From Young Mom to Financially Independent: Her Inspiring Journey! (2024)

Annemarie from “Verrek?! Ik vertrek” (translated from Dutch: Damn, I’m Leaving) has graciously written this guest blog post. Her blog takes you on a personal journey towards a more liberated life.

In this article for She Can Blog, Annemarie shares her path to financial freedom, which she began as a teenage mother. As time passed, she made significant progress towards achieving her dreams and now aims to inspire others to do the same.

A Remarkable Path: From Teenage Motherhood to the Boundless Horizons of Financial Freedom

This blog post chronicles my journey, starting as a teenage mother and now paving my way towards a grand objective: financial freedom.

Aspiring for financial freedom is a lifestyle, a deeply held belief. Those who strive for it embark on a unique path to reach a specific goal. This goal originates from a profound sense of necessity to be free, to have autonomy over our choices, and to no longer rely solely on employment income.

The same holds true for my husband and me. He is not just my partner in crime, but also my companion on this transformative journey. We now have two daughters and two furry sons (our beloved dogs), and together, we navigate this path hand in hand.

A Life of Freedom Through Passive Income

In life, nothing is out of reach; that’s the essence of my story. We started with humble beginnings, but now we’ve made such progress that we proudly cover 25% of our income through passive sources.

Our journey towards a more liberated life, as I fondly refer to it, began four years ago. I use the term “freer life” because I firmly believe that’s exactly what financial freedom grants us. It’s not about amassing great wealth, being driven by greed, longing for extravagant possessions, or evading work altogether.

It’s about having the freedom to say, “Today, I’ll take a midday stroll with the dogs.” Or even better, “Let’s pack up the camper and set off on an adventure this weekend!”

Our true desire is to have ample time for one another and our family, allowing us to structure our days in a way that indulges in the activities we genuinely love.

A Turning Point

As a young mother, I understand the challenges of leading an uncertain life, carrying labels, and striving to meet society’s expectations. We’ve also faced our fair share of financial concerns, but thankfully, we were always able to afford the essentials.

Nevertheless, it hasn’t always been smooth sailing for us; at times, it has been quite challenging.

Early on, I realized that our situation couldn’t remain stagnant. I made a swift decision that I yearned for more from life, a brighter future for my family. After celebrating my daughter’s first birthday, I embarked on an education program. Three years later, I proudly graduated with a degree in Pedagogy.

The invaluable lesson I learned during that time is that when you genuinely desire something and devote yourself to it entirely, the possibilities become boundless. That experience has resonated with me ever since. It truly altered the game for me.

Also read: how to earn money while traveling with a camper van

Breaking Free from the Daily Grind

We were content with our good jobs, enjoying a steady income, and yet there was always a nagging sense of restlessness. I loathed the stigma attached to being a teenage mother.

It’s a label that often comes with early motherhood, making me feel the constant need to prove myself to the world.

The pressure to prove myself became so overwhelming that I found myself teetering on the edge of burnout. Coupled with the news of a permanent hearing problem and the unexpected loss of my husband’s job, not once but twice, we were undeniably caught up in the relentless rat race!

We had entangled ourselves in this race by acquiring a larger house with a hefty mortgage and financing a car. These choices only deepened our reliance on our employers, suffocating us with a sense of dependency.

We refused to accept a lifetime of such a lifestyle.

Embarking on the Adventure

But what did we truly desire?

It was a profound quest. When you’ve always been caught up in the whirlwind of life, it becomes challenging to uncover your passions and identify the dreams that are genuinely yours. However, one thing was certain: we yearned to break free from the rat race. That’s when we stumbled upon the idea of generating passive income as a potential solution.

Real estate stood out as an appealing avenue to create passive income. We made our decision, and from that point forward, our focus shifted entirely to building a passive income through real estate. We dove in headfirst.

Life is Fleeting; Embrace Joy More Often

Our journey took its first significant leap after the passing of my mother. It served as a poignant reminder of life’s brevity. Although we were already aware of this fact, losing someone so dear to us up close acted as a resounding wake-up call.

With newfound determination, we decided to take a bold leap and escape the relentless rat race. It was our opportunity to break free from the hectic environment and finally bask in a more serene and fulfilling existence.

Our First Real Estate Purchase

We seized a great opportunity when we bought and sold our house, earning some equity in the process. With that equity, we wisely invested in courses and training to expand our knowledge in the world of real estate.

Before long, we were able to acquire a property that had been on the market for a while, marking our very first real estate purchase.

Diversifying Our Investments

But we didn’t stop there. We ventured into other investment avenues such as ETFs, gold & silver, cryptocurrencies, and yes, even whisky. Recently, we successfully completed a coaching program that allowed us to explore Rent2Rent deals in the UK.

Last year, we also turned one of our dreams into reality by purchasing a camper. It’s a Volkswagen T3 affectionately named Red Granddad. Let me tell you, the freedom it provides is absolutely invigorating!

While we primarily enjoy using the camper ourselves, we also rent it out to fellow adventurers.

You’ve probably heard the saying, “money makes money.” Well, once you start investing, you realize that it holds true.

Annemarie – Verrek?! Ik Vertrek

A Shift in Perspective

However, the most significant gains come from a shift in perspective. We have become acutely aware of the precious time we have together and how we choose to spend it. We make a point of dedicating time to our passions.

Personally, I derive great joy from writing blogs for my own website, “Wow?! I’m Off!” where I share our journey towards a freer life and inspire others to embark on the same path. Additionally, I offer coaching to individuals who, like me, desire a more liberated existence.

Being able to pursue what truly matters with the time we’ve been given is the epitome of a beautiful life. Money simply can’t compare to that.

Have you completely escaped the rat race?

Not quite yet.

Breaking free from the rat race when you find yourself entangled in its clutches is undoubtedly challenging and demands unwavering perseverance.

Both of us still hold regular jobs with employers, but we firmly believe that in the near future, we will have attained enough freedom to embark on our own entrepreneurial journey. It’s a significant aspiration of ours.

The journey has already commenced, and with the unwavering focus we possess, we will undoubtedly achieve our ultimate goal. I genuinely believe that this path is accessible to everyone, regardless of their challenging beginnings. All it takes is taking that first step into action.

A life of freedom and fulfillment is within reach for everyone, so go for it!

Annemarie