My Journey to Financial Freedom

Welcome to McCaleb Personal Finance! My name is Jeff McCaleb.

I was born and raised in a middle-class family in a few different towns across California. My parents had the discipline and good fortune to always live in new homes and drive new cars throughout my childhood—setting an early example of financial stability and intentionality.

After graduating high school, I enrolled at Point Loma Nazarene College to pursue a degree in Psychology. But after a year and a half, I left school and enrolled in the School of Hard Knocks—jumping into the workforce attempting and failing at a sales career, then starting a career in the construction trades.

In 1993, at just 23 years old and unemployed, I bought my first home using none of my own money (a story for another day). Unfortunately, I lost that home two years later due to a series of poor decisions, an adjustable-rate mortgage, and unexpected homeowners association costs. That moment marked the beginning of a downward financial spiral.

By 1995, I filed for bankruptcy—writing off credit card debt, a mortgage, and past-due HOA dues. The only debt I kept was my car loan, knowing I needed reliable transportation to keep working. It was a rock-bottom moment, but one that taught me some of the most valuable money lessons of my life.

For the next three years, I lived without credit cards and learned how to manage life strictly on what I had. That discipline never left me. To this day, I’ve never carried a balance on a credit card again.

At the time, my wife and I were raising two small kids, and I was earning $14/hr working for a cable company. We scraped by, and I rebuilt my credit one step at a time—starting with a $200 secured credit card. By 1998, I used a rising employee stock purchase plan and a first-time buyer program to purchase a modest home with a fixed-rate mortgage.

From there, I slowly built a new foundation—manageable housing costs, no credit card debt, a stable car payment, and a focus on saving. We grew a small emergency fund and began contributing to a 401(k). When my wife and I divorced in 2001, she generously left me the house and the retirement account. Though I was now on a single income, I not only kept up with the payments—I doubled our rainy day fund.

I attribute that financial resilience to God. Even while giving a small portion of my income to the local church, I was growing financially when logic said I should be shrinking. I can’t fully explain it, but I experienced blessings I didn’t expect—faith truly sustained me through that time.

In 2003, I remarried. We expanded our family and committed to budgeting in a way that allowed my wife to stay home with the kids. My career began to flourish, and we were able to increase our savings while still providing for the short and long-term goals that mattered most.

We endured the dot-com crash of 2000 and the housing crisis of 2008. Our 401(k) and home values dropped by half, but we stayed committed to the plan.

By 2013, we made our last car payment ever. The mortgage was the only debt we had left. By 2020, we were saving about 25% of my income for retirement—something I never imagined possible during those early years of struggle.

In 2021, we sold our California home and moved to Arizona. Thanks to a strong market and years of saving, we purchased both a primary residence and an investment property with cash. Today, we’re 100% debt free.

This journey has led to financial independence, the ability to be generous, and—most importantly—a sense of peace and security. I know what it’s like to worry about putting food on the table. I also know how empowering it feels to manage money wisely and live without debt.

Why I Built This Site

I believe everyone is capable of achieving financial freedom. It’s not easy—it takes discipline, sacrifice, and a willingness to learn—but the rewards are absolutely worth it.

Money won’t solve every problem. It’s not the key to happiness. But wise financial choices can absolutely make life easier, reduce stress, and open the door to living with purpose, freedom, and generosity.

I created this site to help others avoid the mistakes I made—and find hope, strategy, and support on the road to financial freedom. No matter where you're starting from, I want to walk with you.

Sincerely,

Jeff