Let me tell you about my journey to financial freedom and the life changing affects of pinching pennies and saving for our future!
Here's my story: 2008
The hustle and bustle of everyday life was taking it's toll on our family. You know the story..... We were both working 12 or more hours a day. We were still broke. Our children were performing miserably in school because of lack of attention we were giving to it. I was a big ball of barking screaming stress. My hubby walked on egg-shells so I didn't bite his head off for asking if I had a good day ~ why would he ask me that... he knew I didn't?!?!?! There comes a time when change is the only choice you have before a big explosion takes place!
Now I'm not saying this change came voluntarily. No, I lost my job. Great! Now, I'm out of work too? Being this ticking time bomb waiting to go off, my first reaction was to light that fuse and BLOW!!!! But my hubby being the wonderful man that he is recognized this fortunate situation before that F5 tornado tore through our house. Being that it was Christmas vacation, his response.... stay home with the kids and enjoy the holidays. What? What do you mean enjoy the holidays? "Well," he said, "you can enjoy them or be miserable for the next few weeks. No one is going to hire the last two weeks of the year. So forget getting a job till next year. The boys are out of school and we have family coming in for Christmas. Enjoy your time with them through the holidays!" Well, dang it, I didn't need his permission to enjoy myself. I would enjoy myself if I darn well pleased. *stomp foot, cross arms, nod head* Humph! So there!
Then guess what I did? I enjoyed myself through the holidays! I had a blast with my boys, we stayed up late, slept in, went shopping, cooked all day, had family to visit, and just had a ball! After the kids went back to school what a joy it was to be here when they got off the bus. Homework got done (much to their dismay) and grades came up (X-box returned to child hands )! At the end of the week, I WAS NOT GOING BACK TO WORK IN CORPORATE AMERICA. That was it, that was final. Now ladies and gentlemen, when you are broke and barely making ends meet and you tell your spouse you are not going to get a job outside the home..... be prepared to be looked at like you have two heads! It's coming I guarantee you! But I had to quickly explain. I did not not want to work, I just didn't want to be Jane Schmuck anymore and work for "The Man". The Man had done nothing for me in all the years I worked for him. He didn't care that I was sick or my kids had a fever so high they looked like ripe cherries. He didn't care that I had been up all night with worries on my mind. Worries? What's that? When your The Man, it's hard to have worries while you're drinking your cocktail by the pool. He didn't care that my car was broken down.... again. He didn't care that I didn't feel appreciated. Because in The Man's world, it's not about me! It's not about my family! It's not about anything but what's going to pay for that heated pool in November! I was expendable! I could be replaced by someone younger, dumber and without kids. I was without a job... case and point!
What I did make clear was this... I wanted to work, I just didn't want to work outside our home anymore. I would get a job I could do from home. Uhhmmm, for those of you out there that have looked for a work at home job, it's just not that simple! Do you know that you can enter your name and e-mail address on one work at home site, and get responses from 3 bogus companies for the simple act of filling out that one! Woo hoo! And you can't call it spam cause you signed up for it! There was a fabulous site I came across... Duvet Dollars. The whole premise.... make money while you sleep! Sure, and why are there people still playing the lottery? I had point and clicked myself so far into the binary code, I'm shocked I ever found my way back out.
So I made my list of what I wouldn't do:
Now I ask you, was I asking too much?
I also set my goals:
Again, I'm wondering... is that too much to ask? I'm not aiming to be another Donald Trump. I just want a financially stress-free life and to provide for my children a chance to be all they can be without it costing them the rest of their lives. I'm not looking to be rich, just comfortable.
Over the past years I tried a couple of work at home companies and investigated dozens. I was please to find there are legitimate opportunities out there, you just have to do your homework. After trying several work at home businesses I discovered many things including:
(1) AVERAGE families (like my own) in this economy are
NOT spending money on anything expect basic needs
and
(2) I am NOT a salesperson!
Also, I'm a workaholic. Therefore, I have a hard time separating myself from work, ESPECIALLY when it's right in my home 24/7. Being on the phone 8 hours a day, even as much as I love to talk, is really not as fun for me as I thought it would be. And the combination of all this really wears on me. I have been in my life one huge ball of stress and as I get older, I realize this is NOT the plan that God has for me. Worried is NOT how my life should be lived.
Most importantly, what I have found on my journey over the past 3 years is this.... I LOVE being home with my kids more than anything in the world. So, with a little time and effort I can stay home with my kids, save money and therefore still contribute to our family's financial well-being. And I have a PASSION for helping other families that are in the same shoes we have worn! If you put a rich person next to a struggling mom, I will gravitate to that mother every time! But don't think I won't talk to the Ralph Lauren walking advertisement. I want to learn from these folks because I KNOW they can share at least one tip on how to better myself and my family. But this is all information I want to pass on to someone else.
You'll find me to be an honest, dedicated person that is just like you. We have struggles, we have worries. Every day isn't always great, but there's a light at the end of the tunnel and a gift from God waiting for us there. Sometimes a little faith and trusting your instincts will lead you further than you ever dreamed possible. Will you stare at the the doors that are closed so long that you fail to notice the doors that are opening for you? Close your eyes and think about what you are looking for out of life. No, really, you can do it. Write those dreams down. Keep them close to you. There's a way out. Through this blog I will share with you how our lives are changing every day and how I WILL reach my goals and make our dreams come true. I'm hoping that our journey will help you, too.
God bless,
Elisabeth
Here's my story: 2008
The hustle and bustle of everyday life was taking it's toll on our family. You know the story..... We were both working 12 or more hours a day. We were still broke. Our children were performing miserably in school because of lack of attention we were giving to it. I was a big ball of barking screaming stress. My hubby walked on egg-shells so I didn't bite his head off for asking if I had a good day ~ why would he ask me that... he knew I didn't?!?!?! There comes a time when change is the only choice you have before a big explosion takes place!
Now I'm not saying this change came voluntarily. No, I lost my job. Great! Now, I'm out of work too? Being this ticking time bomb waiting to go off, my first reaction was to light that fuse and BLOW!!!! But my hubby being the wonderful man that he is recognized this fortunate situation before that F5 tornado tore through our house. Being that it was Christmas vacation, his response.... stay home with the kids and enjoy the holidays. What? What do you mean enjoy the holidays? "Well," he said, "you can enjoy them or be miserable for the next few weeks. No one is going to hire the last two weeks of the year. So forget getting a job till next year. The boys are out of school and we have family coming in for Christmas. Enjoy your time with them through the holidays!" Well, dang it, I didn't need his permission to enjoy myself. I would enjoy myself if I darn well pleased. *stomp foot, cross arms, nod head* Humph! So there!
Then guess what I did? I enjoyed myself through the holidays! I had a blast with my boys, we stayed up late, slept in, went shopping, cooked all day, had family to visit, and just had a ball! After the kids went back to school what a joy it was to be here when they got off the bus. Homework got done (much to their dismay) and grades came up (X-box returned to child hands )! At the end of the week, I WAS NOT GOING BACK TO WORK IN CORPORATE AMERICA. That was it, that was final. Now ladies and gentlemen, when you are broke and barely making ends meet and you tell your spouse you are not going to get a job outside the home..... be prepared to be looked at like you have two heads! It's coming I guarantee you! But I had to quickly explain. I did not not want to work, I just didn't want to be Jane Schmuck anymore and work for "The Man". The Man had done nothing for me in all the years I worked for him. He didn't care that I was sick or my kids had a fever so high they looked like ripe cherries. He didn't care that I had been up all night with worries on my mind. Worries? What's that? When your The Man, it's hard to have worries while you're drinking your cocktail by the pool. He didn't care that my car was broken down.... again. He didn't care that I didn't feel appreciated. Because in The Man's world, it's not about me! It's not about my family! It's not about anything but what's going to pay for that heated pool in November! I was expendable! I could be replaced by someone younger, dumber and without kids. I was without a job... case and point!
What I did make clear was this... I wanted to work, I just didn't want to work outside our home anymore. I would get a job I could do from home. Uhhmmm, for those of you out there that have looked for a work at home job, it's just not that simple! Do you know that you can enter your name and e-mail address on one work at home site, and get responses from 3 bogus companies for the simple act of filling out that one! Woo hoo! And you can't call it spam cause you signed up for it! There was a fabulous site I came across... Duvet Dollars. The whole premise.... make money while you sleep! Sure, and why are there people still playing the lottery? I had point and clicked myself so far into the binary code, I'm shocked I ever found my way back out.
So I made my list of what I wouldn't do:
* I would not sell anything
* I would not work nights or weekends (unless I was making my own schedule)
* I would not sign with a company that I could not find a track record of
* I would not work nights or weekends (unless I was making my own schedule)
* I would not sign with a company that I could not find a track record of
* I would not lie
* I would not steal
* I would not steal
* I would not tell someone they needed something they really didn't need
* I would not make an investment without a clear picture of where my money was going
* and I had to communicate with a REAL LIVE PERSON!
* I would not make an investment without a clear picture of where my money was going
* and I had to communicate with a REAL LIVE PERSON!
Now I ask you, was I asking too much?
I also set my goals:
* I would like to get day to day expenses paid without worrying about how it's going to get done or what that will affect
* I would like to buy a nice comfortable home
* I would like reliable vehicles with no car payment
* I would like to send all four of my children to college without student loans
* I would like to buy a nice comfortable home
* I would like reliable vehicles with no car payment
* I would like to send all four of my children to college without student loans
* I would like for us to retire before our jobs kill my husband and/or me
Again, I'm wondering... is that too much to ask? I'm not aiming to be another Donald Trump. I just want a financially stress-free life and to provide for my children a chance to be all they can be without it costing them the rest of their lives. I'm not looking to be rich, just comfortable.
Over the past years I tried a couple of work at home companies and investigated dozens. I was please to find there are legitimate opportunities out there, you just have to do your homework. After trying several work at home businesses I discovered many things including:
(1) AVERAGE families (like my own) in this economy are
NOT spending money on anything expect basic needs
and
(2) I am NOT a salesperson!
Also, I'm a workaholic. Therefore, I have a hard time separating myself from work, ESPECIALLY when it's right in my home 24/7. Being on the phone 8 hours a day, even as much as I love to talk, is really not as fun for me as I thought it would be. And the combination of all this really wears on me. I have been in my life one huge ball of stress and as I get older, I realize this is NOT the plan that God has for me. Worried is NOT how my life should be lived.
Most importantly, what I have found on my journey over the past 3 years is this.... I LOVE being home with my kids more than anything in the world. So, with a little time and effort I can stay home with my kids, save money and therefore still contribute to our family's financial well-being. And I have a PASSION for helping other families that are in the same shoes we have worn! If you put a rich person next to a struggling mom, I will gravitate to that mother every time! But don't think I won't talk to the Ralph Lauren walking advertisement. I want to learn from these folks because I KNOW they can share at least one tip on how to better myself and my family. But this is all information I want to pass on to someone else.
You'll find me to be an honest, dedicated person that is just like you. We have struggles, we have worries. Every day isn't always great, but there's a light at the end of the tunnel and a gift from God waiting for us there. Sometimes a little faith and trusting your instincts will lead you further than you ever dreamed possible. Will you stare at the the doors that are closed so long that you fail to notice the doors that are opening for you? Close your eyes and think about what you are looking for out of life. No, really, you can do it. Write those dreams down. Keep them close to you. There's a way out. Through this blog I will share with you how our lives are changing every day and how I WILL reach my goals and make our dreams come true. I'm hoping that our journey will help you, too.
God bless,
Elisabeth
