Loan Lawyers 2021 Annual Scholarship Competition

Financial freedom is something I dream of having when I have a career someday. My parents have always been in a tremendous amount of debt while I was growing up. From not being able to go on vacations to not having amazing Christmas like the other kids my age. All of these things pointed back to the tremendous amount of debt my parents had acquired. They were always working just to pay all the car notes and credit cards we never did much as a family. What financial freedom means to me is being able to not feel physically tied down to your job and bills just to make it month by month. I feel financial goes hand in hand with not living paycheck to paycheck. Financial freedom is something that must be worked for it is not something given. One must work for their financial freedom by not taking out necessary credit cards, not living within their means, and being irresponsible with their earned money. One thing I plan to do in the near future to help build financial freedom is not buying everything that I want. Since getting a job I have realized that I do have food at home and I have plenty of clothes and shoes as well. Greed now will cause even more greediness as an adult. In my financial math class at my high school class, we learned that many college students will take out more loans than their actual tuition and spend the rest of it. I definitely do not plan on doing that at all since a part of financial freedom is not being tied down to your student loans forever. How I plan on achieving financial freedom in the near future is by applying to as many scholarships as I can to help reduce the amount I will need to borrow for my education. I also plan on getting a part-time job in college to avoid the temptation of getting a credit card and to save up to pay as much of my loan down as I can. Just like Dave Ramsey said, "Live like no one else so one day you can live like no one else." That is something that I agree with and in college, I plan to live cheaply so one day I can have a nicer car, a nice house, and designer clothes that everyone is raving about but can not afford.

Financial freedom means having the peace of mind that you have little debts and you are not worried about being able to afford to put dinner on the table. Financial freedom means that you have the ability to provide for you family while being able to save enough money to take a vacation. Financial freedom means that you are able to help those less fortunate than yourself while giving to your family at the same time. Financial freedom means you can plan and save for your future and the future of your children while providing for their present needs. I envision a life of comfort and ease when I think of financial freedom. I envision a life without worry of being able to pay the rent on time, a life without having to work multiple jobs just to stay ahead. I envision a peaceful life for my kids, where they do not have to see their parents exhausted and tired because they have been so stressed about being able to feed them, let alone pay for their future education. I envision a life where I can provide for my parents, siblings, grandparents, and extended family so I can reduce their worries. I believe that I can obtain such a life as long as I work hard now to be able to sow the fruits of my labor later. Right now, I am pursuing my Bachelor's in Accounting through Western Governors University. This college allows me to accelerate my graduation date which will allow me to save time and money. WGU also allows me to have flexibility in my schedule, meaning I can work full-time as well to help pay for schooling. I will also apply for several scholarships and financial aid to reduce the amount that I will need to contribute to my tuition. Before I finish my degree, I will seek a job that is relevant to my field of interest to gain the necessary experience and understand the daily tasks that I will be required to perform as a CPA and/or bookkeeper. Once I have graduated with my bachelor's, I plan to utilize the experience that I have learned to start my own at-home bookkeeping business. I can also manage my everyday habits in order to boost my savings and take another step to achieve financial freedom. I reduce my gas usage by only commuting to and from work, minimal stops. I also shop bargain brands rather than name brands and I do my grocery shopping once a month. I make meals ahead of time and I make foods that can be easily frozen and can last for a week when cooked. Just by making small money-conscious decisions, I can increase my monthly savings and put those few extra dollars to my long-term goals such as owning a house, my future wedding, and my retirement. Even the smallest of steps can make a big difference in future goals.