Dear friend,

Some real talk.

The world is kind of going to shit. Some ideas in thriving in an uncertain world:

One. Debt is the devil

Avoid debt like the devil. Seriously, don’t buy nothing on credit, or loan that you cannot afford to pay off in cash.

Cindy and I currently strive to low below our means, because my mom used to be a slave to debt. That shit is horrible.

I remember when I was 11, I had to pick up the phone when the creditors called. I had to lie and say “My parents aren’t home”. I would tremble when I heard the land line ring, because I would never know if it were a creditor or a family member.

To avoid debt, some ideas:

If you’re bad at spending money, don’t own a credit card. Seriously. Just use a debit card.
Give your credit cards and money to your partner: I’m really fucking bad with money. It’s because I grew up in a culture that I couldn’t save. My dad gambled the rent money. I learned, “If I don’t spend this money now, maybe someone might steal it from me.” Now whenever I wanna buy anything expensive, I gotta consult Cindy.
See lack of resources like a fun challenge: Creative constraints. That means, you don’t have the best phone or laptop but you can still do good shit, and make cool art. I’m typing this on an old Samsung Galaxy Note 3 phone, in IA WRITER. You can make do with old and shitty stuff. It can make you more innovative and resourceful.

Two. Make more money

Don’t sit at home and play video games or watch Netflix. Rather, pick up a side job. Drive for Uber or Lyft. Try to do side jobs for photography (paid).

Pick up an extra shift at work. Or go on LinkedIn and look for a new job. When you get a brand new job, you will probably get a 10% raise. That’s the secret I learned in the tech industry:

To make more money in a career job, never stay at the same company longer than 1-2 years.

My brother in law Khanh has been doing a good job building his income at his mechanical engineering job, by constantly “leap frogging” by getting new jobs every 1-2 years.

Three. Start your own website

Make your own platform or website. Use bluehost.com or 1and1.com to build your own WordPress.org website. I use the Genesis (paid) theme.

The more you build your own website (instead of giving it to free to Instagram or Facebook), you will have your website indexed by Google. And one day, you can monetize your website or blog. You will have more options and freedom.