What's your secret?

I get compliments on my happy, upbeat, positive attitude.
I just ensure that i wake up in the morning with a fresh clear head and start my day off with a smile and positive thinking.

I was a phoenix in my previous life!

In all seriousness, my dad passed when I was 18, I had been 18 for a week, graduated HS two weeks before he died. House fire. I had to start fr scratch after being out of HS less than a month. I was homeless, couch surfing, the whole bit AND had lost my dad.

Fast forward a couple years, I had a kid, got married, then had another kid. After being married for 6 years, I left my ex-husband when my 2nd child was 4 months old, no job, no car, minimal clothing. And guess what? Started over @ 26. Got a job in 2 weeks as a temp (btw, i'm still @ the same company!!!)

That was 12 years ago this past April! Now I'm a home owner, one kid has graduated HS, the other in middle school, I have a retirement account, savings and am working on paying off my truck. I have home owners, life insurance and all the things my dad DID not have when he passed. Oh and I've been at the same company for 12 years, the same place I got the temp job at.

Looking back at it all, in those tough moments, I didn't think I was gonna make it. It humbled me and forced me to look at my life very carefully.

I don't know what was scarier, losing my dad right after HS and being homeless. Or being job & car-less with two dependents relying on me for EVERYTHING. I think the 2nd, because taking care of oneself is less stress, IMO.

yup, I was a phoenix because when it came down to it, I pulled myself up by the bootstraps, started kicking *kitten* and taking names! I had lots of people banking on their belief that I would fail, it felt (and still does) pretty darn good to prove them WRONG!

Money.

I make far less than anyone I know (just got a raise to $12.19/hr), but I consistently have more disposable income and savings than everyone I know.

My friends make $16-$18/hr and I'm the only one that ever has $$ (despite I'm a single mom with dependents and they have none or theirs are grown!)

I also manage to have nice things, bought myself a car with cash, pay all my own rent and bills with no government assistance, good drinks, vacations etc.. etc.. with less income than my peers.

It's ALL about budgeting.

Each month I account for all my money down to the very last penny and use a spread sheet to determine how much I spent per category.

And long-term savings! Sometimes I can only save a small amount, or I spend more than I save, but savings is very important.

I create a template for every recurring activity (within reason).

I follow plans, and create new ones before solving complex problems.

As a journalist and fiction writer I listen to music in the appropriate mood while writing, which gives me inspiration.

I get complimented by how awesome and amazingly trained my husband is.

Secret: lots and lots of.......bribery.