A woman I consider a friend once told me to be successful, you have to make a salary above your age. Interesting. So, at 40, you should be making upward of 40 grand, if you apply her logic. And when I was 25, I should be making upward of that. Hmm. I've kept that as a goal for a very long time to always earn more than my age. It always seemed like something to look forward to. Funny, though, 25 grand at 25 seemed like a lot more money than 40 grand at 40. Maybe it is, especially in this economy.
I've been able to do what she suggested--keep my salary above my age. I transferred that to other areas too, like keep your weight under your age plus 100. For eg, if you're 40, then your weight should be roughly 140 and below. When 25, keep it at 125. Hmmm. Realistic? Probably at 25. Not so much at 40. It gets harder to keep it off. And if you're 5ft 2 1/2, 140 is kinda hefty.
One of the best things I ever did when I was 25 was to buy my first life insurance policy--a whole life. Between highschool and college, I used to sell insurance for a Vacation Insurance Program for highschoolers. It was there I saw the need. Now, my policy is almost 15 years old with a nice cash value. I've borrowed on it, used as collateral, and look forward to the nice annuity built into it where I'll get $1,000 a month for the rest of my life from 65. (Even with inflation, it might be the difference between my putting food on my table and going hungry.) Plus it's one of my legacies for my heirs as there's a death benefit as well. Even today, when my government agencies gives financial literacy workshops to the youth, I always bring it back to that. At 25, I had also started my first IRA. One rarely thinks of retirement at 25.
About Me
- MPEvans
- Washington, DC, United States
- I'm a naturalized Caribbean immigrant in the grand old U.S.A. I live in the Hillcrest neighborhood of Ward 7 and I'm a forever-journalist. I started my first career as a magazine editor and I haven't been able to give it up. When I started this blog, I was knee-deep into my fourth career as a government public relations specialist. However, I have been heading up my editorial staffing company, Invisible Colours LLC out of my Ward 7 neighborhood. I'm expanding my company's brand by offering video production and other social media technologies for clients. This blog follows my journey as a 40-something-year old in Washington, D.C. Married for several years, I have three kids--a boy and two girls. I am blessed, and I'm loving all that God has given me. I have a master's in journalism from Columbia University and a bachelor's of arts from the University of the West Indies. I hope I can offer a little insight into my life and my experiences. Writing serves as a catharsis for me. It is what I do best. It is what I love. It is who I am.
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