Hi there! My name is Jess, and I’m a civil engineer by profession. While my day job involves designing roads, my journey into personal finance has been just as much about creating something meaningful: financial freedom. Let me start by saying I’m not a financial expert, advisor, or anything close to it. What you’ll find here are my thoughts, experiences, and simplified explanations of personal finance concepts that I’ve found helpful.
How My Financial Journey Began
When I graduated from university in 2016, degree in hand and a shiny new job lined up, I thought I was ready for the so-called “real world.” Spoiler alert: I wasn’t.
Numbers have always been my thing, I mean, I became an engineer! But when it came to my own finances, I was clueless. I understood my hourly wage, sure, but what about everything else on that paycheck? Retirement accounts? Insurance premiums? Out-of-pocket costs? These terms felt like a foreign language.
Back then, my mindset was simple: if what I was buying cost less than what I earned, I was doing fine. This logic led me to impulsively buy a new car. While I managed to keep my monthly expenses below my income, I wasn’t saving or thinking ahead. I was treading water financially, not sinking, but not moving forward, either.
The wake-up call came during a lunch break at work. My coworkers were talking about savings accounts, taxes, and retirement plans, and I realized that I had no idea what any of that meant. That was the moment I realized: something had to change.
Taking Control
My first step was education. I picked up Get a Financial Life: Personal Finance in Your Twenties and Thirties by Beth Kobliner, which became my introduction to understanding the basics. Armed with Excel, I created a simple monthly budget tracker and started diving into blogs, videos, and podcasts about personal finance.
Over time, I gained enough confidence to talk about these topics with friends, family, and coworkers. The more I shared, the more I realized how many people felt intimidated by personal finance. It wasn’t just the math; it was also the jargon, the complexity, and the fear of making mistakes.
That’s when I decided to create this blog.
Why I’m Here
My goal is simple: make personal finance approachable, relatable, and maybe even a little fun. Whether it’s brainstorming budgeting tips, demystifying financial jargon, or sharing my own money wins (and mistakes), I want to create a space where anyone can learn and grow.
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by personal finance, you’re not alone. I’ve been there, and I’m still learning every day. Together, we can break it down, step by step, and take control of our money with confidence.
Let’s build something great. Our financial future.
Welcome to the journey!
— Jess