Hello everyone,
I find myself envious of the people around my age that are already financially secure and building credit. From age 14 to now, I did nothing in school but party and almost all of my money went to drugs.
I have been addicted to opiates for almost two years now and have experienced the most painful wake up call I could ever imagine: I lost one of my closest friends to drugs. I am emotionally devastated from this event and quit going to work. I took a random trip to Portland to get away from this chaos, but in doing so, I got in touch with my inner strength that I've only felt glimpses of. I realized that I have to get off the drugs NOW and develop my future, realized that it's not too late for me to change my life.
So that's a little introduction to where I'm at now. But here is my financial situation: I live with my dad who is allowing me to stay without rent as long as I'm going to school and passing my classes, as well as maintaining a part time job. I am no longer employed and have around $400 in credit card debt, but I'm luckily able to pay that off once my last check comes in. I worked in kitchens for my entire life, but want so badly to find another job that will give me enough time to study and cultivate other hobbies, but I don't really have any skills besides cooking.
On top of all of this, I have to get off opiates which will be the biggest challenge of them all. Building my life in the midst of withdrawals will be physically painful but I have no other choice. They are holding me back, allowing me to be content with shitty employment and doing nothing in my free time as well as destroying my relationships.
Here is my dream life: I want to live as minimal as possible once I'm on my own. I plan on saving up for a van-sized "camper" and renovate it with working AC, a bed, and fridge. In my brief time on this planet, I want to see the world and travel and am willing to make sacrifices in luxury and comfort to do this. On top of this renovated camper-van, I want to have a "home-base." A small bit of property, preferably owned by myself rather than rented. I'm talking a small tiny-house tier building with working water/showers and electricity where I go in between trips. But in order to do this, I would need a job that is flexible in this way, that allows me to pay for basic necessities like food, water/electricity/AC bills, gas, etc. But like I said, I am willing to make many sacrificies in comfort to achieve this.
It sounds like a pipe-dream, I know, and many will say that I'm just dreaming here. But this is the goal I have set and I am determined to achieve it despite what anyone says.
So that's my current situation. Here are my questions:
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What should I do regarding my employment? I can't keep working 6 days in a week in kitchens from 2-11pm, especially since school is about to start. School aside, I genuinely hate it when I'm sober and always desire something else. Are there any good jobs for people around my age that I can work part-time and get enough free time for studying and hobbies? Do I need to find something temporary and learn a trade at college? I have considered Lyft since you can choose your own hours.
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What are some good "side businesses" worth taking up? I've heard that Amazon trading is more work than it's worth, but for someone my age, are there some good investment options?
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What are some long-term careers paths that will allow me to achieve my highlighted goal and necessities that go along with it?
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Any other general advice regarding someone in my situation would be well appreciated.
Submitted August 02, 2017 at 05:20PM by PsychedelicPhonk http://ift.tt/2u5tPHm
