Finding Your Way Economically

 

There have been numerous times during my FORTY-FIVE-year career that I have been without a job for one reason or another.

During those times, I worked at least THREE part-time jobs until I found full time work.  One of these part-time jobs was consulting based upon the skills that I had learned in my previous job.

What helped me more than anything else, was being very careful about spending money and doing without EXTRAS so that I could pay off my DEBT.  Once my debt was gone by flexibility and mobility increased.

The other issue was I was never TOO PROUD not to do certain types of work like manual labor or work that I felt insulted my intelligence.

The last issue was that I was not going to let what other people thought of me bother me.

I stopped EVERTHING that I need not really need, like:

• smoking cigarettes
• drinking alcohol
• buying unnecessary clothes
• buying new cars
• eating lunch out
• going out to dinner
• staying at the beach only five days

My vehicles are ONE YEAR OLD when purchased that have been LEASED with low mileage.  I saved $12-$15,000.  

I stopped going into debt beyond a MONTH.  If I could not pay off the debt in one month, I would not buy it.

Instead of buying canned beans, I purchased dried beans that took a little longer to cook and required planning.

I went to a technical school and learned how to build and repair computers.  Technical school also gave me the skills to sit for the Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer exam.

After my debt was gone, I gradually got more and more technical training to help me acquire part-time or full time jobs.

All of this was done after earning my master's in business administration from Wake Forest University, after earning my bachelor's from Elon University.  Bear in mind, I had no LOAN DEBT because my two years in the NAVY paid for all of my education via the GI Bill.

Hardly anybody wants to go into the military anymore and that is a mistake.

When I was 60 years old, my college degrees were not finding me work so I had to use my technical education to secure employment.

What helped me the most was convincing myself that it did not matter what my parents thought of me, my siblings, my relatives, my friends, or strangers...  

I WAS GOING TO DO WHAT I THOUGHT WAS BEST FOR ME AND IF I FAILED, I WOULD CONTINUE TRYING UNTIL I GOT IT RIGHT.