This year I have $25 a day for food. Coffee in the morning, lunch on campus, and some days it's gone by the afternoon. I kept telling myself small purchases wouldn't add up. They do. I didn't know what my habits actually cost until I started writing everything down, so I built a tool that does it for me. I'm still working on it. Some days I stick to the plan, some days I don't. But now I can see the difference.
My dad grew up poor. Most days he ate rice and tomatoes, with fish only on paydays. He came to America as a first-generation immigrant, worked hard, made mistakes, and failed more times than he'd admit. He never stopped. He taught me to work, enjoy the fruits of my labor, take care of the people who stay loyal, and never die broke. That last line is what everything here is built on.
I don't think a 9 to 5 is the only way forward anymore. I like building systems, in money, trading, code, and business, and I want to own what I build. I want other students to know they can too: start with what you have, learn a real skill, and build a name for yourself.
Outside class I build products, study day trading (by hand and with algorithms), and read classics, Japanese literature, and realist fiction. My faith keeps me steady. Whatever comes, I know I'm not facing it alone.
The College Money Planner is the first thing I've made. Clothing, software, and more are on the way.