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Went from HOMELESS to HOMEOWNER in 4 years!

boomboom12

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Thank you the program I went to is called Year Up it has locations all around the country and is completely FREE and for ages 18-30

Your OP was so inspiring. And thanks for sharing your program. Just wanted to second Year Up—I didn’t not go there but I’ve heard great things about this programs outcomes. Also, recently (I forget where) there was a African girl featured on YouTube that went to the YU program and was interning at Goldman Sachs.

There are so many great opportunities in this country, it is yours for the taking.
 

JuciiSpida

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So much love for you! Extremely happy and proud. What was the schooling you did for one year that allowed you to land jobs at Apple etc
 

Poettree

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So much love for you! Extremely happy and proud. What was the schooling you did for one year that allowed you to land jobs at Apple etc
I went to Year Up here in California. But they have them all over the country and definitely stand by them. They changed mine and many others lives for the better. It's completely free and it's for 18-30 y.o.
Usually only for 18-24 but they extended the age during the pandemic. I don't want to sound like a calling card for them but if I stayed working at the airport doing customer support who knows where I would have been by now.
 

Virgostar

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Wow congratulations to you OP!! thanks for sharing. This is an amazing read. I love finding inspirational stories like this on Lsa. What did u study for a year to earn $23 dollars per hour? thats not a bad start!!
 

GirlIGuess

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Doing what you have to do to give you and your child a better life. Love to see it. Congratulations!
 

Jackiefoxybrown

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JoyousObeseHarborseal-max-1mb.gif

Congratulations!
 

Lookin Azz

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I OFFICIALLY CLOSED ON MY FIRST HOME TODAY AND AM A HOME OWNER!

In 2016 I gave birth to my beautiful daughter via C-section and my ex broke up with me right after my 6 week check up. I was basically living out of my car with a newborn baby. Sleeping on family members floors, bouncing from house to house until I was finally able to move into a family homeless shelter. It was honestly the best thing that could have happened to me. The homeless shelter wasn't able to find me housing but they gave me and my daughter everything we needed. The shelter was brand new, we had our own room, they gave me huge boxes of diapers, endless clothes, bottles, a brand new crib, and allowed me to save the little money I had until I eventually moved out to rent a room from a lady my age on Craigslist.

I was extremely poor, but took a risk and quit my job at the airport and decided to go to a year long education program. I got my daughter into free daycare and used my cash aid to pay my rent and the little bit of extra money over to buy my daughter diapers, while WIC and food stamps paid for her formula and other food. My ex was still around and kept our daughter on his off days and had his own supplies for her at his house. He didn't help financially but I was waiting for our Child Support case to complete. Once I finished my school program I landed my first job in my field making $23 an hour which isn't a lot where I live but it was way more than the $500 the county was giving me and my daughter still qualified for low income daycare. I used that time to fix my credit and pay off any old debts. My credit score went from 480 to 680 in about 5 months.

6 months after I started that job I quit for another job. I only asked them to pay me $50k a year and when the offer letter came back it said $80k a year plus stock when the company IPO'd. When the company IPO'd I decided to leave but left with all my payout plus $40k from the stock I sold. I used that money to pay off my student loans (18k), I bought a new car, and moved me and my daughter to a better apartment in a nicer neighborhood. So by the end of that I had $5k left.

When the Pandemic hit I began working two remote jobs and aggressively saved the money from the job that paid more. One paying $35 an hour and the other paying $95k a year (plus bonuses and stock). I saved up almost $30k in less than a year and have used this money to buy me and my daughter our forever home. She starts kindergartner this year and when I was giving her a bath she said "Mom, what does homeless mean?" And I said "That's when people don't have anywhere to live love." And she said "Well, we have a home right mom? We're not homeless?" And I almost wanted to cry. She doesn't know what we had to endure and I gave birth to her when I was 21 and thought I knew everything. I didn't but now I can say I am happy that everything played out the way it did. I am extremely financially stable all on my own. My daughter has never witnessed me argue and fight with a man. My daughter has never been around another man that isn't family and I am teaching her that she too can stand on her own two feet to get what she wants.


MINOR SETBACK FOR A MAJOR COMEBACK!

I teared up reading your story. Girl, YOU DID THAT!

Your daughter has a role model in you, for sure. I was gone say something about your busted ex, but now is your time to shine. I wish you continued success.
 
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Reading this gave me chills! The triumph, the perseverance, the faith, the grind! All of it is giving me life. You’re an inspiration. Blessings to you and baby girl. I’m proud of you, and I just know you’re celebrating your tremendous accomplishment.
 

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I OFFICIALLY CLOSED ON MY FIRST HOME TODAY AND AM A HOME OWNER!

In 2016 I gave birth to my beautiful daughter via C-section and my ex broke up with me right after my 6 week check up. I was basically living out of my car with a newborn baby. Sleeping on family members floors, bouncing from house to house until I was finally able to move into a family homeless shelter. It was honestly the best thing that could have happened to me. The homeless shelter wasn't able to find me housing but they gave me and my daughter everything we needed. The shelter was brand new, we had our own room, they gave me huge boxes of diapers, endless clothes, bottles, a brand new crib, and allowed me to save the little money I had until I eventually moved out to rent a room from a lady my age on Craigslist.

I was extremely poor, but took a risk and quit my job at the airport and decided to go to a year long education program. I got my daughter into free daycare and used my cash aid to pay my rent and the little bit of extra money over to buy my daughter diapers, while WIC and food stamps paid for her formula and other food. My ex was still around and kept our daughter on his off days and had his own supplies for her at his house. He didn't help financially but I was waiting for our Child Support case to complete. Once I finished my school program I landed my first job in my field making $23 an hour which isn't a lot where I live but it was way more than the $500 the county was giving me and my daughter still qualified for low income daycare. I used that time to fix my credit and pay off any old debts. My credit score went from 480 to 680 in about 5 months.

6 months after I started that job I quit for another job. I only asked them to pay me $50k a year and when the offer letter came back it said $80k a year plus stock when the company IPO'd. When the company IPO'd I decided to leave but left with all my payout plus $40k from the stock I sold. I used that money to pay off my student loans (18k), I bought a new car, and moved me and my daughter to a better apartment in a nicer neighborhood. So by the end of that I had $5k left.

When the Pandemic hit I began working two remote jobs and aggressively saved the money from the job that paid more. One paying $35 an hour and the other paying $95k a year (plus bonuses and stock). I saved up almost $30k in less than a year and have used this money to buy me and my daughter our forever home. She starts kindergartner this year and when I was giving her a bath she said "Mom, what does homeless mean?" And I said "That's when people don't have anywhere to live love." And she said "Well, we have a home right mom? We're not homeless?" And I almost wanted to cry. She doesn't know what we had to endure and I gave birth to her when I was 21 and thought I knew everything. I didn't but now I can say I am happy that everything played out the way it did. I am extremely financially stable all on my own. My daughter has never witnessed me argue and fight with a man. My daughter has never been around another man that isn't family and I am teaching her that she too can stand on her own two feet to get what she wants.


MINOR SETBACK FOR A MAJOR COMEBACK!
Congrats!!! I love hearing success stories like this, very inspiring. I’m sure your daughter will be proud when you tell her this when she’s older. You’re doing better than majority of the people who bash single mothers.

What did you study in school/for that one year and what are some of your job titles?
 

nevershoutnever

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Congrats OP, your story had me tearing up. I'm glad your daughter won't know what it means to struggle. She has a great role model.
I was interested in YU but I just missed the cut off age (I'm 27) and it goes to 26. I'll definitely spread the word about it, thanks!
 

Poettree

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Congrats OP, your story had me tearing up. I'm glad your daughter won't know what it means to struggle. She has a great role model.
I was interested in YU but I just missed the cut off age (I'm 27) and it goes to 26. I'll definitely spread the word about it, thanks!
They announced during the pandemic that they raised the age to 30...at least for the Bay Area sites. I say go for it. It was challenging but changed my life for the better.
 

Poettree

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Congrats!!! I love hearing success stories like this, very inspiring. I’m sure your daughter will be proud when you tell her this when she’s older. You’re doing better than majority of the people who bash single mothers.

What did you study in school/for that one year and what are some of your job titles?
I posted it about in the response but it’s called year up. I work in Tech in now a senior IT role but started off doing help desk ($23 an hour) and worked my way up. I’m not interested in management at all but I still make over $100k a year now and that’s more than enough to take care of me and my daughter and our forever home!
 

Sheeeeshh

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Congrats OP, God bless. You're an inspiration to your daughter and others.

I have heard of Year Up.
 

Mutha

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I am truly, truly so HAPPY for you! this is just fµck!ng beautiful!
 

Observe

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Congrats I’ve been at this air bnb in Oakland since September but I was in Shelters a few yeats ago
 

MorenaP

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This was so inspirational and brought me to tears, i'm so proud of you! thank you for sharing your story.

May God continue to bless you and your daughter, please continue to share your story.
 

MorenaP

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Can you share a bit of your budget? how do you budget yourself monthly? Do you use apps? how did you save 30k in one year?
 

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Congratulations! This brought tears to my eyes. So happy for you and your baby
 

Poettree

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Can you share a bit of your budget? how do you budget yourself monthly? Do you use apps? how did you save 30k in one year?
I can do my best to try
Monthly Bills:

Rent: $2250
Preschool: $870
Groceries: $200-$300
Health Insurance: $300
Wifi: $40
Gas: $100 give or take due to the pandemic
Daughter’s necessity (clothes, hair products, etc.): $100

Income:

One of my tech jobs was paid weekly and the other twice a month. I only work one now.

Tech Job 1: 35 an hour for 40 hours was about $1,100 a week. We only needed about $600 to get through the week.

$500 every week from that check alone would go into saving

Tech Job 2: 45.51 an hour at 40 hours a week. Yes I worked both of them at the same time. Luckily, both jobs were pretty laid back but I got tired of having to jump from meeting to meeting with different jobs and keep up.

Get paid $2700 twice a month.
Pay days for both jobs would usually line up. I would save the first $2700 and use the second $2700 to pay my rent and use the money from tech job 1 to pay my daughter’s preschool. The other small bills were on autopay and taken from tech job 1 weekly pay.

I love saving money. It’s addicting and it gives me peace of mind. Though I had a wonderful experience at the homeless shelter I still hold this trauma that I can lose it all tomorrow and my savings allows me to relax that anxiety. I’m constantly having to force myself to spend my money since I work hard and deserve nice things. But the best thing I could treat us to was a new house and I cannot wait to move in.
 

Poettree

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Congrats I’ve been at this air bnb in Oakland since September but I was in Shelters a few yeats ago
Things fall a part so they can be put back together. Always remember it’s just a minor setback for a major comeback. I’m also in the Bay Area. If you ever want to chat or need help with resume or what a reference anything I am more than happy to help. I been there and though I couldn’t understand why this was all happening to me, I wouldn’t change a thing.
 

moonchild92

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Congrats to you and your baby girl! This inspires me so much. I am so proud of you!
 

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