Turn back the clock 5 years...

So 5 years ago...

I was broke, worked two shitty jobs, couldn't sleep at night from a case of scabies, missing my months studying abroad, and began to accumulate credit card debt like it was my job. This day 5 years ago I was in the summer before my senior year of college. I was broke because my minimum wage job working at Elizabethtown College plant operations as a lawn mower guy, and waiting tables was paying for my rent, saving my money for rent for the upcoming school year, beer, and not putting a dime towards paying of the debt I was building with impulse buys with the credit card. I had a habit up until several months ago to buy dvd's, games, and cd's like it was my job. I had scabies because of one of the dirty hostels I resided in while in Paris for a week, and having scabies is painful. I remember when I was in Spain that I couldn't wait to get back to the US of A in the last few weeks of being there, but for what? Yes I missed friends and family and being able to understand your surroundings but after a month of being back in the states I wanted to return to Spain.

That was then, this is now....

I'm engaged to be married on August 8, 2009, have lost 78lbs, and my net worth is still in the negative but not by much. I still did continue to accumulate debt but within the last 7 months have been making a conscious effort to rid this evil doing. I must say, I am doing a good job and I think I have a handle of my finances. My budgets have been broken, but I have been learning to reduce spending to save more, and eliminate more debt. Since Feb 2008, I've been able to save $6,500 while eliminating $3006 of debt. Which means my net worth has went from -$13,946 to -$4,456! If it wasn't for our recession in America I would have more considering I have lost several hundreds of dollars in my 401k, but such is life.

I would have never predicted that in 5 years I would be where I am at in my life. I feel like the last 1.5 years of my life have changed for the good. I began exercising more, leading to my dramatic weight loss and have been able to keep it off. My 2008 resolution was to eliminate debt but also to read more books. I set a goal of 6, then 12, now I'm shooting for 25. I have read 17 already, and think this will be cake. Also, my career is constantly on the rise, had a promotion in May with a compensation increase, and this week I began having discussions with a guy who owns a web development firm and I think I am going to start doing contract jobs in web design. I've been wanted to find a side job to earn some extra income to pay off debt and save more towards purchasing a house, and last weekend I saw an opportunity from a friend and received a business card. Sent a few emails, had a long discussion about the web and am waiting to hear back about the first project I can work on. If all goes well it should bring in anywhere from $500-2,0000 a month! Anxious to see where this takes me....