I’ve been seeing some ideas pop up on Twitter over the previous couple of months which have sparked an thought in my mind. Obviously, eachone’s journey to Financial Independence will look different. However what are a number of the methods our paths differ? Our journeys are different as a result of we’re all facing different financial headwinds. Let’s have a look at a number of the financial headwinds I’ve confronted on my journey so far.
Early Days
Wayyyy again within the outdateden days (okay tremendous the late 2000’s), ya lady was in highschool. I had the fundamentals taken care of for me courtesy of my parents like meals, shelter, some garments, and lunch money. Eachfactor else I needed was by myself. A main financial headwind for me in highschool was professionalviding the money for my very own cellphone plan — and a pay-as-you-go plan at that. $60 a month doesn’t look like all that a lot now, however it was a main drag for me to scrap up that sort of dough every month. Issues received slightly wagerter after I received my first job at Toys R Us, however my headwinds elevated proper together with the rise in money movement. Suddenly I wanted to have money to pay my automotive payment ($150/mo for 18 months), insurance, and fuel.
My classmates didn’t belowstand what I was going by means of as they have been facing both no headwinds in any respect or perhaps a significant tailwind, assisting them to succeed. I as soon as had a conversation with a classmate who was complaining her little sister received a nicer automotive for her 16th beginningday than she curhirely had. I don’t remember what automotive her little sister received however I distinctly remember her complaining about driving a 2 yr outdated Jeep. I provided to commerce her automobiles. When she heard I drove an outdateder POS Dodge Neon that got here with the aforemalestioned automotive payment, her nostril wrinkled up and I received an “ew no means” in response. Her tone was on par with Alexis Rose in Schitt’s Creek. To today, I doubt that particular classmate has any extra empathy for these in different financial conditions.
Overshadowing the other financial headwinds in highschool was, after all, the looming mountain of the best way to pay for faculty.
Faculty
I used to be incredibly fortunate to have all my efforts in highschool repay within the type of a full-ride academic scholarship for college. With my military stipends coming in every month, the diploma to which I felt the topwinds much lessened dramatically. Headwinds have been nonetheless there, however rather more managein a position than earlier than.
I used to be nowhere close to struggling in college like a few of my pals. They needed to pay for their very own housing, meals, college, books, automotive, telephone.…. eachfactor. These are some hurricane-level headwinds to overcome. Due to my experiences in highschool, I was in a wagerter spot to belowstand the differences between me and my pals. I made positive to pay for activities I suggested like going to see a film with a pal or covering their drinks for a evening out.
Early Profession
It’s right now in my life that I begined to truly belowstand how my privileges in life led to fewer headwinds for me. Despite the fact that I had fewer privileges than some people I had grown up with, I nonetheless had a lot going for me. I had receivedten a glimpse of it in college, however this stage of life actually drove dwelling the variations.
I didn’t have student loans. I didn’t have family that wanted supporting every month. I didn’t have a little one to deal with. I didn’t have expensive well being points that impeded my ability to work and earn money. My automotive was all paid off and infrequently had mechanical issues.
The shortage of main headwinds at this stage in life actually helped me get forward in life.
Maturity
Now, my headwinds are extra like tiny breezes on a good summer day. I need to pay $300 a yr for glasses or contacts to have the ability to see. I pay $50 a month in medications to assist manage my ADHD. I am a girl, so a lot of products I purchase cost a pink tax or are simply straight up somefactor males don’t need to worry about like femi9 products or bras. (Males, you have no idea how good you will have it!!!)
Conclusion
On paper, two people who earn $100k ought to have the ability to save precisely the identical with the identical quantity of earnings, proper?
Incorrect!
A terrific examinationple was professionalvided by my pal Matt Lane on Twitter currently. He earns what most people would consider to be a excessive wage. However, he additionally has a lot of financial headwinds towards him in the mean time. He lives in Washington, DC, a excessive value of living space. Extra like tremendous excessive for those who ask someone who lived there for a yr (psst that’s me. DC is tremendous expensive!). Youngstercare for two children is $4,600 a month. $2,000 a month goes straight to student mortgage repayments. Add in $2,300 a month for a first rate asidement and that’s $106,800 earlier than you add in other necessities of life like meals, garments, diapers, transportation, interweb, telephone, and other fundamentals. So yeah, he may earn a ton of money, however he’s additionally experiencing extreme financial headwinds towards that prime earnings.
So earlier than we learn a Money Diary on Refinery29 that makes us tsk our tongues and lift our eyebrows, remember earnings is only one a part of the puzzle and a fewone may be facing significant headwinds that you just aren’t. Or, what’s the equivalent of a mild breeze for you may be the equivalent of the Weather Channel reporters standing on the shore earlier than a hurricane makes landfall. I’ve been fortunate in life to face favorin a position winds and I solely hope the identical for eachone round me!
As at all times, thanks for learning! Are you facing any significant financial headwinds? Pontificate within the comments beneath!
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