Age: 26
Net Worth: ~$15,000
Primary Income: ~$36,000/year
Location: Los Angeles
Industry: Childcare
When you think about money, what’s the first thing that comes to mind?
Stability. I don’t think I’ve really felt stable since I was around 12, because of things that happened in my family and life. There have been a lot of repeating patterns. I only really started getting into finance a few years ago, and it was kind of a revelation—like, oh wow, this is the key to feeling stable. So when I think about money now, it’s really about working toward goals that give me a safety net.
I used to see money almost negatively—not exactly “evil,” but I grew up with a mindset that said, “Money doesn’t buy happiness” and “Family is more important.” My mom really emphasized living your life and not putting too much weight on money. I also grew up in a pretty impulsive household, and I’m super ADD, so I’d just spend money as soon as I got it. It felt kind of “yucky,” honestly—like something I didn’t want to deal with.
What was your first job, and why did you get it?
My first job was at Forever 21. It was horrible. I got it during my first year of college. I had to take out loans for the first time because I was suddenly considered out-of-state, so I lost access to in-state financial aid. Around the same time, I got a $700 speeding ticket. My parents told me they weren’t going to help with either, so I needed a job—and that’s how I ended up at Forever 21. I think it was 2018.
How you think about money and financial independence today?
I think that was definitely the beginning. It wasn’t the core moment, but it was the start of me feeling financially responsible. At the time, it felt like I was just working so my money could disappear. I was only making around $7 an hour in the Midwest, where minimum wage was really low. I worked the whole semester and barely managed to pay off the ticket. But yeah, it was the first time I had to handle something like that on my own.
And do you feel responsible for your loans? Did you have to take out student loans?
I did. My loans ($5,200) today are about the same as when I took them out, because they were in forbearance—paused while I was still in school. It took me about six years to get my bachelor’s degree. Plus, during COVID, loans were on pause for everyone. So they’ve only gone up by a few hundred dollars. I haven’t really started paying them off yet.
I went to Ohio’s version of a state community college, so even though I was out of state, it was still relatively affordable. Compared to California, where community college is free for residents or really cheap because of Pell Grants, it still felt like a lot at the time. But looking back, I got extremely lucky. My student loan debt is low compared to most people.
Honestly, I kind of stumbled into community college. I started at a private university for my first semester—it was $40,000 a year. I dropped out because I realized I couldn’t afford it. My family didn’t have any kind of college fund for me. I was just hoping scholarships would come through.
I got scholarships for that first semester, but then I was put on academic probation—and you can’t qualify for scholarships after that.
Do you currently support anyone financially, or have financial obligations beyond yourself?
No, not really. My partner and I actually make the exact same salary now, which just happened after I got this job. Before we moved in together—only about two weeks ago—we agreed that whoever earned more would cover a larger share of expenses, proportionally. He was making more at first, but now we’re equal, so it feels very balanced. Even though we support each other in a way, there’s no financial strain.
Have you ever received passive income, an inheritance, or a financial gift that shapes your financial standing today?
I did receive something from my grandma on my dad’s side, who I never actually met. She set aside a few thousand dollars—maybe around $3,000—for each grandchild to help with textbooks for school. That made a big difference during undergrad. It’s one of the things I’m most grateful for. She really valued education, and her support with textbooks really made a huge impact. I never had to pay out of pocket for textbooks, which can be super expensive—sometimes $500 for a single class, especially if professors required specific editions or physical copies. I always tried to rent or buy used, but having that money helped tremendously.
What experience has most shaped the way you think about money?
Definitely COVID. That was when I realized I had a real problem to fix. Like a lot of people, I blew through my stimulus check—it was the most money I’d ever had in my life. I think I ended up with about $4,000, maybe a mix of stimulus payments and part-time job income. I was also in school part-time and paying rent, though it was low. But I went through that money in less than six months. I just remember looking at my bank account and seeing $4,000, and being like, “Oh my god, I can do anything I want!” I started going out to eat constantly, made a lot of impulse purchases. Being in quarantine made it easy to buy things to fill the gap of not living a normal life.
I was buying things like Build-A-Bear plushies. They kept releasing cute ones—like frogs, Sanrio characters—and every time they dropped one I liked, I had to have it. It was definitely a coping mechanism. And, yeah, there was weed too. So it wasn’t just plushies.
I only kept one plushie. He’s a frog named Clancy and I love him. But the others felt tied to a time when I wasn’t in a good place mentally, so I got rid of them.
Was there a turning point that made you start reflecting more seriously?
I looked around at the adults in my life and realized I was heading down the same path. I had no financial education. My mom grew up really poor, and my dad grew up wealthy. My mom coped with her experience of poverty by saying money didn’t matter and never learned to manage it. My dad, on the other hand, was used to comfort and just wasted money. That contrast was really confusing growing up.
They divorced when I was 12. We were living in Ohio, then I moved to L.A. with my mom when I was 13. A big reason for their divorce was money. Since my mom didn’t know how to manage finances, she left everything to my dad—he insisted he could handle it. She trusted him because she was a stay-at-home mom until I was about 10. Then she went back to school and got a job.
But when I was around 10 or 11, my dad confessed that we had no money left. He’d blown it all—he had some secret addictions—and he bankrupted us.
Our house was foreclosed, and we lost everything. That experience really stuck with me. I didn’t want to end up like my dad, who lost his family and home because of impulse spending. And I didn’t want to end up like my mom, who gave up her financial power because she didn’t know anything about money.
I shouldn’t have been worrying about money the way I was as a kid. But since I started learning about finances a few years ago, I’ve tried to share what I’ve learned with others. Still, both of my parents continue to make poor financial decisions. It’s hard to watch, but I also get it—it’s genuinely difficult to balance and manage money. My mom, who I inherited my ADD from, has major impulse control issues too.
As a kid, I felt this pressure to step in and tell them how to manage their finances, which is such a weird, reversed position to be in.
Your mom being a stay at home mom and your dad managing all the finances—how did that shape your view and dynamic with your partner?
It was a very traditional setup. My mom deferred everything financial to my dad, and it ended up costing her a lot.
It’s crazy because I grew up thinking we were a pretty progressive family—my parents weren’t conservative, and my mom identified as a feminist. But looking back, their dynamic was super traditional: my dad worked and controlled the finances, while my mom stayed home, did the housework, and had no idea what was going on with the money.
I think that’s a really dangerous trap that a lot of women can fall into, intentionally or not. The whole “Tradwife” thing that’s circulating now really hits home for me because I saw firsthand what can happen when someone gives up financial freedom. You’re basically gambling your stability on someone else’s responsibility.
My mom trusted her husband, like most people do when they get married. Nobody thinks, “this person is going to bankrupt me.” But that’s what happened. So especially as a woman—especially if you want kids—there are so many hard financial decisions to make. Whether it’s staying home or paying for daycare, there’s always a cost.
And while I do trust my partner, we’ve made very intentional choices. We just moved in together, and we have separate bank accounts. We only have one joint checking account for things like utilities or date nights—purely for convenience. Everything else—my savings, high-yield accounts, retirement, brokerage—those are mine, and I plan to keep it that way.
What was the most difficult or significant financial decision you’ve ever made?
That’s a good question. I feel like most of the big financial decisions I’ve made weren’t really “decisions” so much as things I had to do—figuring out how to pay for school, getting a higher-paying job. That’s just part of becoming an adult.
But right now, I have a major financial decision looming: I’m finishing my prerequisites for nursing, and I’m planning to apply to an accelerated nursing program. It’s a 12- to 18-month intensive program, and it’s really expensive—some schools cost up to $90K. Plus, you’re not allowed to work during the program because of the intensity, so I’d have no income during that time. It would be the biggest amount of debt I’ve ever taken on, and I’d also be giving up the financial freedom I’ve worked hard to maintain.
Nursing is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time, and I finally feel confident enough to go for it. California is actually one of the best places to be a nurse—we have strong unions and better pay than most other states. Also, the schedule is appealing. Most nurses work 3 12-hour shifts or 4 10-hour shifts, which gives you a lot of flexibility. That opens the door to more financial freedom and personal time.
Compared to teaching, where the salary growth is pretty limited, nursing offers a lot more upward mobility. If everything goes well, I could potentially pay off that debt in a few years by being frugal and disciplined.
But the risk is real—what if I don’t make it through the program? What if I have to drop out and retake classes, or if it puts strain on my relationship because I can’t contribute financially during that year? There’s just a lot to consider. The plan for my cost of living is saving up my emergency fund. I don’t expect to be in a nursing program for another year, which gives me time to save. Right now, I’ve got about $15K in my emergency fund, and I’d like to raise it to at least $20K before starting school. I’m also planning to apply for as many scholarships as possible to offset tuition—because honestly, the idea of taking on $90K in debt makes me really nervous.
How do you decide what’s worth spending money on versus what’s worth saving?
I used to buy a lot of stuff—maybe not hoard, but when I moved a couple years ago, I realized how much clutter I had. Even though I didn’t think I owned that much, there was just so much stuff I didn’t actually need.
Now when I’m shopping, I ask myself: 1/ Where would this live in my home—will it just be lying around? 2/ In 2 to 5 to 10 years, will I see this as junk?
For example, there’s this trendy little stuffed animal keychain—Labubu or something—that’s really popular right now. A few years ago, I absolutely would have bought one, maybe even a few. I love cute things and art. But now I try to recognize when I’m drawn to something because it’s trendy, not because I actually want it in my life long-term.
So I think more about function over form, and I try to picture how I’d feel after that money is gone from my account.
Have you gotten more intentional with budgeting, too?
Yeah—I used to think budgets were restrictive and depressing. But now I actually enjoy the freedom they give me. I use pre-made Google Sheets or Excel templates, because I’m really bad at math and don’t know any shortcuts.
I start by listing everything I know I’ll spend in a month—rent, utilities, car, subscriptions, hair trims, date nights—stuff that’s recurring and realistic, not just bare necessities. Then I subtract that from my income to see what’s left over.
That leftover money becomes my “fun” budget, and because I’ve planned for it, I don’t feel guilty spending it. It’s helped me spend more intentionally, especially since my partner and I just moved in together. We’ve been spending a lot on furniture, cleaning supplies, and decor, so that definitely affects the extra money I have each month.
Before, I’d hear the word “budget” and immediately think of someone telling me not to buy coffee. It sounded so boring and rigid. But now that I’ve created my own system, it actually makes me feel more free—because I know what I can afford, and I know I’m still putting money toward my future.
What role does money play in your life now? Do you see it as a means to an end, or does it carry a deeper significance?
Money feels so different to me now than it did just a few years ago. Getting a job that pays a steady—if barely decent—wage in Los Angeles definitely helped. But more than that, it’s been a mindset shift.
Now, every time I get my paycheck, it feels like a gift to myself. I get to take care of myself with it—pay rent for a little place I love, enjoy food I like, have dinners with my partner, buy clothes, go to music events, and even garden. I just joined a community garden and now I can spend money on something like gardening!
And honestly, putting money into my savings and retirement accounts also feels like a gift. I’ve seen people in my life—my parents, other adults—struggle because they didn’t plan for retirement, and now they’re facing a crisis. Their kids aren’t in a position to support them financially either. So for me, saving is a way of taking care of future me. And that feels really good.
How has social media influenced how you think about money?
Social media used to affect me a lot. It honestly feels like this huge capitalism machine now. I remember when it was just people posting stuff they liked—not curated content or ads. Now it feels like most accounts are just one big advertisement.
There are constant ads—unskippable ones—and people saying, “You have to get this!” It’s exhausting. And I’m not immune to propaganda. I try to resist, but I’m definitely still influenced.
That said, it’s also become a place for me to practice resisting that influence. I’ll see something—usually clothes, home decor, or makeup—that I really want. But I’ll push through the urge, and when I come out the other side not having bought it, it feels like a win.
And on the flip side, social media also helped me learn about money. That’s where I found financial content made by women and marginalized creators. Once I started looking for that, the algorithm picked it up and started showing me more. It completely shifted my perspective.
Have you ever questioned your money habits or beliefs? If so, what sparked that?
Definitely. Especially during that big personal shift when I realized I was really bad with money. Since then, I’ve been in an ongoing state of reflection—I’ve never felt like, “I’ve figured it all out.”
Progress doesn’t feel linear to me. Sometimes I still impulse spend and feel really guilty about it. So I’m working on finding that balance between guilt and acceptance.
Like, can I make an impulse purchase and feel okay about it? Will I always feel the need to be 100% intentional with my money? Or can it be okay to make a fun, spontaneous choice every now and then? I’m still figuring that out.
Do you feel like your financial decisions align with who you are?
For the most part, yes. The biggest disconnect is probably with food. I tend to spend more money eating out than I’d like, and it doesn’t really feel aligned with who I am—because I actually prefer to eat at home.
It’s not even about the money—it’s just that sometimes I rush myself or I don’t feel like cooking, and then I end up ordering Thai food or something. Afterwards I’m like, ugh, I had food at home.
But overall, I think my finances reflect where I’m at in life right now. And I know that’ll keep evolving with me—I’ll go through different phases, and hopefully they’ll all be growth moments.
If money didn’t matter, what would your life look like?
If money didn’t matter… wow. It’s hard to picture because the world is so money-driven. But I definitely wouldn’t be working my current job.
It’s fine, but it’s not my passion. If money weren’t a factor, I’d quit, finish my prerequisites in one semester, and go to nursing school—that’s what I really want to do. I’d love to become a midwife.
In my dream world, I’d be delivering babies, traveling, gardening, and making art in my free time. That would be my ideal life.
What do you wish more people understood about money?
I wish people knew how easy it can be—how empowering it is once you get over the initial learning curve.
Of course, it’s also hard because there’s so much unlearning involved. But what really bothers me is how inaccessible it often feels—especially for marginalized groups. So many young people, women, people of color, and queer folks I know feel intimidated by money stuff.
Finance is such a white male–dominated space, and the men who are loudest—like Dave Ramsey—tend to be authoritarian, shaming, and gatekeep-y. They make it sound so much harder than it actually is.
That’s a huge problem. It’s a tool of oppression, honestly. They want to keep marginalized people out by making finance seem boring or difficult. But in reality? Finance is freeing. It’s exciting.
It might sound counterintuitive, but I think financial literacy is a form of resistance. Taking control of your money and pulling it away from the wealthy, putting it into the hands of marginalized folks—that’s powerful. That’s how we uplift ourselves instead of always being at the mercy of systems that want to lock us out.
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