A tear trickled down her cheek as she remembered how she'd once had dreams of making a million dollars before turning thirty. But after losing her job, she spent months struggling just to find affordable housing. Then came the terrible breakup with her boyfriend and subsequent eviction from their shared apartment.
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Moving back home from everything found her enduring a string of short-term jobs. Jobs that barely paid enough to cover her expenses. A series of medical defects often kept her awake at night too.
Turning the final page of the calendar, Amina remembered the difficult financial journey she had that year.
"I can't believe I made it through this. It feels like just yesterday I was getting evicted from my apartment" she said aloud.
She remembered how painful it was and how she had to be forced out of her home. Right after a long and drawn-out battle with the landlord over unpaid rent.
She'd been left homeless, destitute and desperate. It all started when she lost her job at an investment firm due to downsizing. After losing her income, she found herself facing eviction.
Her savings finished and she couldn't pay her rent anymore. Even though she was on welfare, Sarah's health deteriorated too.
She was diagnosed with high blood pressure by her doctor. And prescribed medication was given to her. She tried to hold down a part-time job at Walmart during her off hours. But working full time and trying to find housing was a lot of stress. So she became so depressed and stopped going to work altogether. Her boyfriend kicked her out of their shared apartment. When her options ran out, she moved back home with her parents.
Amina looked around the kitchen table where she sat alone, surrounded by bags of takeout Chinese food and empty cans of soda. Her mother had returned to her native country and moved in with relatives. Her father also relocated to be closer to his own family, leaving Sarah to fend for herself. Fortunately, her two college roommates from years ago also agreed to let her stay at their house until things got better.
"My life has definitely taken some interesting turns lately," Amina mumbled to herself.
She never thought should would wind up living like that.
It took more than six (6) months for Amina to gain back her confidence. But she finally managed to get a good job as an assistant manager. A position at a local grocery store. This helped her to pay off some of her debt and lower the interest.
Apart from her salary, she was also getting unemployment checks. This helped her save money each month. She had extra cash flow. So she started investing in real estate. This was one of the best decisions of her life, she recalled.
The morning she stood going down memory lane, she owned four rental properties, each earning more than $2000 per month in rent. She also earned several hundred dollars every month from renting out rooms via Airbnb. With these added streams of income, Amina could finally breathe easier knowing that she wouldn't have any problems paying her bills and saving up for future investments.
To make all of this happen, Amina had to set aside an hour each day to study personal finance courses online. She learned how to live on a budget. She learned about different asset classes and how to invest in them. She also learned how to manage debt.
She was determined to raise her credit score to a higher number. A number that would remain at least for the next ten years.
Within one year, Amina's credit score climbed to 650, thanks to a series of small but smart moves, such as paying off her credit card balances and taking advantage of balance transfer offers.
Before the end of the year, her credit score had improved. She became financially stable. She fulfilled her dream of visiting different places for vacations. It was during those moments of fun and enjoyment that she recollected as far as she had come in terms of finances.
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