By hope
I’m sure many BAD followers slapped their foreheads and cringed when they read that I prioritized helping Princess in her final year of college. I know I know.
But I have too. I have to help her.
A little back story
When Princess started university, I told her I would cover her first year and after that she was on her own. Now, if you’re not a Georgia resident, you may not know that they have two grant programs Hope and Zell Miller. It’s a big reason why we moved here compared to other states when we moved. Essentially, if a student graduates from a Georgia high school, even if home-schooled, and maintains a certain GPA, the scholarship covers tuition and fees for higher education and/or trade schools. I wanted all children to have the opportunity to continue their education without debt. These grants were essential for me as a single mother of five children.
So we did it. The first year, I paid for living expenses, books, and even saved money for spending. (I’ve contributed by saving since I started working at age 15.)
Since then, she has covered all costs on her own. every one of them! It was very difficult for her. And very inspiring to watch. I am in complete awe of her. (My dad says he’s getting more determined and moving away from me, but she’s a lot more determined and committed than I think I’ve ever been.)
Housing disaster
Housing was one of the biggest challenges. She has been living in a 5 x 5 for the past two years. Five rooms, five roommates. None of them really have to work or be responsible. The princess wakes up every morning and heads to work, then to school, then on nights and weekends to run an on-campus investment club. I mean it kills her. But with all her roommates having the glamorous college experience with parties, this year was extremely difficult, as there was no peace to sleep, study, etc.. You get the picture. (I’m not kicking out her roommates, she just needs a different environment.)
So, this year, she was on the verge of moving out. In short, her housing options failed. Now she needs to move, she doesn’t have anywhere to move either, and she’s stressed to no end because living in ATL solo is expensive. And in today’s world, a random roommate, well, none of us are comfortable with that.
position to help
Fortunately, I am in a position to help. So we went apartment shopping together a few weeks ago before she flew out to start her summer internship. She has committed to paying the difference from what she paid in the past two years and the new place until she graduates next May. (You’ll graduate with your bachelor’s degree before you turn 21!)
You’ll graduate from college with $0 in debt. She knows the value of hard work and money. I just want to make this past year a little easier on her. Once we have everything settled, I will provide more details on what this will look like financially.
Hope is a creative, solutions-focused business manager who helps clients grow their businesses and operate more efficiently by leveraging expertise in project management, digital marketing, and technology solutions. She has recently become an empty nester as her five foster/adopted children spread their wings. She lives with her five dogs in a small town in northeast Georgia and prefers the mountains to the beaches any day. She has the travel bug and does her best to help each of her children finish school and become independent (but it’s hard!) She’s been running her own consulting company for nearly twenty years! Hope began sharing her journey with the BAD community in the spring of 2015, and feels like she’s finally in a place that allows her to truly focus on making wise financial decisions.
