Well...it's a bit of a story but here goes....I'll try to add a tl;dr that gets the main points in.

So I was rather smart but super lazy...never did any of the homework but pretty much would ace the tests. This affected my grades and drive my parents crazy. Dropped out of college after one semester and moved to Arizona to be with my girlfriend at the time.

After 6 years we broke up ( mostly living paycheck to paycheck with her making more than I did ) and I finally found myself alone for the first time in my life. I rented an apartment for myself but because of background checks I wasn't able to rent a place till they finished with it. I was homeless for a couple days but being homeless in Arizona isn't the worst place.

Finally got my place but needed to save money...so I rent out the one bedroom to some stoner guy and I slept on a cot in the living room. I'm now working three jobs but kept the spending habits as if I was broke.

I eventually nailed an office job where I was getting paid more than all three combined so I quit all the extra jobs and just worked as a loan processor. I moved in with a new friend of mine and stayed in his town house. I slept in the living room on my cot still but the company was better.

My roommate shortly after gets laid off from his copper mining job and starts to collect unemployment. A year goes by while he was steadily growing more depressed and drank all the time. His girlfriend leaves him for this and his unemployment was running out.

I move out myself because I started to date this woman who I knew was bad for me but did it anyway cause I was still upset about my last girlfriend and was lonely. As I was staying at her place one night my old roommate stole everything I owned and also took the rent money I have him and left. I had to pay rent for that place twice and it pretty much drained my account. I learn that making money is better when you save money for rainy days. Start to save a lot....

Now while this was all going on...when I was with my 2nd gf...I got into stocks. My office job was paying me lots of money and with my spending habits...I didn't need a lot of it. I started to invest in stocks. I eventually used a broker and he did right by me. I eventually get laid off from my office job and take up a new one in Nevada.

I move to Nevada for a job but it was short lived and was laid off yet again. I was getting tired of losing jobs by getting laid off at this point so I figured....Fuck it...military.

I tried to join the Air Force but they just weren't looking for recruits and gave me a huge run around. I even had a portion of my tattoo that is on my back removed because they said it peaked out of my collar. After nearly a year of the run around...I joined the army instead.

I did basic at SC, AIT in Virginia, then I was stationed at Washington for the remainder of my contract. By this time I had a sizable amount saved up already from my job at the office and stocks. The military just added to it since expenses were next to nothing ( food, internet, and phone ). Yes food...waiting in line 15 minutes for a burger that was well done 10 minutes ago isn't time well spent.

My contact is now done and I'm inactive reserves. I'm now on vacation and at the beginning of the new year I plan to move back into Arizona and just work at a nice store that I enjoy working at and live off of that and what I've saved up.

TL;DR Moved to az with gf, breakup, homeless for a short time, get a place, save by living in living room on a cot and rent the bedroom, get a good job, save money and invest, get laid off a bunch, join military, save more money and invest more, vacation.