Let's Get Personal

        I grew up in a small town in northwest Ohio, where we experience all four seasons within a week. My parents were not college graduates with fancy careers. I have an older sister, and we are different in every possible way. I am task oriented and unsympathetic; my sister is the people-oriented nurturing type.  We got along pretty well, all siblings have their quarrels but we had fun with the neighborhood kids. Growing up in a small neighborhood with some really close friends was one of my fonder memories.

We resided in a 1,400 square foot home, in town, on about an acre of land. My father was a milkman for a local dairy, driving truck and delivering milk to stores around town. I remember him working long hours and not returning home till later in the evenings. When my father returned home from work, spending time with him was difficult because of his frustration and being exhausted from work. This was always a struggle for my father emotionally, working long hours, and sacrificing time with his family just to make ends meet. My dad really encouraged me to do well in school, and attend college to be able to have more time with my family. My mother held several jobs throughout my childhood. My mother has been a babysitter, retail associate, and a cook for one of the area Headstart schools. Headstart is a government funded school program for lower-income families. So, I was actually raised by a lunch lady and the milkman. My father was the teacher and my mother was my best friend.

My parents have always been my biggest support system and worked hard to provide for us. My father is the one that encouraged me to approach my finances differently. Dad was taught by his father to work hard in life, but saving for retirement and other financial priorities were not discussed. My parents were also living the pay-to-pay cycle and it wasn’t until my late teenage years that my dad started learning about managing his money. Once it started to “click” for him, and he could see the principles working, he started talking to me in an attempt to encourage me. Initially, I was reluctant and just said, “Yeah dad”, “I get it”, and he thought I was listening. I knew that what he said was true and that I should follow his instruction, but like so many others I just wanted to keep doing things my way.

Looking back now, of course, I wish it would have clicked sooner, but it took years. I have to admire his persistence, as he continued to share stories about people he knew or read about. There were all these great tales of debt free, dual-income couples that lived off only one income and saved the other. Wow, in that moment I could never have imagined being able to do that. My wife and I were barely able to pay the bills we had with every penny of our income. In time I would realize that this “fairy tale” wasn’t as impossible as I thought. The desire to change and fix my finances would stem from my Breaking Point.