April 21, 2019May 4, 2019 FOGA

A Look Back on 2012: What a Difference Seven Years Makes

Goals, Lifestyle

Hello FOGA Readers!

Recently, J Money over at Budgets Are Sexy wrote a post called, “How far have you come since 2012?!” In it, he talked about how different his life was seven years ago and how much his life has improved. He then said, “If you’ve got a pen and paper handy, jot down what life/money was like in 2012 and then compare to how different/improved it is now in 2019!”

I actually did do this with a pen and paper, and then I thought, “Why not share it with everyone?” So that’s what we are doing today. 🙂

So, let’s hop back in time and take a look at back on 2012.

Back in 2012

April 2012 was a dark time for me. I was about to graduate from college with no clue what I wanted to do. I had no job lined up (a company that I had been interviewing with and talking with for six months decided to go in another direction), and I was depressed. It was then that I realized that I spent my whole life following a path that was planned out. Now it was done, and I was on my own. Being asked, “What are you doing after you graduate?” became an exercise in patience.

I had student loan debt. I had a car loan. Thankfully, I avoided credit card debt (for now), but I was still on the hook for over $15,000. I know this is much better than most people getting out of college, but when you have no job, it may as well be a million dollars.

I had a bachelor’s degree in business management and not a clue what to do with it.

My main goals in life were to get a job, pay off my debt, and buy a home. I had no interest in being married or having kids. I had no idea about net worth, FIRE, or investing. Since I had no $40,000 a year job (or any job for that matter) lined up, I felt like a failure and that I was already behind on my goals.

Side Note: If you are currently in college, about to graduate, or graduated recently it is entirely okay (I dare say normal) to feel this way. The transition can be stressful, and you may feel abandoned. It does get better though. This article would have been helpful for me around that time. Hopefully, it is for you.

Back to the Present

What a difference seven years makes!

Now, I have a job that makes well over $40,000 a year. I got married in 2016 and have, and want, no children (surprising no one). I paid off that car and another one. We bought our home in 2017, and we paid off all our debt except the mortgage.

Our net worth is over $100,000, and I am actively pursuing FIRE. I even got the cat I always wanted. All in all, my life is better than I ever thought it could be seven years ago. 🙂

I wish I could go back in time and tell myself it would turn out okay, but that is beyond my powers.

In Summation

So, why even share this? I feel that we tend to forget where we were and therefore what we have done to get to where we are. Humans are incredibly adaptable. Once we have a new normal, you sometimes forget where you were before it.

Plus, if you are anything like me, you have a hard time remembering that life is a marathon and not a sprint. I am sometimes in such a hurry to get to where I want to be that I forget where I have been and what I have accomplished. Hence a look back at 2012. 🙂

So what about you? How far have you come since 2012? Let me know in the comments. Also, check out J Money’s post that inspired this one.

Until Next Time!

-Ms. FOGA