How to Finish University with 50k in Investments Starting From Zero

It is important to preface that I started university when I was 22 years old. The mentality I had growing up, at literally 12 years old, was to save and buy a rental. The rules changed for buying a home, and I needed to help out some family, so I spent my savings at the time I could have bought a cash-flow-positive home for rental income. So, I started from zero a year before university started.

Starting from zero but having the knowledge of how to be frugal really helped. If you are good with a small amount of money, you will be good with a large amount of money. The alternative is also true; if you’re bad with a small amount of money, you’re likely going to be bad with a large amount of money.

The year and a bit before university, about 14 months, I lived in a small tourist town in Canada. I worked three jobs and also had some of the so-called side hustles. There was one that failed but could have been something a lot more with the knowledge I now have. One was good but stressful. I worked at two restaurants as a server, and I also subcontracted for a touch-up company. This really allowed for a constant stream of income. The real key, I find, to saving and making any money is having multiple sources of income, low expenses, and being very mindful of what you actually need versus what you want. Easier said than done, but it is genuinely the key for us regular people.

Disclaimer: It is not easy doing it this way. Looking back, it was literally nonstop, day in and day out work. Lots of work. I do not know how to relax, if I am honest, so if this does not sound like you, then I am unsure how it will work if you want to chill. There is a boatload of sacrifice and stress involved in trying to work, save, and get ahead while attending university.

Here is literally everything I have done to finish university with just over $50,000 CAD invested. I was able to save a total of around $50,000 just before starting school. I could not get funding through the government due to a lack of tax filings from my parent, so I had to pay for the first two years of university out of pocket. I was left with $36,000 after expenses and paying for everything to do with university. I was also working, so it was hard.

• Flipping cars, the average profit per sale was around $1,200. This is harder in Canada now.

• Serving at restaurants, two for a year straight.

• Building furniture.

That’s it... It is short and sweet.

Where I am now: I have finished university, and I was able to almost double my holdings through investing in the S&P 500. I did, however, struggle immensely to secure employment after graduating. It was super gut-wrenching, but it’s the nature of the market we live in. Long story short, I had to sift out of my holdings to live... I literally had to start a business and create my own job to make money while studying for the MCAT. All in all, I was able to come out of my education without debt and with over $50,000 in investments.