I took a much needed hiatus for the last few weeks to come to terms with the new world order of life during the COVID-19 lockdown.

I did the usual. Stockpiled water, canned goods, cereal, and toilet paper.

Now I’m back.

If this blog could talk, I am sure it would have asked me this question.

After making sure I had food, water, and medicine to stay physically healthy, my mind started wondering about my fiscal health.

Then I thought, shouldn’t people also be making sure they are staying not only safe, but also financially solvent during the pandemic.

Much like Angela Chase (Claire Danes) was constantly obsessing about her crush Jordan Catalano (Jared Leto) in My So-Called Life (MSCL), I would find myself constantly obsessing over my finances.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the show, My So-Called Life is an American teen drama television series from the 90’s that aired on ABC and then in reruns on MTV for years after it ended with only one season.

The plot surrounded a young 15-year-old girl that spent much of her time trying to figure out life and navigate being on the cusp on adulthood. The cast also just recently did a virtual reunion and reunited back together in 2020.

Now, back to my story.

I needed a fiscal safety net and plan in place that would allow me to weather and fiscal storm, including the coronavirus.

With over 33 million people filing for unemployment, I needed to shore up my resources.

My So-Called Finances needed my full attention. I was up for the undertaking.

START FROM THE FISCAL BEGINNING

Many of my lessons about money started when I was very young. I knew it was very important to have money so that you could take care of yourself and your family.

I got in the habit of saving when I was only three years old. That habit hasn’t changed. I have technically always been a saver.

However, along the way, I got lost. Kind of the same way that Alice did in Wonderland.

I too found myself in a maze of things I did not understand. I needed those signs like Alice got.

You know the ones. They said things like; Drink me.

By high school, I was an angst ridden teen with a penchant for spending. Then it hit me. Maybe I should start reading about this money stuff.

My 401(k) would be my new boyfriend.

As, time went on, I started obsessing about retirement. The hand-to-mouth existence dd not appeal to me.

I thought about what the heroine, Angela, in MSCL would do. She would probably start reading a book and asking a friend for advice.

I knew the same way Amy March did in Little Women that I would not be pauper.

Fun Fact: Claire Danes also starred as Beth in the 1994 adaption of the book.

Therefore, I had to change some things. They say the first step to solving a problem is admitting that you have one. It hurt to see that low bank balance, but it had to be done. To know where you are going, you have to know where you are.

The first step was to set a goal. If I had something to aim for, then I had a purpose. The goal: A one million-dollar 401(k).

LEARN HOW TO BECOME FI

The Tools to Succeed 1. Learn skills to sell for money You need the skills to become Financially Independent (FI).

I wanted to be fiscally savvy. Therefore, I had to read. Angela started off the show reading the book, The Diary of Anne Frank.

I started my FI journey reading a Kiplinger magazine. Then from there, I started watching the Suze Orman show. I knew I didn’t want to sit at a desk for 12 years only to end up sitting at a desk for another 40. I needed a plan. Being able to escape the rat race sooner rather than later appealed to me.

I started devouring personal finance books and blogs. Some of my personal favorites are The Automatic Millionaire, The Millionaire Next Door and I Will Teach You to be Rich. Then you have to decide on a path. I chose passive investing.

That turned on the light-bulb for me. Wealth building is about action.

Building wealth would take time, sacrifice, and work.

PASSIVE VS ACTIVE WEALTH STRATEGIES

Some people choose to start a business, become doctors, lawyers, actors, musicians, consultants, chefs or to make their fortune. I would get mine by investing.

I still needed a career to get paid. So, I found an employer to buy time form me and I equally willing to sell time to them. You can work in the public or private sector.

You can get further up the income ladder by gaining skills in the public sector and then selling them at a markup in the private sector to arbitrage your valuable skill assets.

I picked a job in finance. Once I got that job offer, I made the choice to start investing ASAP.

The 401(k) offers a maximum contribution of $19,000 and the IRA (Traditional or Roth) offers a max of $6,000. That is a total of $25,000 annually. I got my start with 6% and a match of 3%. Then, I slowly started working my way up by increasing my contributions by 1% a year.

2. Passive strategies There are two strategies here: A. Live below your means (LBYM); B. work smarter not harder.

Your employer wants to make more off of you than they pay you. Your work will not go unrewarded, but will be under-rewarded. Therefore, it is your job to invest in yourself by saving for your retirement.

CREATE AN INVESTMENT ATM

You must save enough to start earning large amounts of interest off your principal investment.

3. Accumulation phase Your job here is to start contributing as much as you can to your 401(k).

After, saving a 6-month emergency fund so you are no longer living paycheck-to-paycheck, start putting in every dollar you can into your accounts. Save until it hurts. Even if all you can afford is $50 a month. Save something. This will eventually become your own personal ATM.

It will be like a vending machine. You step up, put in your request, and the machine hands you what you want.

The RMD has now gone from 70.5 to 72. Therefore, you can let your money ride on the interest gravy train for an additional 1.5 years. On a million-dollar portfolio, that would mean an additional $105,000 with a 7% rate of return.

KEEPING IT PASSIVE

Building up your assets. I started with $5 and then went on to my first $100,000 and beyond. It can be done.

4. Passively build a sizable investment pool Find ways to earn income.

This can be with royalties from writing a book, collecting rent on rental properties, or renting out your parking space.

The goal is to trade time up front to build an income stream that with essentially last forever. Then you can kick back and relax.

If you have to sell 40 hours a week or the sum of 2,080 a year, you should get something out of the deal. Simple math can change your life.

I knew that one-million could spit off $50,000 of income forever with a 5% return. I just had to get there first. When I got to the point where my next money milestone was going to be $300,000, I knew I was on to something.

FREEDOM IS THE ANSWER

Why invest so much money? It’s simple. The answer is freedom.

Free from worry over how to pay bills, over how you spend your time, and quality of life.

Money equals power.

Money lets you be more confident.

Debt consumes as it only takes from you and gives you nothing.

The way to build your confidence is through positive experiences. Paying off debt then saving and investing that money will give you that. This in turn will build your self-esteem.

My favorite scene in MSCL was the one in the episode titled, “self-esteem.”

Confidence is key my friends. It attracts things to you. In Angela’s case, it was Jordan. Oops. I meant to say Jordan Catalano. For some reason on that show, he could never just be Jordan.

So, you see in the end, that you can get what you want. You just have to be patient, ask for it, and work for it. They say ask and you shall receive. Try it. I did.

And the results are amazing.