Baby Steps

Growing, I was taught to live within my means. If you don't have the cash, you can't afford it. Credit cards were fine, but make sure you've got the money in your bank before you swipe. I took the lessons very seriously and definitely felt some FOMO watching my friends buy stuff and do things I couldn't.

In hindsight, everything turned out okay. I've still got FOMO, but hey, at least I'm not drowning in debt.

It's been over ten years since I really got into budgeting. It wasn't easy at first. When I was trying to buy my first house, I took this online budgeting course. It was actually pretty interesting. I used to think I had no money left at the end of the month, but after working through the budget, I realized I actually had a few hundred bucks leftover. So, where was the money going? Turns out, I was spending it on stuff I couldn't even remember, mostly on eating out. Pretty typical, right?

A few months in, after some trial and error, I was feeling pretty great about my budget. I didn't mention it to anyone because I just assumed everyone was doing the same thing.

After signing my life away for a mortgage with just a few hundred down and a second mortgage to cover the down payment, my realtor gave me a gift: a copy of The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey. I remember glancing at it and putting it aside. I had my finances figured out—I mean, I just bought a house. They wouldn’t have let me buy one if it wasn’t a good idea, right?

I finished the book in a day and realized I didn't know as much as I thought. That's when I started my journey with the Baby Steps. I only had a car payment since I made sure not to carry a balance on my credit card. I mean, who can afford 20% interest? Definitely not me.

Baby Step 1 - Save a thousand dollars in baby emergency fund. Done.

Baby Step 2 - Pay off all non-mortgage debt. This is took a bit longer. I wasn't willing to drain my savings account and my plans for the future were bleak.

And that where's my journey through the Baby Steps ended. It was many years later before I returned.

Life got in the way. I ended up selling the house after two and a half years and moved a few hundred miles back home. I stuck to my monthly budget, but didn't really get ahead. At least I wasn't falling behind.

In this life, there is so much room for growth and grace. If you are anything like me, you just want to life your best life. And have enough money to do the things in life that really matter.