People Speak Out About Life-Turning Things That Helped Them Stop Being Broke (30 Answers)

Learned a trade

Been a computer guy all my life, tried to go to community college for CS, but dropped out cus I was paying my own way and didn't want any loans. But picked up the fundamentals of programming over the years. Pursued other careers for a few years, before realizing none paid what I wanted.

Then had a buddy help get my foot in the door at a programming job. Now make great money, with significant raises coming soon. Also live in a low COL area.

The saying "it's all about who ya know" has rung true for me most of my life.

My Mum worked 3 jobs to put me through uni, I worked a job at near full time hours. If I wasn’t at uni, I was at work. If I wasn’t at work or uni, I was studying. If I wasn’t doing any of those things I was sleeping. Literally had no social life.

After uni I got an entry level job in my field (Marketing) and still worked a second job on top of that so I could make ends meet. Eventually I moved into the Marketing team at big corporate retailer and worked up from there. I didn’t quit my second job until I started making over $80k/year. 3 years later and I now earn $135k/year at the same company and love it. I also own an investment property with my brother and SIL, shares, a motorbike and was just able to purchase a new vehicle in December last year (I have ALWAYS gotten the hand me down cars from family members).

It was not easy. It was f*****g hard. I missed out on so much in my late teens and early 20’s to make sure I could get ahead. There were times that I had to ask Mum and Dad for help here and there which at the same time, they were just getting their own businesses off the ground.

I did all of what they tell you not to do (was first in the office, last to leave. Always said yes to extra work even though there were times I thought I could be taken advantage of etc.) and it paid off big time. I have never been on major overseas holidays (Europe, America etc.) and instead used that money for my down payment on my investment property. I am also open and honest about the fact I wouldn’t not have been able to afford the investment property without my brother and SIL going halves with me and I’m forever grateful for that.

The sacrifices I made help me sleep at night because I now know I’ll never live paycheck to paycheck ever again.

Taking a loan and going back to school, studying hard, making good grades, getting an industrial degree, and moving 1,000 miles away from everything I know. It was terrifying, the biggest leap of faith I’ve ever taken. It was a calculated risk but I was dirt broke, and had skipped meals for years. Making that decision at 22 changed my life. Now 10 years later I’m happily married, a home owner, and make over 100K a year.

39 now grew up p**s poor most of my childhood and paid my parents mortgage since like the age of 21 with my brothers .

You suffer and work 70-100 hours a week if you need to and save and do whatever it takes .

I took off 3 days a year from work for probably a 6 year stretch of working 7 days a week

you will lose friends , miss vacations and some drunk memories but I assure you taking a vacation at 35 years old with a savings account is far far superior than at 25 and broke .

Zero regrets trading in my early 20’s freedom for 40 year old freedom

I went back to school at 24 to get a degree in cs, got an internship at a big tech company and converted it to a full time offer at the end of the internship. Now I make insane money.

I worked full time with a lot of mandatory over time during the entire period I was in college. It was brutal, but ended up being worth it.

I got lucky.

I liked computers, and I could study a vocational degree in my country which was free at the time.

Then my family kicked me out so I had to move to a big city to get a low pay, entry, thousand hours job, completely alone. There was 0 opportunities or support for me. I was broke, sharing rooms and flats with... "interesting" people.

Then it turns out computers are a field with a lot of workers needed, so in a big city your skills are on demand and I got a better pay progressively.

Then I studied English and that opened international opportunities so I could work in a better field, maybe remotely.

Then I opened my own small company and I don't have to put up with a*****e bosses.

Read, learned, exercised, went to night school, got a GED went to university (got a loan for that) learned to live on beans and rice for 6 years got a contract job in my industry worked, studied, learned took every minute of work that came my way. Gained the trust of the middle class people around me, made them believe I wasn't some white trash loser, read learned exercised, saved up $10,000 started my own buisness, struggled for years, failed many times and finally got here. I am 52 and still working 6 days a week 12 hours a day. Sad but true. No easy options for me, unfortunately.

Good scholarship to private Uni, got the first major related job by being able to talk to ppl not necessarily skill. Made a bunch of connections. Those connections got me references and doors opened to other better paying jobs. Never burn bridges. Words are powerful and even when you think no one is listening. Also, a lot of f*****g luck.

By not allowing yourself to be content (yet), hustle every night and day until I can provide for myself and my family. Accepting any job (it can make a lot of connections), being humble about your journey, and always looking back at where you came from