Emma Jackson didn't have much money growing up - but that didn't stop her from buying her first home at age 25 and saving enough to pay off the mortgage two years later. The British blogger told Business Insider that, growing up, she was aware her parents were in financial difficulty after they had bad mortgage advice that left them in debt. She and her brothers started contributing to the household once they could, which helped her focus on being "really savvy" with money.
I pursued law solely because I saw it as a practical, respectable career, but I didn't love it. Before starting my first job, I came across the financial independence early retirement (FIRE) movement, and I saw it as a way out.