From Pennies to Purpose

Part 1: Broke, But Not Broken

I graduated in the spring of 2016 with a Bachelor's degree in English Literature, a handful of writing samples, and a student loan statement that read like a horror story. I had \$38,000 in student debt, a used car with an overheating problem, and an unpaid internship at a small publishing house. I lived in a shared apartment where I paid \$650 a month for a room that could barely fit a twin bed.

My life was a financial mess.

I was always the kind of person who believed things would "work themselves out." That faith was put to the test when I had just \$12.56 in my checking account one night and still needed to get to work the next day. I remember holding my breath at the gas station, praying my debit card wouldn’t get declined.

I didn’t need luxury. I needed stability. I needed dignity.

So I made a decision that changed everything:

I Googled:

“How to make money online.”

That rabbit hole became my revolution.

Part 2: My Life as a Hustler

At first, I tried everything. Literally everything.

I signed up for survey sites—Swagbucks, InboxDollars, and whatever else promised a few cents for 20 minutes of my life. I made \$3.40 in two hours. Not sustainable.

Then came selling old clothes on Poshmark. That worked—for about two weeks, until I ran out of clothes worth selling. Then I stumbled upon freelance platforms. Fiverr, Upwork, and later, peopleperhour. I started writing resumes, editing college essays, and eventually ghostwriting blog posts. My first real gig paid \$10 for 800 words. It took me three hours. Still, it was the first time I earned money with just my brain and a keyboard. Then came Instacart deliveries, DoorDash runs, and a stint as a part-time pet sitter. At one point, I had five different income streams. None of them paid well, but together, they kept the lights on.

But I was tired. Chronically tired. I worked seven days a week. I had no social life, no routine, and no health insurance. One day I fainted while delivering groceries—it was dehydration and exhaustion. That was my wake-up call.

I realized I had confused hustle with progress.

Part 3: The Financial Awakening

I started looking not just at how much I was earning—but how I was spending. I opened a spreadsheet and documented every cent. I was shocked. \$62 on fast food in one week. \$35 on subscription services I barely used. \$120 in impulse Amazon buys. No one teaches you that tracking your expenses is like holding a mirror to your subconscious. I made drastic changes.

I unsubscribed from every unnecessary subscription.

I started cooking at home (rice and eggs became my go-to).

I deleted shopping apps from my phone.

I gave myself a “fun budget”—\$20 a week. That was it.

But the biggest shift was psychological. I stopped seeing money as evil or elusive. I started treating it as energy—something that needed direction.

Part 4: My First \$100 Investment

I stumbled on an article about micro-investing apps like Acorns and Robinhood. I had no idea how investing worked. I thought the stock market was just for guys named Chad who wore Patagonia vests and used words like “diversify.” But I figured if I could spend \$5 on a coffee, I could put \$5 into something that might grow.

I downloaded Acorns and set up automatic roundups. Every time I spent, it would round up to the nearest dollar and invest the spare change. It felt harmless. Invisible.

Two months later, I had \$104 in my investment account. It wasn’t much, but I had *something*. Something I didn’t touch. Something that was working while I slept.

From there, I started learning about ETFs, index funds, and compound interest. I read books like *The Psychology of Money* and *I Will Teach You to Be Rich*. I followed personal finance creators on YouTube and TikTok. And slowly, I began to *understand* money—not just earn it.

Part 5: When It All Clicked

There’s a moment in every personal journey where things stop being survival… and start becoming strategy.

For me, that moment came when I saved my first emergency fund: \$1,000.

It sat in a high-yield savings account, untouched. Knowing it was there gave me peace I hadn’t felt in years.

From there, everything accelerated.

I opened a Roth IRA and contributed \$50/month.

I used my freelance income to pay off \$5,000 in student loans in one year.

I created a “sinking fund” for travel and experiences.

I built a website to showcase my writing portfolio and raised my freelance rates.

Money wasn’t controlling me anymore.

I was telling it what to do.

Part 6: Losing, and Learning Again

Not everything was smooth. I fell for a crypto hype cycle in 2021 and lost \$600 chasing “the next big coin.” I underpriced my work for far too long. I once forgot to file a 1099 and ended up owing the IRS more than I expected. But each mistake was a lesson paid for in full. I stopped chasing fast money and started focusing on resilient income—the kind that lasts. The kind that doesn’t disappear in market crashes or depend on algorithms.

Part 7: Purpose Over Profit

In 2023, I launched my blog: *The Debt-Free Creative*. It started as a way to document my journey, but it became a community. Writers, designers, and digital nomads started reaching out, thanking me for showing the “ugly side” of financial growth.

I made \$8,200 that year from the blog alone—through affiliate links, digital product sales, and coaching calls.

But the real win? Someone emailed me to say:

“Your blog helped me leave an abusive relationship because I finally believed I could support myself.”

That’s when it clicked.

Money isn’t just about security or status.

It’s about freedom.

Part 8: The Real Definition of Wealth

Today, my life looks wildly different.

* I have 6 months of expenses saved.

* I contribute to retirement accounts monthly.

* I work 4 days a week—by choice.

* I’ve paid off over 70% of my student debt.

* I own two websites, both profitable.

* And most importantly: I wake up without anxiety.

Not because I’m rich—but because I’m in control.

Wealth, I’ve learned, isn’t about yachts or luxury cars. It’s about choices. It’s about saying “no” to what drains you and “yes” to what matters.

It’s being able to take a day off without panicking.

It’s helping your family when they need it.

It’s tipping well, giving generously, and sleeping peacefully.

Final Thoughts: The Invisible Rich

There are millions of us out there—the “invisible rich.” Not flashy. Not viral. Just quietly building wealth, day by day. One side hustle, one savings plan, one freelance gig at a time.

If you're in the trenches right now—working extra shifts, freelancing after midnight, or stressing over every dollar—I see you. I’ve been you.

And I promise: it gets better.

Not because it gets easier. But because *you* get smarter. Stronger. Sharper.

You don’t need to be born into money.

You just need a plan—and the courage to begin.