What’s your rags to riches story?

[Anonymous]

How many of you are non-white? Just curious

[Anonymous]

My husband and I were both raised working class. Both of our families received food stamps at various points during our childhoods. We were also broke young adults working low pay, unskilled jobs (retail for me, food for him). He does not hold an undergraduate degree. I finished mine at age 25. Our HHI is around $200k, which is more money than either of us ever knew as children. We are able to travel, go out to dinner, and save money for retirement and college for two kids.

It's not DCUM rich, but it is a long way from where we started.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My husband and I were both raised working class. Both of our families received food stamps at various points during our childhoods. We were also broke young adults working low pay, unskilled jobs (retail for me, food for him). He does not hold an undergraduate degree. I finished mine at age 25. Our HHI is around $200k, which is more money than either of us ever knew as children. We are able to travel, go out to dinner, and save money for retirement and college for two kids.

It's not DCUM rich, but it is a long way from where we started.

PP here seeing the race question above. I'm white of Scandinavian extraction and I'm a social worker. He's Mediterranean and works in tech.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How many of you are non-white? Just curious

White - and I know that my rags to riches story was much easier because of it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:31 making 325K a year. Not exactly 'rich' yet but by the time I'm 60...

Anyway, my story is more of a middle class kid fighting tooth-and-nail to raise themselves up. Parents put me on a plane to college 500 miles away with 50% of the student loans in my name, a lot of love, and a work study program. Nothing else. No financial help upon grad. I turned that into $1.3 million in real estate, a small nest egg in the 401K, student loans paid off, car paid off, and a life I love. Also no kids so the money is mine free and clear.

i hate to be that person ..but 50% loans in your name lol as in they paid half of your college tuition? and they put you on a plane as in they bought a plane ticket? and no financial help upon grad as in they did support you in addition to paying loans during college?

and what's turning that into real estate? real estate your family already owns?

Yep and I'm grateful for their generous help with college loans but I'm frank in the fact that I walked away with a good amount of college not to mention higher ed debt that lots of wealthier friends didn't have. It affected my choices from the moment I walked across that stage.

The real estate is my own cash and sweat. My parents have their own properties and they believe (as I do) that at 21 you need to stand on your own feet or fall. Considering a lot of my millennial friends are still living in their old bedrooms or renting out shared accommodations with 2 or more people, I know that my hard work paid off.

Wish I had been born into that kind of "rags"!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:31 making 325K a year. Not exactly 'rich' yet but by the time I'm 60...

Anyway, my story is more of a middle class kid fighting tooth-and-nail to raise themselves up. Parents put me on a plane to college 500 miles away with 50% of the student loans in my name, a lot of love, and a work study program. Nothing else. No financial help upon grad. I turned that into $1.3 million in real estate, a small nest egg in the 401K, student loans paid off, car paid off, and a life I love. Also no kids so the money is mine free and clear.

i hate to be that person ..but 50% loans in your name lol as in they paid half of your college tuition? and they put you on a plane as in they bought a plane ticket? and no financial help upon grad as in they did support you in addition to paying loans during college?

and what's turning that into real estate? real estate your family already owns?

Yep and I'm grateful for their generous help with college loans but I'm frank in the fact that I walked away with a good amount of college not to mention higher ed debt that lots of wealthier friends didn't have. It affected my choices from the moment I walked across that stage.

The real estate is my own cash and sweat. My parents have their own properties and they believe (as I do) that at 21 you need to stand on your own feet or fall. Considering a lot of my millennial friends are still living in their old bedrooms or renting out shared accommodations with 2 or more people, I know that my hard work paid off.

Wish I had been born into that kind of "rags"!

Same here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’d you grew up below the poverty line and now are considered “wealthy” how’s it happen?

I grew up in rural Mississippi. As a young child, we were poor but my mother was able to support us. She was an in-home nurse. I have 3 other siblings all by different men and I am the oldest, so there were many people in and out of our house and we moved a lot. My mom was injured on the job when I was 10 and my youngest sister was 6 months old. She stopped working and collected disability. We lived in food stamps, had our car repossessed and went weeks without electricity more times than I can count. Mom got addicted to painkillers and things went down hill. Lots of questionable men in the house. Myself practically raising my siblings. Depending on my friends for rides to school and their parents for groceries at times. I still did fairly well in High School and started working at a grocery store as a bagged when I was 16. Graduated High School went to school for a semester but financially it wasn’t going to happen. Worked at the grocery store for several years and by the time I was 26 I had worked my way up and was assistant regional manager. I was making $65k which was more money than I could handle. Bought my wife (married at 19) and I brand new cars, went on cruises every few months, had zero savings and lived what we considered Luxuriously. Grocery chain went under I was laid off. Sold my cars, moved into 750 square foot apartment and and started managing a movie theater for $11 an hour. Went to school, got associates moved to a new grocery store and made a little more as a store manager. Finished a bachelors in Education at age 30. Couldn’t find teaching job in what I wanted (theater) so moved to Dallas with my wife. She was working at a plasma center and finishing her bachelors in education as well. Taught for a year, hated it. Quit and went back to managing a grocery store. Promotes quickly and became district manager. Wife was teaching second grade at this point. We had our first child. Company moved me to headquarters in Chicago, paid for me to get and MBA. Finished degree 6 months shy of 40. Had our second child. Worked in high management for several years and promoted again. Top management official, quit and transferred to larger grocery chain with much higher pay and I’ve been here for 6 years. Three kids, my oldest has been accepted into Cornell. I’m so proud. Currently making $780K a year.

I’m not terrible smart. Not terribly talented.

My younger siblings have had very different lives.

RESPECT!! You deserved success that came your way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How many of you are non-white? Just curious

White - and I know that my rags to riches story was much easier because of it.

I was wondering the same. It's good that you are aware of your privilege.

I'm an older millenial so still working on my story. I am the oldest of 6, different dads and moms. Bio dad (addict/alcoholic) told my mom to kick rocks when pregnant but another man stepped in and even signed my birth certificate. Parents married when I was 2, separated when I was 8. Stayed with my mom and sister. Would leave elementary school for years and then pick my sister up from daycare and then take the X2/U8 home. Moved around every 1.5-2 years, have gone to school and come home to find that we're evicted and living with family (again). My parents were young. Dad worked in construction, mom was a secretary. Both were terrible at managing money. Both have filed bankruptcy. Like PP, we would go without electricity sometimes, once for the majority of summer. I was always a good kid, responsible, and never wanted to be a burden. After divorce, my mom worked two jobs, the latter at night at the skating rink so that we could come along too. One of my grandmothers was on crack when I was born, but kicked the habit by the time I hit school. I have vague memories that made sense later in life. Lost my uncle to HIV during the epidemic. This was back when DC was the murder capitol. Getting into one of the better HSs was my game changer. Went to college. Didn't know that parents who weren't Trump rich actually paid for college until after I graduated. Used DC TAG which saved me on tuition and I lived off campus. Waited tables in HS and undergrad until junior year. Then I worked FT and went to school FT at night. My roommates and I were BROKE and each of us LOST the freshman 15.lol

Timing was on my side when I graduated and I landed a decent job with excellent benefits and ample travel opportunites. Got pregnant at 25. I have one child who is fluent in another language thanks to living abroad and attending international schools since age 3. Income has fluctuated between 75-135k. Have been a homeowner for nearly 10 years and nearly 3 times my salary in retirement. It should be uphill from here.

[Anonymous]

Street hustler. Graffiti artist, sold pot, worked for a fence, stoke and stripped bikes, ticket scalping you know usual stuff. Now corner office.

[Anonymous]

The true rags to riches stories are very inspiring. Thank you for sharing.

[Anonymous]

Congratulations to those who truly have worked themselves up. I respect your climb very much! (I had a nice childhood with every advantage, and I respect so much what you've accomplished.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:31 making 325K a year. Not exactly 'rich' yet but by the time I'm 60...

Anyway, my story is more of a middle class kid fighting tooth-and-nail to raise themselves up. Parents put me on a plane to college 500 miles away with 50% of the student loans in my name, a lot of love, and a work study program. Nothing else. No financial help upon grad. I turned that into $1.3 million in real estate, a small nest egg in the 401K, student loans paid off, car paid off, and a life I love. Also no kids so the money is mine free and clear.

i hate to be that person ..but 50% loans in your name lol as in they paid half of your college tuition? and they put you on a plane as in they bought a plane ticket? and no financial help upon grad as in they did support you in addition to paying loans during college?

and what's turning that into real estate? real estate your family already owns?

Yep and I'm grateful for their generous help with college loans but I'm frank in the fact that I walked away with a good amount of college not to mention higher ed debt that lots of wealthier friends didn't have. It affected my choices from the moment I walked across that stage.

The real estate is my own cash and sweat. My parents have their own properties and they believe (as I do) that at 21 you need to stand on your own feet or fall. Considering a lot of my millennial friends are still living in their old bedrooms or renting out shared accommodations with 2 or more people, I know that my hard work paid off.

...not even close to rags.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:31 making 325K a year. Not exactly 'rich' yet but by the time I'm 60...

Anyway, my story is more of a middle class kid fighting tooth-and-nail to raise themselves up. Parents put me on a plane to college 500 miles away with 50% of the student loans in my name, a lot of love, and a work study program. Nothing else. No financial help upon grad. I turned that into $1.3 million in real estate, a small nest egg in the 401K, student loans paid off, car paid off, and a life I love. Also no kids so the money is mine free and clear.

i hate to be that person ..but 50% loans in your name lol as in they paid half of your college tuition? and they put you on a plane as in they bought a plane ticket? and no financial help upon grad as in they did support you in addition to paying loans during college?

and what's turning that into real estate? real estate your family already owns?

Yep and I'm grateful for their generous help with college loans but I'm frank in the fact that I walked away with a good amount of college not to mention higher ed debt that lots of wealthier friends didn't have. It affected my choices from the moment I walked across that stage.

The real estate is my own cash and sweat. My parents have their own properties and they believe (as I do) that at 21 you need to stand on your own feet or fall. Considering a lot of my millennial friends are still living in their old bedrooms or renting out shared accommodations with 2 or more people, I know that my hard work paid off.

...not even close to rags.

Notice the plural there...

My parents house is worth less than a nice minivan (at its peak bubble value), and I definitely hung with people from the trailer park, but I would never pretend that was rags . This PP is so tone deaf

[Anonymous]

BTW standing on your own two feet at 21 -- many working class kids do it, getting a low paying job and then living in their means with group home, roommates, taking the bus.

[Anonymous]

Some start standing on their own before 21. I was 11 when my mom told me she could feed and house me (she received assistance), but I'd have to find work to afford clothes and anything else. Went to college at 17 and fully supported myself after that.