I had two different childhoods: from birth to 9 and 9 to 18. I usually call it my riches-to-rags phase. My grandparents gave me what seemed like every little girl's dream for the first half of my life. In the second half, I was introduced to “living beyond your means.” The idea was easy to pick up on but unrealistic to maintain. It caused my understanding of money to be way off. All I knew was that if you didn’t pay, you could lose it.

Fast forward to adulthood, I learned the hard way. I maintained financial stability for myself and my children, but an injury caught me off guard. My savings had to take care of us. Short-term disability denied me. Worker’s comp took months to begin. Then I try to work again and must stop working… again. I was declared permanently disabled. Long story short, I screwed up my credit to survive. After I was able to get back on my feet, I began to tackle bills I allowed the debt collector to buy. I would pay as much as I could. After taking care of my daily life, any extra money I could spare went to that debt. I wanted to share the tips I learned in my credit-rebuilding process.

Disclaimer: these tips are from my journey. I am not a financial advisor. Please consult an actual financial adviser for advice. If you choose to use my advice, remember it’s your choice. What worked for me may not work for you.

Y Netta’s Tips:

Don’t Panic!

Develop a plan.

Deposit Your Funds.

When you have the money to spare, start paying folks back.

Apply for a secured credit card.

Be encouraged.

The facts are that even though mistakes happen, we can repair those mistakes and create new beginnings from those past indiscretions. We can’t expect everyone to start the same, but the goal is to cross the finish line to become debt free, however long it takes.

I’m sharing these tips because I want others like me to have some information on moving forward beyond lousy credit. Even with a fixed income, you can pull yourself out if you have a sustainable plan. I encourage everyone on their growth journey to do their best, and I applaud those who have made that journey already.