The ABCs and XYZs of Financial Freedom
A teacher’s guide to money, mindset, and freedom.
I walked past a colleague’s office and saw an older teacher slumped at his desk, fast asleep over a lunch tray of beef stew. 😴
He was just grinding out a couple more years until retirement.
I thought: oh hell no — that’s not going to be me.
I love my job most days — but I never want to reach a point where I’m ineffective for my students or just clocking in until the finish line. That scene hit me hard: if I kept living in the old cycle, that could be my future too.
As a teacher, I’ve always believed that simple frameworks stick — especially when they start with the alphabet. It’s what led me to start asking different questions about work, money, and freedom. 💡
What Are the ABCs of Money?
The truth is, financial freedom doesn’t start with complicated spreadsheets or stock-market picks. It starts with mindset. That’s why I like to frame it with something simple: the ABCs.
🔍💵 A = Awareness
Know where your money goes. (Spoiler: Amazon already knows. Your credit-card company definitely knows. The one person who often doesn’t? You.)
🚶♂️➡️ B = Behavior
Your daily habits shape your future. That “just this once” latte or impulse Amazon purchase has more power than you think when it becomes daily.
🌱💰 C = Compounding
Small amounts invested regularly grow into something much larger. Patience pays — literally.
These three basics — Awareness, Behavior, and Compounding — create the foundation for everything else. Without them, no strategy works. With them, there’s almost no limit to the financial possibilities ahead.
👉 Once your ABCs are in place, you’re ready for the XYZs.
The XYZs of Freedom Explained
Most people live in the same cycle their entire career:
The Traditional Path:
Earn your paycheck → Pay your bills → Spend what’s left → Repeat for 30+ years
It works — but only as long as you keep working. Miss a paycheck, and everything falls apart. That’s what I saw in that beef-stew moment: a man who had to be there, whether he wanted to or not.
But there’s a different path:
The Freedom Path:
Earn your paycheck → Pay your bills → Invest what’s left → Your investments eventually cover your bills = You get to choose
Let’s break that down with the XYZ formula:
Here’s How the Formula Works
X = Your Monthly Expenses — Let’s say that’s $4,000/month for rent, groceries, utilities, and everything else.
Y = What You Invest — If you earn $5,500/month and spend $4,000, you have $1,500 to invest.
Z = Freedom — When your investments grow large enough to generate $4,000/month on their own.
In this example, once your investments can produce $4,000/month (covering X), you’ve reached Z. Work becomes optional. You might still choose to teach — but now it’s because you want to, not because you have to.
That’s the difference between clocking in until retirement and actually being free.
From ABC to XYZ: The Simple Path
Put simply: Earn → Cover X → Invest Y → Unlock Z.
That’s the path. The letters make it look simple — and in some ways, it is. The real challenge isn’t understanding the formula. It’s sticking with it.
That’s why I developed this framework for my students. If they can see money in terms as simple as ABCs and XYZs, then maybe financial independence won’t feel like some far-off mystery. It’ll feel like a path they can start walking right now.
Final Thoughts
The ABCs give you the mindset. The XYZs give you the math. Together, they create a path toward freedom that anyone can follow.
I developed this framework for my students, but it applies to anyone who wants to stop depending on work and start building a life of choice.
What Do You Think?
✉️ Subscribe for the next post — I’m building a complete series on money, mindset, and freedom for educators (and anyone who wants out of the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle).
And if this framework clicked for you, share it with someone who needs a simpler way to think about money. 🔄
TIME is your most valuable asset.
MONEY is just the practice that protects it.
Master your ABCs. Build toward your XYZs.
The earlier you start, the faster you get there. 🌱🌴