I wanted to start 2018 talking about a loaded subject, money. As I told you guys on my Instagram Stories, this year will be about giving more and sharing more about real life challenges. Over the last few weeks I’ve shared some self-help books regarding money that truly opened up the subject for me and seriously got me thinking. So, I wanted to talk to you guys about my personal journey with money and how I’m planning for future financial success with a new app called Turbo.

I grew up in a working-class family, both my parents being immigrants. They came to America in the late 1980’s from Iran to provide a better life for my brothers…and soon to be me. I was born here in the States. My mother was a homemaker and my father worked for a car manufacturing company…we were comfortable, not wealthy and not poor. As a young girl, I got almost everything I wanted except for the higher ticket items here and there (Barbie Jeep, Disneyland Season pass, etc.) I never really had a good or bad perception of money. It was just a non-factor because my parents didn’t really stress about it and all my friends and family were generally on the same wealth level.

It was only until I started college that I became aware of money. I became aware of it in the fancy cars people drove and the designer items they wore. Money started to creep up and make me feel insecure because I didn’t have a nice car or a designer bag. I started to question my status with money…Was I considered poor? Was I inferior because I wasn’t rich? These questions and feelings had never been present before and I wasn’t sure how to deal with it.

It was then that I really started to work and find a career for myself. Retail jobs led to paid career internships that led to more jobs…each step providing higher pay and more financial security. I started to realize how good it felt to be able to buy whatever I wanted but also to save for my future. My biggest leap was quitting my last 9-5 job and dedicating myself to this blog. That step catapulted me into another level of income, but also forced me to get serious about my finances since it was all on me now.

After my first year as a full-time blogger I can honestly say I have never been more organized and enlightened with my finances. And a huge portion of that is thanks to Turbo. From the makers of TurboTax, Turbo is a free platform and mobile app that allow you to input all of your financial information: verified income, debt-to-income ratio and credit score to see where you really stand. Turbo breaks your overall financial health down in the simplest of ways…Are you in Good financial standing? Great financial standing? Or do you need some help? What I love most about the platform is that it provides comparisons to people just like you so you can see where you stand among your peers.

I feel great starting my 2018 with more knowledge about money and how financially stable I am. It’s really not about what car you drive or handbag you own. It’s about being educated with your finances so you can plan for a brighter future, and Turbo helps give you the tools and confidence you need to make those big financial decisions. Share your #RealMoneyTalk stories with me in the comment section below and let’s start this open discussion about money!

xo
EV