Part of the reason we started the BiggerPockets Money Show was to share financial stories from all different backgrounds, giving you, the listener, confidence to reach your financial goals regardless of the stage you’re at in life. There’s no better story or person to personify this than Dr. Lakisha Simmons.  Lakisha grew up in Indianapolis, born to teenage parents who didn’t have much. She spent the majority of her youth living at different family members’ houses, shopping bargains, and being content with having enough to get by. She started working at 14 years old and has fond memories of taking her paychecks to the bank so she could deposit them in her own checking account.  When Lakisha hit some road bumps in her personal life, she put her children first and sold her home, started renting, and dove heavily into FI. She managed to hit a 60% savings rate as a single mother, thanks to her helpful side-income streams. Now, after almost 3 decades of working, she’s ready to retire, spending time with her children and teaching other women how they can do the same.  In This Episode We Cover How growing up in poverty can lead to living frugally in the future Whether or not student loans are worth it for the paycheck Looking at ALL your bills and only paying for things that bring you value Renting vs. owning a home, and how it affects your bottom line Taking advantage of 457(b) plans for government employees  And So Much More! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices