For this special Listener series episode, I chat with Erika from Red Deer, Alberta about how she experienced extreme poverty in her childhood, was later adopted to a new family with her brother and had to accept the news that she had MS in her early 20s. She's had to overcome a number of obstacles in her young life so far, more than most people ever have to deal with. But despite that fact, her optimism is infectious and she's proof that when there's a will there's a way, and it's never too late to start managing your money right and crushing your debt. Long description: Erika emailed me a little while ago answering my call-out for more interviewees for my Listener Series, and I'm so glad she did. Talk about a strong woman who has overcome some major life challenges. Not only did she have to experience extreme poverty as a child, then foster care, then being adopted to a new family, she was also diagnosed with MS in her early 20s. It's not surprising that she struggled with striking a balance between living frugally and spending her money freely to live in the moment. Luckily, she soon realized that YOLOing it up wasn't the answer, nor was living like an extreme cheapskate. She needed to find a system that worked that gave her clarity, freedom and balance. Now she's well on her way from being debt-free, and I absolutely have it in my calendar to see if she achieves her goal of crushing her debt by this time next year. Actually, I hope to follow-up with all of my Listener Series guests to see how they're all doing in a year's time, how cool would that be! Thank you Erika for sharing your story with me and to all of the Mo' Money Podcast listeners. You are a rockstar, so keep up the great work! Erika's Budgeting Go-to Software YNAB (You Need a Budget) Her Words of Wisdom on Living with MS I really just want to get rid of that stigma of [living with MS] being shameful. 20 plus years ago it was very much don't tell anyone...it was a black mark. It's no longer that way and I want to work towards making sure that people no longer feel that way about it. Got a story that you think would be good to share on an episode on of Listener series? Please email me! For more podcast episodes, check out the Podcast page. Shownotes: jessicamoorhouse.com/73