All in Financial Story

25 Money Goals for my 25th Year

25 Money Goals for my 25th Year

Elaine Gamolo
Alternative Lifestyle, Financial Story, Financial Basics, College Series

I don't know how to act my age. I've never been this age before.

I turn 25 this December. I didn’t think this is what it was going to be like leading up to my 25th birthday. I feel old and young all at the same time, but most importantly I still feel lost. My mid-twenties have been thrown in for a loop, but that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t give up. My birthday is another celebration — another benchmark. I’m not here to tell anyone where they should be in their mid-twenties. Physically, mentally, financially, we’re all at different points. As I enter my 25th year, here are some of my goals that I’d like to meet:

My Plan to Pay Off Over $30K of Student Loans By My 30th Birthday

My Plan to Pay Off Over $30K of Student Loans By My 30th Birthday

Elaine Gamolo
College Series, Debt Free, Financial Story

“Make a specific birthday wishes and write it down. You will be amazed about the power of pen and inner strength to accomplish the wishes.”

By the time I had finished my masters degree last year (2019), I had accumulated over $33,000 in debt just from student loans. After reviewing the payoff schedule, it estimated that I would pay off my debt by the time I was 43. That’s when I decided I hated that plan. Instead, here’s my plan to pay off by debt by the time I’m 30, which is 5 years away.

Getting Creative To Make FIRE Possible with Costa Rica FIRE

Getting Creative To Make FIRE Possible with Costa Rica FIRE

Catherine Agopcan
Alternative Lifestyle, Financial Story

Frugality isn’t the only way to make FIRE possible.

Today’s guest post comes from Caroline of Costa Rica FIRE. She shares her story of how she and her husband are achieving FI even though they came to it “late” by thinking and doing differently. You can achieve FIRE even in a high cost-of-living city, even when you have kids, even when you like to spend money. Frugality isn’t the only way to make FIRE possible.

Veterinarian Adopts Low Waste Mindset to Become Debt Free - Michelle's Story

Veterinarian Adopts Low Waste Mindset to Become Debt Free - Michelle's Story

Michelle DeCourcey
Conscious Consumer, Financial Story, Socially Conscious Series

“You will be in debt for the rest of your life.”

That was my welcome into the veterinary profession. Starting as early as when I began my undergraduate studies, if I spoke with a veterinarian, the assertion that I would be in debt for the rest of my life would inevitably come up. Going less waste is what allowed me to break the cycle of mindless consumerism and believe in a future where we can be debt free. I’m so excited to continue to align my actions with my beliefs and can’t wait to see what we can accomplish once we have financial independence. 

An Environmentally and Socially Conscious Path to FI with Laura Oldanie of Rich and Resilient Living

An Environmentally and Socially Conscious Path to FI with Laura Oldanie of Rich and Resilient Living

Laura Oldanie
Socially Conscious Series, Financial Story, Alternative Lifestyle

I don't want to protect the environment. I want to create a world where the environment doesn't need protecting.

Back in June I launched a financial independence blog, not because I wanted to, but because I needed a way to crowdsource the information I haven't been able to find anywhere else on the internet. What is it that I couldn't find on the vast internet, where all the answers to so many of our questions are just a Google search away? Well, no search engine was able to lead me to any websites discussing how people can achieve FI while pursuing a triple bottom line, which equally values people, planet, and profit (3p). I think it can be done, but it's not as straight forward as setting up monthly automatic deposits into low-cost broad based index funds or investing in rental properties and later living off the 4% withdrawal rule, which seems to be the mainstream approach to FI currently.

Balancing It All To Become Debt Free: Ginny's Story

Balancing It All To Become Debt Free: Ginny's Story

Ginny
Financial Story, Socially Conscious Series

I pretty much expected to be in debt for the rest of my life.

I graduated in 2011 from a private liberal arts college with a degree in Theatre and over $25,000 in debt. In addition to that, jobs were scarce when I graduated and I was unable to secure one directly out of college. I bounced around from job to job, industry to industry, city to city, making just enough to cover my bills and even save a little before settling in Buffalo in the fall of 2013.

Waking Up to the Idea of Financial Independence: Nancy's Story

Waking Up to the Idea of Financial Independence: Nancy's Story

Nancy Da Costa
Financial Story

Same shit, different day.

Throughout my life and as long as I can remember, I had always done everything exactly as I was told to do.  Early on I completely bought into the “get good grades, go to school so you can get a secure, high-paying job for 40+ years” and live happily ever after according to society.  

It wasn’t too hard for me to buy into this concept - I’m a bookworm and nerd, my curiosity never satisfied, and naturally gravitated towards doing well in school.  I was an exemplary future employee - doing what I was told so that I would be taken care of.

An Immigrant Nurse in America: Completing the American Dream

An Immigrant Nurse in America: Completing the American Dream

Sonny
Financial Story

I immigrated to the U.S. in 1987 at the age of 31 on a working visa during the "Nursing Shortage". It was my first time out of my home country of the Philippines. I had studied nursing and worked in a small town hospital a few years post college, but I itched to go somewhere new. With a lot of hard work and luck, I passed the U.S. Licensure Exam on my first attempt so I escaped the threat of deportation.

Making Mistakes on the FI Journey: Catherine's Story

Making Mistakes on the FI Journey: Catherine's Story

Catherine Agopcan
Financial Story

I came from the Ramit Sethi school of "I will Teach You To Be Rich" and Suze Orman's "Young, Fabulous and Broke". I knew I was supposed to save money, save for retirement, optimize my earnings and I did just that early on, I just didn't truly understand why until I was laid off a few years ago. The concept of retiring early didn't sink in for me until very recently. 

Getting the FIRE Journey Started: Anna's Story

Getting the FIRE Journey Started: Anna's Story

Anna
Financial Story

A year from now, you will wish you had started. 

“Is this what it’s going to be like for the next 40+ years”? That was the thought that ran through my head back in 2006. Before I started my first real job, I did a trial run to get to work. The commute was an hour long. When I first took that early train, I was surprised how different the energy (or lack thereof) was compared to the weekend trains. I squeezed into one of the last remaining seats, the middle spot of a three-person seat. Everyone seemed to be in their 30s-50s, sleeping, reading newspapers or zoning out. I guess this was adulthood.