Let's Talk about Money

 A few months back I graduated college...well not for the first time. This was a Masters program in Social Work. I've been working in the field since then and I recently passed my licensure test. I'm making a decent income and my wife works full time as well. I also recently discovered I'm an adult now, which comes with a certain set of responsibilities. 

Apparently I can no longer go shopping and pick up two boxes of Oatmeal Cream Pies, one of which I eat on the way home. Not only can I not do this because my wife and kids want real food to eat, but my body can't really take that abuse anymore. 

As an adult I've been thinking a lot about money. Money is the reason I do a lot of things I don't really want to do, like getting up to an alarm. I despise getting up to an alarm, but I've gotta be to work at a certain time and without the alarm I'd likely lose my job. I need money so I can go grocery shopping and not buy Oatmeal Cream Pies. I need money to pay bills and fill my car with gas. I need money to be an adult. 

But...

What if I didn't?  

I've been working to eliminate these expenses as much as possible and I've actually been able to gain some ground on my need for money as an adult. Marilyn and I bought a house that has a separate entrance for the basement. We have been working to make this basement its own separate apartment beneath our feet. We put up some walls, made some bedrooms...it still doesn't have a kitchen but we're getting there. Once it's all done and rented out, that basement apartment will pay a few of my bills. The most notable and largest bill is my mortgage. One less bill and one less adulting task I don't have to think about anymore. One step closer to waking up when I feel like it. 

If I continue to take these steps and save some money along the way, in a few years I'll be free. This doesn't mean I don't want work anymore, I love working and plan to continue. I just want to do the kind of work I really enjoy, which does not involve punching a time clock or completing lengthy reports for everything I do. 

I'm currently saving almost 50% of every paycheck with a goal to save 100% and just live off Marilyn's income. By my calculations that will allow me to stop working a 9-5 job in about 8 years. Again, this does not mean I'm going to live on Oatmeal Cream Pies and watch Netflix all day. I'm a therapist now and I plan to continue working. I will simply be able to work on my own terms. 

When I was a kid I couldn't wait to be an adult so I could make some decisions. Then I became an adult and longed for the freedom of childhood. This plan allows me to take some of that freedom back. 

I Graduated!! ...What's Next

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I, Zach Duty, have completed a Master's degree in Social Work at the University of Utah. It was a difficult 3 years but we got it done. I'm now practicing as a therapist and working toward licensure. My family and I are living in Cedar City and enjoying every day.

(We didn't have a graduation, so here is a throwback to when I got my associates)

As I watch the days fly by and see my kids growing up I am reminded of how fleeting life can be. I set a goal a few years back after my brother passed away(far left in the photo), to provide free therapy to this in need and now I am capable of doing that. I'm currently working 4 jobs(3 of them are very part time), I work full time doing community outreach for the government, I do a couple of hours a week of therapy groups at a local residential treatment center, I do individual therapy at a private practice, and I'm working with a non profit that subsidizes the cost of therapy. So, although our reach isn't that far just yet, this is a great step towards my goal.

I set the goal to become a therapist and provide free therapy because my brother needed some help and paying for therapy was a barrier to getting that help. He had other barriers, as most people do, but the cost was one of them. If I can help break down a barrier and make it just a little easier for someone to get the help they need, I'm totally willing to do that.

Other barriers may include the stigma around mental health treatment. That is where the non-profit comes in. The Overt Foundation is working towards breaking down that barrier by creating a platform where anyone can share their story and anyone can read the stories of others.

Check out    https://overtfoundation.org/share/ to share your story, or https://overtfoundation.org/stories/ if you want to read the stories of others.


We are all human and capable of making mistakes and experiencing challenges. Everyone has struggled and everyone has a story. Share it.