Financial Independence - Overview

When I began college 3 ½ years ago, I was put into the interesting situation of being on my own for the first time in a big city where I knew nobody. I had made an agreement with my mother that if I went to NYU, she would not have to financially support me anymore. When school began that August, I had paid for half of the tuition, dorm, and meal plan charges that were due that semester (through my summer work, scholarships and loans). My meal plan consisted of 5 meals a week. I had no job and I had $30.

Let me tell you, when you’re put in a situation like this, you learn to be creative! I didn’t want the people around me to know my circumstances because I didn’t think they would understand. Sometimes I’d casually mention that I was paying for school, but for the most part people didn’t really grasp the concept. I learned how to eat cheap. My dorm had a kitchen, so Ramen Noodles were the way to go. Our dining halls were “all-you-can-eat”, so I stocked up on cereal every time I ate there. I used a $25 Barnes & Noble gift certificate to buy $1.00 bagels from the Starbucks dining area. And so on.

Getting to where I am now (despite our cash flow issues) from where I was then has (in my opinion) been the greatest achievement of my life. It has been an adventure with many ups and downs, but I have learned many lessons along the way. It is a goal of mine to share my experiences and help others who are in similar situations. I can think of a thousand things I wish I had known when I was starting out on my own! While I will continue writing on financial independence and creative ways to finance your education in my online journal, I urge you to contact me directly if you have questions!