Life Can Get Weird

Since the age of 16, I have always had a job. Occasionally 2 and at times 3. There were always soooo many things in life I wanted to do and once I turned 16, I came to the realization that my weekly allowance from the parents was not cutting it. So one day, I set out on my bike, with a plan and within a couple hours returned home with my first job.

Back then, most of my money was spent going to concerts or out to eat with friends and eventually, when I got my first (then second) crappy car, some of that money went to gas and insurance but still expenses were at a minimum in high school and after graduation a friend and I drove down to Florida, from Illinois, for two unsupervised weeks of shenanigans. My first taste of independent travel, away from family trips.

And so, I continued to work in order to afford life and the things that I liked to do and have because of course there was always something and eventually I found my most recent job. 

I worked there for almost ten years and during that time I was able to buy a house, a new car and take so many fun and foreign vacations. Coincidentally, I had just returned from a two week trip to Europe, to celebrate my 40th birthday, when I was fired. Which was a bit weird more than anything. I was in a pretty okay position to be losing my job and walked away with a sweet deal from said firing. Never, since the age of 16 had I been unemployed and what better than the beginning of summer, to have this first time experience. 

My first two months of unemployment were pretty cool. I got lots of rest, a friend had just had a baby so I had time to support her with handling a newborn and toddler and just go to the zoo, join free activities at the library, make new friends, hang out with my granny and learn some of her recipes and play with my dogs. I also wasn’t too worried about finding some kind of work because over the 24 years of consistent employment, I had picked up so many skills; bartending, massage therapy and many more.

During my unemployment I continued to receive texts and phone calls from my former coworkers, who, after ten years of working together, I’d grown quite close with. There was one person in particular who called, asking if I was properly utilizing my time to finally begin moving forward with Budget Baller.

This person was right beside me in my upward journey in my last career. He was my right hand man in all my projects and plans and every time I made a move, I brought him with me because I couldn’t have succeeded without him. He encouraged me when needed, talked me off the edge when appropriate and had my back accordingly every step of the way. When I first mentioned wanting to create Budget Baller, he told me what a great idea it was, helping to encourage people to live their best life, of course in relation to their budgets. That sharing tips and tricks with folks about things they may not be aware of and would be interested in learning or at the very least, my sharing my adventures from my very own travels.

So thanks for everything Femi! I’m not sure if you realize how much those conversations meant to me and your words of encouragement and advice and constant belief in my ideas have helped me over the years and I hope this becomes something that can make both of us proud.