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Life as a broke Chicago theater artist
It was the spring of 1988, I was about to graduate with my B.A. in Theater, and I had no plans.
A friend told me she was thinking of going to Chicago and asked if I would be interested in sharing expenses on an apartment. I hitched a ride and showed up with two suitcases and an empty bank account. I got a day job as a receptionist and pursued my theater career at night.
During the next nine years I had various jobs. I was a receptionist, a telemarketer, an administrative assistant, and I spent one summer as a cocktail waitress. I was constantly broke, and I was terrible with money! I would let my bills pile up. I would forget to pay my rent until the landlord slipped a 10-day notice under my door. One month I forgot to make my student loan payment, and then decided to just keep forgetting — and to start screening my calls!
Finally I realized that I was never going to make a living doing theater, and that if I was going to have a “day job” for the rest of my life, it had to be something better. I decided to go back to school and get a second bachelors degree — this time in Civil Engineering. I had always been good at math, and I knew people would always need roads and bridges, so I figured I could get a good job once I graduated. But what I was really looking for was some financial stability.
Back to school at age 30
I thought I was poor before I went back to school—but working my way through college showed me a new level of being broke! It took five years—two years part time at the City Colleges of Chicago and three years full time at the UIC College of Engineering—but it changed my life.
I started using a budget, I saved until I had a down payment on a condo, then I saved some more and started investing. I didn’t do everything perfectly—not by a long shot!—but in 18 years I made enough that I was able to quit my job and live off of my investments. I was free from work!
Finding purpose in retirement
Even though I was retired, I still wanted to have a life of purpose. I started getting more and more interested in personal finance. I was helping family members with their finances (including helping my mom transition from our family home to assisted living), and I had volunteered as a Financial Coach for Ladder Up. But I wanted to do even more. I knew that many people struggled with money. After seeing the power that something as simple as budgeting had in my own life, I wanted to bring that knowledge, power, and peace of mind to others, and use what I learned on my own financial journey to help others.
I started educating myself on personal finance and financial coaching. I went through Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University, completed a financial educators training with the National Financial Educators Council, and began coaching clients in the fall of 2022.
Since then I have been helping people change their lives through personal financial coaching.
I love spreadsheets, I love math, and I’m not afraid to talk about money. Three nerdy but important qualities that I can use to help you get organized, get a plan, and take control of your finances!
“I’ve always avoided financial planning because it just seems overwhelming. Sandra was able to present everything in a way that was not only easy to understand, but easy to implement in my life. The way I think about my money and approach spending has changed during the course of these sessions, and I now feel very prepared for the future. I would recommend Sandra to anyone looking to plan for their financial future, improve their current financial wellness, or learn more about opportunities to better save and grow their money.“
– Meagan Davis Cockerill, Chicago, IL
See more client testimonials here.
