Newbie, ready to get going, sick of living in my car broke

[Alex Young]

Hi Bigger Pockets community, I am 26 years old with an undergraduate education in geology. I've spent the last couple of years wandering aimlessly and it hasn't paid off to do so. Trying to reinvent myself, my strategy, and life goals so would love to become a part of this motivated and inspiring community. I'm from Colorado but now am located in San Diego. Have about 1K at the moment and would like to see that increase 10-100fold in the near future. My ultimate goals would be owning some sort of property in the places that I am the happiest- Colorado (Boulder, Denver), Montana (Missoula, Bozeman), California (Santa Cruz, Encinitas, San Diego, Santa Barbara). That's a long ways away to even one property or knowing where to even start so any suggestions, advice, help would be appreciated. Also, if anyone is in Southern or Central California I would love to meet up and learn more. Thanks!

[Cody L.]

Originally posted by @David Faulkner:

Get a job in RE. Work at a title company, or get your RE license and start selling the stuff, or as an assistant to a developer/builder, or as an apprentice in the trades, etc. Earn while you learn. Keep your expenses down and save a majority of that income to invest and you will be off the the races in no time. Sleeping 11 hours a day ain't gonna cut it, though ... so if 9 am to 4:30 pm is your planned work schedule, then save yourself the trouble and don't bother.

As I started reading the thread, I actually wanted to help the kid. Hell, he's in San Diego. It wouldn't be hard. But there seems to be way too much "poor me" and not enough "Tell me what I need to do, I'll do whatever it takes". When I see someone say "wait, you want me to work? That sounds terrible. I need 11 hours sleep" I honestly have to laugh.  That's not the type of mindset you can help.

Truth be told, when I saw him say that I honestly thought he was just trolling. No one says "I'm tired of living in my car" and then, when given advise, says "Na, too much work, I want to sleep 11 hours a day"

To the OP (can't seem to tag him), dude..  When I was staring out in my 9-5 I was killing it.  I'd sleep at work (I had a couch there).  My friends would party -- I'd work.  They'd go on a trip to an island, I'd take a trip to whatever country I was selling my wares to at the time.  I did it because I wanted to make $ so I could have the life I wanted later.

Then, when I started in RE it was the same thing.  Took massive risks.  Worked every day.  I didn't care about the quality of my own home as I wanted one more investment property to buy.  Often installing flooring myself or trying to put in a new roof with random craigslisters to save money.  Drove my truck around to the properties to pick up trash.  I'd empty the contractor trash bags into dumpsters other people owned (where I knew they'd be picked up the next day).  And to be next level cheap:  I'd SAVE the bag.  Yeah.  I'd empty it out and keep the contractor bag (I still remember, they were 32 bags for $16 at Home Depot -- $.50 each).  Someone didn't pay rent?  I'd get 'em out of there.  And this was all day / every day.

My friends would say "Dude, you have a few buildings now.  Chill.  Relax.".  F that.  I'm going to keep going till I'm at where I want to be. 

But guess what?  Now I can sleep 11 hours a day if I want.  I don't have to work another day.  The properties make, to be frank, more money then I'd ever need to spend.  But you don't get to that place without putting in the work.

I have a bad feeling that living in a car might be a step up from where you'll be some day unless you have a change of attitude.