Do You Feel Hopeless When It Comes to Money? So Have I…

*Disclaimer: I am no financial expert. I am just a girl on a financial journey, trying to spread some hope to anyone in need.

I am no financial expert. I have never had a job in the stock market, nor do I know everything about the financial world. I am as average as they come. But I’ve been where you are. I have felt hopelessness. But I have also began a journey with money that I love and that makes me excited about my future. But in order to get me to this money journey, I made mistakes along the way.

Not just once but a few times. This is is why I decided to put my fears behind me and share my story on line. Because when I was feeling terrible about my life choices that led me to non-ideal financial situation, I couldn’t find anyone that I could relate with. I just felt a huge shame and felt like I had done nothing right. This blog and all to follow are for you reading. This is a message to let you know that it will all be okay. I hope that you can accompany me on my financial journey and are inspired to start your own or continue to go strong if you are already on yours.

My name is Crystal. I am the daughter of immigrant parents from Mexico. They are the bravest souls with hearts of warriors and are my Sun and Moon. My parents provided my siblings and myself with everything they could. And I had nothing short of a happy childhood. But there were times money was obviously tight. As a child of immigrant parents, you are hyper aware that a college fund is not at the top of the list, surviving is. Having a roof over your head, food, and basic necessities is what every parent seeks for their kids.

However, the idea of going to college and getting payed anything higher than minimum wage is the epitome of the American Dream to many of us. A way to a brigher future not only for ourselves, but hopefully for our parents and loved ones as well. The only way many of us are able to attend higher education is through student loans.

So I did what many of us believe is that right and only path for a better financial future. I got good grades in high school, I applied to college, I attended and completed college, then I got a good paying job. Life continued to happen as well, I got married and had my first baby during my last year in college. My husband and I were both young without much knowledge on how to manage money.

According to what society, school, and my parents had told me, I should be financially well of. Why if I did everything “Right” did I still feel financially inadequate? My husband and I had gotten into debt not long after we had began making money. What seemed like a little at first, began to snowball out of control until it had finally reached the height of what felt like an avalanche to me. Not just did we comit this mistake once in a span of 10 years but more than a few.

Right now in this moment of my life, I feel as if I have finally understood what the problem was. The answer was harsh but the truth had to be faced, and the truth is we were the problem. Even though this is such an easy answer, this moment of realization was not easy to come by. In fact it took us a long time to finally understand this. But once we acknowledge the truth, the next target was to put a plan to play. Till this day we are still working to be debt free, but we now see light at the end of the tunnel. We have hope and I don’t just feel a big ball of despair in the pit of my stomach whenever I think of money.

However, there are most definitetly challanges. There are days when I am still afraid of falling back into old habits, there are days when I just want to go shopping. But, I remember that we have to walk through the fire if we want to achieve something better for ourselves and our kids. I am learning how to approach, manage, and handle money every single day of my life. Why? Because I am tired of living in a viscious cycle of debt. Because I do not want our kids to follow in our poorly financial habits. Because if I want to teach them how to be good with money, I first have to teach myself.

Along these years, many things have happened to my husband and I. Both as individuals and as a couple. I will be sharing many of our financial hardships, mistakes, but also what has helped me learn more about money with each one of those experiences. What books or people I have followed that have helped me expand my mind to another world of knowledge. I truly hope you have found some solace today in knowing that no matter what you are feeling right now or what financial mistake you have done, you are not alone. I too have made plenty of financial mistakes. But you can and should feel good about yourself! I am sure you have accomplished more than you give yourself credit for! Because too often we focus too much on the negative about ourselves but not enough on the positive!

I hope you stick around for this wild ride! See you soon!