My Financial History

Recently, I came across some PF Bloggers that were writing about their personal financial history. I thought the idea was good one, and that I would duplicate the effort here. Sure, I have talked about my past, but I can't remember a full detail of my financial history. So here, I will briefly write my history from child hood to present, all in one post.

My first job, was selling Grit Magazine. I was the first person selling Grit in my hometown and I quickly built my business to selling 30 to 40 papers (Grit's) each and every week. I was so successful, with the selling, that others who tried to start up their own routes, couldn't build a business beyond 10 papers. I literally owned the town of 1000 people (as far as the Grit route is concerned). The problem, I had no concept of saving and spent my money as fast as it came in. Mostly on video games in a local arcade. My mom took over the finances, never taught me the concept of saving and in fact actually spent much of the cash herself. Being a good saver was something I never caught on to until well into my adult life. Although there was a time, that I was huge penny pincher. That brings me to the next aspect of my financial history.

When I was a Senior in high school, I like most of the seniors went on my senior trip. At our school, the trip was paid by the funds we raised throughout our four years (9-12) in high school. After the trip was paid for, the left over balance was divided among those seniors who went on the trip, to spend as we wished. Most of my money I squirreled away and didn't spend it. At least not on the trip. Instead, I brought it home, and later needlessly wasted it over the summer.

Since, I didn't immediately attend college, I needed a job. Since, I couldn't find one, I borrowed $3,000 from my grandmother and opened a 2nd hand (thrift) store (I was 19). A store I kept open for about six months. Near the end, I had landed a writing job, that paid me $100/month to write for a brand new paper, called the Linn County Connection. That was easily more then I was earning in my store. However, eventually, the new paper went belly up. I received my money for the stories I wrote, but never received payment for the ads that I sold. It was then, I took the $100 and loaded up my parents pickup and moved to Topeka in Nov 1988. Just days after the November elections and 5 days before the ever famous (locally anyway) November Tornado.

That day I was at a McDonald's inside Hypermart applying for a job, when the sirens went off. Because of the sirens, I was not allowed to leave. I was ordered by Wal-Mart employees to go back to the center of the store. At any rate, that McDonald's later called me, and I was hired for my next job.

Not to bore you with a succession of 3 or 4 more meaningless jobs, we will move forward to 1990, when I was hired by a grocery store. In April of 1990, I was hired, with no intentions of staying there. Come August, I started going to Washburn University. I ended up staying at that grocery store until Dec. 31, 1994, when I moved to Chicago. Still, not knowing how to really balance a budget or save money in a savings account. When I moved to Chi town, I cashed in my $700 401(k) to pay down my debt. (Oh I forgot to mention that I filled a chapter 13 bankruptcy in 1991.)

In Chicago, I didn't earn a paycheck. I was for all intense purposes a full time volunteer, with the ministry I was working for. They housed and feed me, and if I wanted to go to the movies, they provided me with some cash for said movies. Once again, I wasn't learning to handle my own money, but this 2 year period of my life was the most rewarding. I would do it all over again, if the chance arose.

Back in Kansas, I moved in with my parents for a few months, until I received my inheritance check. At which point, I bought my first piece of property (for cash) on a half acre. I also purchased a car, again for cash. Within a year, I was making my first of 2 trips to Europe. I also made a trip to Canada before my money ran out and I started living off the credit cards.

Eventually in 1999, I left the one grocery store I started at when coming back to Kansas, and came back to Topeka and the same store I left in 1994. After a four year absence, I was back. Five plus years later, I am still with the same store. Although it has been sold and the name above the door has changed, I am still here. On paper, it's a different place entirely, but as far as most people are concerned it's the same place.

Finally, I decided, I was tired of the debt, and started studying John Cummuta and Dave Ramsey. Both of those teachers taught me and encouraged me way more then Crown Financial had. Even though Crown Financial teaches much of the same thing, it was with these other teachers that things finally clicked for me.

That brings me up to know. Because of these 2 teachers, I am blogging about my finances and getting my debts paid off. Not to mention my savings is building up and I am finally, actually rolling over a 401(k), instead of cashing it out.With any luck, I will actually be able to live "tomorrow like no one else", because I really am living today, "like no one else."


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