I recently completed my taxes and had to pay $6,000. I wish I could say that I made the payment and moved on with my life, but my head exploded when I saw that amount. How was this possible? Where is my $6,000 going? However, I realized the better question was why was I not mentally prepared for this charge? I did some soul searching and finally admitted to myself that I am scared to confront my finances.
I am the first to admit that I have issues surrounding money. I remember putting $2.35 of gas into my car and being hit with an overdraft fee – yes, that fee was $10. I paid $12 for a gallon of gas. I could tell you countless other stories; however, those experiences motivated me to become debt-free. However, I never considered what happens after you pay off your debt. What do you do next?
While I have a “rainy day” fund, I have never spent time learning finances once I became “debt free.” I have learned that becoming debt-free is only one side of a coin, and the other side is becoming proficient in saving. I must admit I have little financial knowledge except that I know an IRA is a good thing, and you should save 20% for a down payment. That’s it.
So, my dear internet friends, I am going down the rabbit hole. I am going to document my journey into learning about finances. I will use this platform to document this journey and hope it helps another person out there – wish me luck!