Journey To Launch

Episode 370: Paying Off $102K of Student Loans & Buying a House in NYC on a Teacher’s Salary w/ Melissa Jean-Baptiste

Apr 17, 2024

50:10

Melissa Jean-Baptiste, financial educator and author of "So This Is Why I'm Broke” is a first-generation Haitian American and former NYC high school teacher. Melissa joins us this week to recount her journey of paying off $102,000 in student loans and buying her first home, all on a teacher's salary. As the founder of Millennial In Debt, she creates a shame-free digital platform dedicated to helping Millennials and Gen Z restructure their relationships with money, obtain financial freedom, build generational wealth and become future millionaires.

In this episode, we discuss:

How Melissa’s student loans grew from graduating with $50K owed to $80K in 3 years due to an interest-only payment plan she didn't fully understand and how she successfully paid it all off in 2018 through selling her teaching lesson plans as a side hustle.
Her venture into homeownership and the challenges encountered during the home buying process. Melissa underlines the importance of obtaining an independent home inspection alongside the bank's appraisal.
How she transitioned from teaching to dedicating herself entirely to content creation and entrepreneurship within her "zone of genius".
The significance of having a supportive community, both online and offline, to navigate significant life and career transitions effectively + much more!