You Will Be Poor Forever

It's amazing how powerful the human spirit is... With the right motivation and encouragement, a human can do anything that his or her mind can fathom. One of my short term goals is to independently (for the most part), get out of poverty. I'm not looking for a man to "save" me, I'm not looking for a lucky lottery ticket, or a big break. I want to do it the old fashioned way; I'll use common sense, hard work, and a bit of good luck. As I began Google searching "How to get out of poverty," the results were evident. The top three things needed to get out of poverty are: 1.) Education 2.) Financial Management Skills 3.) A Strong Support System. 

The definition of poverty is a lack of money or material possessions. Here are 5 steps I found to help get out of poverty. 

1.) Avoid counter-productive and spending behaviors.
Stop spending money on unnecessary things like clothes and shoes in excess, eating at restaurants frequently, loaning money to friends and family who will most likely never pay it back, hair, nails, clubbing, drinking, smoking, lottery tickets, etc.
2.) Take advantage of welfare programs.
Welfare is a stepping stone, not a lifestyle. While you have assistance to offset your living expenses, do something with your time and money that is an investment in your future. Go to school, take up a trade, get a certification in a certain field. Don't get so comfortable with the government taking care of you, that you end up not pursuing your passions and your purpose in life.
3.) Increase your income.
Do side work, hustle legally. Do hair, shovel yards, tutor a child, help out for a small wage at a local church. You may even pick up a second job. Find ways to legitimately earn more money without compromising who you are.
4.) Learn about money management.
Find free financial classes at a local community center or local bank. Educate yourself about saving, budgeting, credit cards and investments. Ignorance is bliss, be prepared to break old die hard habits when it comes to spending your money.
5.) Secure your future.
Go to college, get your education, learn about investments and start looking at job benefits such as a 401K.

The biggest stronghold when it comes to black people getting out of poverty is survival. We are so focused on the present that we often ignore the future. We live day by day and don't plan for our future or the future of our children. Another problem is unemployment. That's a tough one since one's government benefits are usually slashed once they find employment. However, we must not use these barriers as an excuse to remain in poverty. 

Personally, I know that I have too many gifts and talents to be poor financially for too much longer. I am a writer, speaker, poet and author, in addition to having over a decade of retail experience. I have to show my son that there is more to life than struggle. That's why I opened a savings account for him recently that neither of us can touch until he's 18, he's 2 now. I plan on putting a few hundred dollars in every few months, so that by the time he's off to college he'll have at least one semester, if not more, paid in full. 

I will go from poverty to self-sufficiency in two years. I plan on going back to school in August for my bachelor's degree in communication, saving at least $10 per paycheck, and surrounding myself with people more successful than me. I will get out of poverty one step at a time... Will you??