The year was 2009. A college student had recently graduated with no job prospects, no assets, $110 in his checking account, a mountain of student loan debt, and not even a romantic interest. Sure, he’d done many of the “right things” (getting good grades, working campus jobs, and interning during the summer), but the economic reality of the times was setting in and the graduate wondered whether achieving the American Dream was only a myth.
Fast-forward to 2019. The student is now gainfully employed, happily married, student-debt free, and rapidly working towards financial independence. More importantly, however, he can unashamedly say that he is very happy and has a positive outlook on life.
How did he get here, and how can you?
Welcome to The Centsei, a blog in which we will explore the journey of how to improve one’s financial and personal well-being.
While the blog’s title may imply a Jedi-like “master/student” relationship, the reality is just the opposite. I intend to share all my experiences – the successes (some) and the failures (many). I hope that you, the Centsees (readers), will consider sharing yours as well.
This blog is about is how to live richly without spending a lot of money… and how to become wealthy both in mind, spirit, and wallet without sacrificing your integrity. There will be no articles about reusing toilet paper, eating lentils for a year, building your own 150 sq ft cabin in Montana, or shaving your back in the office bathroom to save a buck.
Our mindset begins with courage, habit-forming, effort, and planning. There are no shortcuts, secrets, or gimmicks.
• Courage to say “no” when your peers say “yes”
• Habit-forming to help the difficult things become routine
• Effort to understand human nature and its limitations
And
• Planning to forgo what you want today for what you’ll need
tomorrow
(Purely a coincidence that this spells out C.H.E.A.P.?)
And don’t worry; I will never recommend something I don’t/wouldn’t use myself. Check out my disclaimer if you’re bored, a lawyer, angry at me, or a bored lawyer who’s angry at me.
Each blog post will have a financial well-being theme, summarized with a simple “Centsei Says” caption, as seen here:
The Centsei philosophy is simple; it starts and ends with “I can.” No specific background, education, or skill set is needed to benefit from this blog. You’ll just need the right mentality that you want things to get better.
• You can learn this stuff.
• You can develop better financial habits.
• You can be happy.
• You can achieve peace of mind.
• You will free yourself from the financial and emotional traps
designed to take away your money, your free will, and your
happiness.
All of your excuses for financial mismanagement are hereby banished. Forever. The thoughts of “it’s too complicated…,” “I’ll never be able to get out of debt…,” “I’ll just start later…,” or “it’s all rigged against me…” are excuses of the past.
The blog will also feature commentary from my trusty sidekick, Penny Why’s. While you might see nothing more than a flying piggybank, do not be fooled. Penny packs a punch! She will help us define complex terms, understand equations, and stay motivated on our path to financial independence… all while helping us understand the “why’s” of our conversations. .
(Penny promises not to hog all the puns for herself…)
The time to get started in your journey to financial success is now, and I hope my stories here can help.
Stay tuned for weekly updates, and please consider subscribing, commenting, bookmarking, following, or sharing with others.