To start, I tracked every penny of my $3,200 monthly take-home pay.
Writing it all down helped me separate my needs from my wants and form a plan.
Next, I began moving half of every paycheck into savings.
The idea: If I don’t have money in hand, I can’t spend it.
But I got right back on track, and living on cash has now become second nature.
In about 30 months I’ve saved more than $45,000.
The crazy thing is, I don’t feel deprived.
I know the time to quit my day job is coming.
I don’t ever want to wonder, What if I’d lived my dream?
And now, I won’t.
Problem was, my job paid modestly, and I was spending way beyond my means.
By age 30, I was $23,600 in debt.
I called it my Spending Fast.
I became the Queen of Nono movies, no eating out, no shopping.
Going public kept me accountable.
When I tried to rationalize giving myself a small allowance, my readers urged me to stay strong.
Within 16 months I was debt-free.
Today I’m no longer on a Spending Fast; I simply focus on making smart choices about money.
And my blog is now a personal-finance site that helps readers get, andstay, out of debt.
Clearly, I needed a new car, which meant raising some extra cash outside my catering job.
That’s when my sister suggested selling my homemade sweets.
The starting rate for my chocolate or sweet potato cheesecake would be $45 each.
I was sure everyone would be mad.
Instead, my phone started ringing.
Nine months after my car broke down, I bought a new one for $14,000.
I wondered if I was on to something with my little business, but I was also beat.
I woke up at 4 a.m., worked all day, then rushed home to bake.
Every dollar I earned went back into my fledgling company or into the bank.
I spent virtually nothing on myself.
No cable, because who had time to watch?
No clothes, because I lived in a chef’s uniform.
I whined to my sister that it wasn’t worth it.
Her response: Stop crying and keep baking.
In six months, I went from selling about 35 desserts a month to more than 350 a month.
In 2010, I decided to go out on my own with just under $70,000 in savings.
We’re breaking even now and looking to expand!
I always tell people: Never underestimate your skills and hobbies.
That’s how I found my true calling.
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