Here’s MORE than what’s on the front page (i.e. the longer version)
Hi! My name is Melissa and I became debt-free so I could pursue my dream of meeting Elton John. Becoming debt-free led me to be a financial coach, a speaker, and an author.
I became a fan of Elton’s music when I was in middle school and went to my first concert in 1992. It was such a magical experience for me! I loved EVERYTHING about the concert experience – the crowds, the energy, the music, and the fact that I was in the same space as Elton John! I decided, at that concert, that I wanted to meet him.
It seemed to be the impossible dream. We had no connections to any famous people or anyone in the music industry. And yet, at age 19, I didn’t have enough life experience to think it wasn’t possible.
I’ve spent my entire adult life pursuing this dream. You can read more of the story in my book, Building My Yellow Brick Road: Life Lessons from Pursuing a Dream. (available on Amazon)
As of June 2020 I’ve seen Elton John in concert 47 times!
My journey towards becoming debt-free started in 2007 when I couldn’t go to Elton John’s 60th Birthday concert in NYC. This was also the 60th time he had performed at Madison Square Garden – also known as a once-in-a-lifetime experience!
I couldn’t go because I didn’t have the money.
Why? Well, it was a series of events.
I’ve had some form of debt since I was 18 years old and got my first credit card. All I had to do was sign my name on a form and I had a card with a high credit limit and no financial means to pay it off every month.
Every time I got close to the limit, I got an increase.
It was just automatic.
I graduated from college with over $30K in student loans and I was a High School special education teacher. And, I was determined to live on my own so I had rent, bills, etc to pay.
Fast forward a few years and I’m still teaching, I’ve added a few more credit cards but I’m still living paycheck to paycheck, had no savings and no plan for my financial future.
I met my husband, he was active duty USMC.
We got married and joke that neither one of us married for the money! HAHA!
In 2003, we bought a brand new car for me along with a $300+ car payment. In 2004, we bought a house. We got denied by our bank for a mortgage. Instead of taking a step back and re-evaluating our finances, we got mad at the bank.
We found a mortgage broker and got a mortgage – at the cost of an incredibly high-interest rate. We didn’t really know any better then, we were just happy to have that mortgage!
My husband was retired from USMC at this point, I resigned myself from teaching. He had an entry-level corporate job and I worked at the local retail store.
In 2005, our first son was born and I quit my retail job to be a stay at home mom. We hadn’t planned for this – I had intended to go back to work but the scheduling just didn’t work out.
Also in 2005, we bought my husband a brand new truck with a $400+ a month payment.
In 2006, our second son was born.
Summary: In a span of 4 years we bought TWO brand new cars, a house, and had two kids and NEVER changed our lifestyle to reflect the adjustment in our income.
That’s how in 2009 we finally hit financial rock-bottom.
We had $43,544 of consumer debt – two car notes, six credit cards and my student loan.
The solution? Make more money, right?
So, I did. I worked for an MLM company and did very well – sold product, built a team, earned a Cruise. I made extra money.
Did you know that if you cannot manage a little bit of money then you also cannot manage more money?
That’s exactly what happened. Even though I made more money, I wasn’t getting any traction on paying off debt or saving because I was using the same mindset, the same lack of skillset with budgeting, and I did not have a solid plan.
However, I vowed to myself that I would never miss another concert because I didn’t have the money.
And, I haven’t. In fact, once we started FPU in 2010, I had a mission. I wanted to become debt-free so I could have MORE money and the opportunity to see Elton John. Because that’s how I was going to meet him. By going to the concerts. I now average three concerts per year! Most of those include flight, tickets, hotel, etc, all paid for with cash I had saved for this specific purpose.
In October of 2017, I checked another item off my bucket list – to see Elton John in Vegas when I attended my 37th and 38th concerts! Vegas was the only venue where, if you bought a ticket in the first five rows, you got to go up on stage for one song. The first night, I didn’t get up there fast enough and ended up standing at the end of the piano. But, the 2nd night, I was able to not only get up on stage but get to “the spot” right next to Elton!
When he turned around to give everyone high-fives, I stuck my hand out for a handshake and he shook my hand! Fortunately, a fellow fan took this picture and tracked me down after the show!
I am a speaker, author, and coach. I’m a Christian, a wife, mom, dog owner, volunteer, sports fanatic, and a weather nerd. I just an ordinary person living an extraordinary life – the life that I imagined because I chose to go confidently in the direction of my dreams.
I teach lessons through storytelling.
My first book, Building My Yellow Brick Road: Life Lessons from Pursuing a Dream is a memoir of the last 25 years I have spent pursuing my dream to meet Elton John, in person.
I believe in the power of discovering your God-given dream, pursuing that and letting nothing stand in your way!
