THE BABY STEPS ARE NOT FOR BABIES

BACK AT STEP ONE AGAIN THIS MONTH. I HAD SAVED MY $1000 EMERGENCY FUND AND STARTED PAYING OFF DEBT. I EVEN GOT A 2ND JOB THAT WAS BASICALLY ANOTHER FULL TIME JOB WORKING 30 HOURS A WEEK AT UPS LOADING TRUCKS FROM 2 AM TO 8:45 AM. AFTER THIS I WOULD GO TO WORK AS AN OFFICE MANAGER FROM 9AM-5PM. I DID THIS CRAZY SCHEDULE FOR ONE ENTIRE MONTH. ON JULY 17TH (MY BIRTHDAY) MY CAR BROKE DOWN ON THE WAY FROM UPS TO MY REAL JOB. I QUIT UPS THAT DAY. IT WAS THE HARDEST JOB I HAVE EVER HAD, BUT THAT'S A STORY FOR A DIFFERENT TIME.

MY TRANSMISSION WAS TOAST AND I HAD TO MAKE THE HARD DECISION TO BUY ANOTHER BEATER RATHER THAN FIX THE FAMILY CAR SINCE 2005. IT HAS TAKEN ME A WHOLE MONTH AND A HALF TO RECOUP FROM THAT, MENTALLY AND FINANCIALLY. WORKING 70 HOURS A WEEK IS NOT A FEASIBLE LONG TERM. SO NOW I AM IN THE PROCESS OF LOOKING FOR MORE WORK.

HOWEVER, JUST THIS WEEK I HAVE INCREASED MY INCOME BY $848.00/MONTH!

FIRST THING I DID WAS CHANGE MY W-4. I WENT TO https://apps.irs.gov/app/tax-withholding-estimator AND CHANGED MY WITH-HOLDINGS SO THAT I DO NOT GET AS BIG OF A REFUND AT THE END OF THE YEAR. THIS INCREASE MY PAYCHECK $112/WEEK.

SECOND THING I DID WAS FIND A SIDE HUSTLE. MY SISTER RUNS HER OWN BUSINESS AND HAS THREE KIDS ALL UNDER THE AGE OF 7. SHE MENTIONED NEEDING A HOUSE CLEANER AND I HOPPED ON THAT TRAIN FAST! I NOW CLEAN HER HOUSE FOR $100/WEEK. I KNOW YOUR’E THINKING, BUT YES, HER HOUSE IS BAD AND I EARN EVERY PENNY.

JUST AS I WAS LOSING HOPE AND BECOMING DISCOURAGED THESE TWO SIMPLE BUT VERY EFFECTIVE ACTIONS CHANGED MY EQUATION BY $848.00 A MONTH! MY $1000 EMERGENCY FUND IS ALMOST BUILT BACK UP. WISH ME LUCK AND I’LL DO THE SAME FOR YOU! #DAVERAMSEY #THEBABYSTEPS