Why did you move to Chicago from Florida?
Moving to the cold from paradise? Yep, I did just that. Coming out of a long-term relationship and not knowing what to do, I knew I could either stay in Florida for the rest of my life or take a chance and move somewhere new to challenge myself (something that was totally out of the norm for me). Not only did I believe the distance from such a hurtful and painful experience would help, but I knew if I hated it I could move back. Turns out I fell in love with Chicago and all it had to offer!
Are you planning on staying in Chicago forever?
Hmm, this is a tough one! While I don’t know the future, I know my current life has me staying in Chicago for the foreseeable future. With my 9-5 based in Chicago, along with my boyfriend’s, I don’t see us moving anytime soon. However, I do see myself settled in some places outside of Chicago or even the Midwest, but I’ll cross that bridge when I reach it.
Where did your passion for personal finance come from?
I’ve always prided myself on my relationship with money. Growing up with a family household income ranging from extremely tight to having a lot of disposable income and everywhere in between, I was fortunate to understand the value of money and that it can come and go in a moment’s notice. In addition, my mom has always shared financial literacy with me and helped my sister and I start building our credit at 16 years old. From there, I took it upon myself to learn more, save more, and now working on learning how to invest! I don’t know everything by any means, but I’m happy with my progress.
How have you traveled to so many places so young?
I am extremely fortunate to have visited 33 countries at the age of 27. Most of these trips were made possible by my family! My mom always prioritized travel for our family. While we never made many roadtrips to famous sites in the U.S., we planned trips abroad to experience different cultures, learn, and grow. Getting the travel bug so young was incredible and has been instrumental in shaping who I am as a person!
Why did you start this blog?
If you knew me prior to starting Zoe in Chicago, you’re probably shocked. I have never once been the blogger type. In fact, I’ve usually been the one behind the camera and helping other build their brands. Something changed when I moved. I wanted to document this journey of my life and have a hobby outside of just working for others. Where this will go, we never know!
