans – $36K
- Auto Loan – $14K
- Credit Cards – $773.00
- Collections (2 Hospital Bills) – $700.00
Total Debt: $52,099.00
I almost had a heart attack when I looked at how much I owed. My credit is fairly new. It is less than 5 years old and this is NOT how I envisioned my twenties and mid-thirties.
However, I am more than ready to eliminate this debt and take it head on. Thanks to my education and moving to a new state, I am gainfully employed and moving out on my own soon (currently living with ex-fiance) and I’m looking for new an innovative ways to save, increase my credit score and make my way towards financial wellness.
That requires research!! I’m using THIS LIST of financial bloggers to begin my journey!
Coconut Oil & Almond Eyes 