Jake’s Story | From -$25k in Net Worth to $500k

In this episode of MONEYO2, we chat with Jake Cousineau, a teacher turned personal finance author of How to Adult. Jake brings a fresh, relatable approach to finance for young adults, drawing on his years in the classroom and personal experience managing money as a young professional.

Jake openly shares how he transformed his financial situation from a negative net worth of about $25,000 to nearly $500,000—all while living on a teacher’s salary. His journey is a powerful reminder that you don’t need a dramatic income boost to achieve major financial growth; it’s about shifting your mindset and habits around money.

If you’re ready to learn practical steps and get inspired by a real-life story of financial transformation, this episode is for you.

Listen to the full episode here.