By admin@thesilverpetticoatreview.com 
On May 10th, 2008, I experienced one of the best days of my life—I graduated from college. After 5.5 long years, I finally completed my degree and was brimming with excitement. I assumed a $50K per year job was just around the corner, but reality hit hard when it took me over a year to find full-time employment, and the salary was nowhere near what I had hoped for. I struggled financially and my debt ballooned due to interest and late fees. It reached over $72,000 before I decided to take control. Currently, I have about $49,000 left in student loans, and once I clear that, I’ll be debt-free.
Becoming debt-free is crucial for my journey towards financial independence. There are several steps I need to take, starting with the most obvious:
Eliminate the Student Loans
These loans have been a burden for over a decade. In my 20s, I made poor decisions by ignoring the loans and making minimal payments now and then. Interest nearly doubled the original amount. At one point, I even took out an additional $12,000 loan for a degree I didn’t complete, a decision I soon regretted. In 2015, I finally began making regular payments on the loans. By 2019, I was making payments on all of them, and now I’m paying over $1,000 each month. I expect to increase that amount soon.
Grow My Website Businesses
I currently run two websites. The first is My Money Chronicles, which I rebranded in 2019. It covers side hustles, debt, and travel, along with my personal journey. My second website, which isn’t focused on personal finance, will go live in a few weeks. I’ve spent the last nine months researching SEO and found a promising niche. I’ll update periodically on its progress.
Grow My Resell Business
I also run an eBay store that helps me save money and pay off smaller debts. This year, my goal is to expand. I usually stock 190-200 items but aim to double that. I’m planning more thrifting and bulk buying to reach this goal. Additionally, I’m diversifying by posting items on multiple platforms like Mercari, Poshmark, OfferUp, Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and Nextdoor. This is all in an effort to tackle my student loans.
Grow My Design Business
I design items on Amazon, Teespring, and Redbubble, a side hustle with immense potential. The key is finding the right combination of designs and keywords for steady sales. I already have a few designs that generate income without much promotion, and I’m investing more time to see better results.
Invest More
I currently have some small investments but plan to expand soon. I’ve been exploring dividend stocks and recently bought a few. The dividends are small, but promising, so I’ll continue to invest in this area.
Save More
I keep a full-time job and save money every month in a separate online account that I don’t frequently check. This helps me build a safety net for when I eventually work for myself full-time.
Future Business Ideas
I have many ideas, like domain flipping and real estate. While I won’t dive into details today, I know that clearing my student loans will allow me to focus more on these ventures.
The ultimate goal is to become location-independent, enabling me to earn money from anywhere in the world. Two of my side hustles already offer a glimpse into that lifestyle. With more experimentation, I hope to achieve a consistent and substantial income. This is a major goal for me.
In 2020, I was fired from my previous job and didn’t work for over eight months. That time off allowed me to focus on my passions, and frankly, I miss that freedom. I’m dedicated to achieving financial independence, which to me, means true freedom. My aim is to reach this within the next two years, so follow my journey, and let’s celebrate success together.