Voices
After a few hard lessons, taught by
a miserably small dollar amount
in my checking account after too
many parties, shopping sprees and
impulse buys, I gradually learned
to want less and to save more.
I chose not to go to graduate school. Being a history major
meant I endured endless comments about the fact that I would
have to go to grad school to be
successful. Deciding to ignore
what I secretly agreed with wasn’t
easy, but in the end I chose to
walk away from a Masters degree
after I finished my undergrad career. I could not afford to pay for
graduate school out of pocket, and
I did not believe that my job prospects would be greatly improved
with more degrees.
Two and half years later, I believe I made the right choice. I’m
still with the company I got hired
at three months after graduation, but I’ve worked my way up
a little; I’ve gotten multiple raises
and more responsibility. I’m not
working in a museum or teaching
college kids about the history of
Ireland like I had dreamed about
in the past, but I do have a stable
job that pays the bills.
I’ve also been able to work on
side hustles I’m passionate about,
KALI
HAWLK
HUFFINGTON
12.22.13
like writing. And while I may not
be teaching kids about Ireland,
being debt-free has allowed me
to save for an overseas trip, and I
will actually be visiting the Emerald Isle next year. I’m able to save
over 30 percent of my income and
I’m planning on retiring early —
possibly within the next 20 years.
I’m able to do all of this because
I made decisions that set me up to
I’m able to save over
30 percent of my income
and I’m planning on retiring
early — possibly within
the next 20 years.”
earn my degree in exchange for the
smallest amount of money possible. Avoiding debt was, and always
has been, a top priority. In hindsight, the steps I took in college
seem ten times more valuable and
worthwhile today. I’m so thankful
I am one millennial who defies the
statistics and lives without
any debt to slow me down.
Kali Hawlk blogs about
common-sense financial advice
at Common Sense Millennial.