I had to learn about personal finance on my own as a teen parent with $3,000 in debt and no formal financial education. Even though it hasn't been simple at all, I have gained a lot of knowledge about budgeting, saving, and credit-building through trial and error. Unexpectedly, the TikTok app has been a blessing. I've learnt a lot about how to pay off my bills and establish credit thanks to the app. All of my mistakes and misinformation has been a learning lesson and I plan to take from it so I don't repeat the same mistakes and lead myself further in debt. I have always been savvy at saving , budgeting, and not living beyond my means. An error in my financial aid put my college account in the negatives so I owed all the money I had as a grant originally totalling a little over 3,400 dollars.My financial struggles have taught me the value of taking control of my finances and staying informed. I now realize that having sound financial standing is necessary for long-term security and stability, especially as a new mother. I've had to make difficult choices regarding how to spend my limited resources and prioritize expenses, and I have also had to learn how to save and invest for the future. I want to improve my future by learning more about personal finance in the future and implementing what I learn to do so. My main priorities right now are improving my credit and paying down my debt. Being able to go to school and learn about economics and personal finance can really help me in my future endeavors.I am committed to making wise financial decisions that will help me build my credit over time since I am aware that having a good credit score is essential for obtaining financial opportunities like loans and credit cards. Recently, I have gotten a credit card and a credit builder account , both helping me build credit as a newly 18 year old. I also intend to apply what I learn to guide my child in establishing sound financial practices at an early age. In order to help her avoid some of the financial difficulties I experienced, I want to teach him the value of setting up a budget, saving money, and investing. In the end, I think having a strong background in personal finance is important to sustaining a certain lifestyle that many want for themselves and their children.