Showing posts with label Money. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Money. Show all posts

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Where in the World is Suzie Orman

You have an idea. You write out the logistics. You make a decision. You plan to succeed.
Sometimes you fail.
I failed.

This may or may not be my debt story.
I don't exactly know the correct etiquette when it comes to talking numbers and accrued debt, but hey we are all pretty much best friends now so it's about time a take you inside the Ms. J's did-you-really-think-that-was-possible-you-might-want-to-consider-being-a-realist-world.

These words may have come out of my mouth at one point in my life:
"It's perfect, I will have little to no debt before we get married!"

Silly, Ms. J.

Although there is no regret in my decision, I may be a little off track.

My story might go something like this....

9 months of community college: $5,000.

$555 paid monthly.

9 months of putting up with jokes about community college.

9 months of defending community college.

Remaining balance: $0.

9 months of Out-of-state college: $18,300.

Achieved in 9 months:

3 loans.

1 indecisive student.

3 different majors.

12 classes.

6 amazing girlfriends.

1 bridesmaid.

Aka: Paid $18,300 for friends.

They are worth every almost every penny.

I love them, but that's a lot of pennies.

A decision was made:

No more school.

No more debt.

Follow passion:

Become a nanny.

Pay off debt.

$18,300.

1 amazing nanny job.

2 awful nanny jobs.

15 months of payments.

1989756765 more to go.

Underpaid nanny.

Monthly minimum payment.

Total Paid: $5,042

Hopeful loan balance: $13,258

Actual loan balance: $17, 100

$1,200 towards loan.

$3,842 towards interest.

1 frustrated girl.


Mr. B proposed towards the end of my Sophomore year of college. In just two years I had not only changed schools 3 times, I had also changed my major 3 times. It sort of made sense, a new major for each school. Wasn't exactly my intentions, but it worked out that way. By the end of my Sophomore year I had done Liberal Arts, Communication Disorders and Elementary Education. Believe it or not, I knew what I wanted to do with my life. Seriously. It just so happened that school or these majors wasn't part of that. I wanted to be a nanny, then a stay at home mom, then have a small in home daycare. What I really needed/wanted was a homemaking degree. Not only did I change my majors, I took core classes in each of those majors and no gen. eds.

Silly, Ms. J.

NOTHING transferred.

It appears as though I wasn't thinking properly. I may have been lacking in the intelligence department. I agree, but I promise I was a smart girl. I graduated High School with High Honors and I even got all A's in college (even at the out-of-state college in case you were thinking well duh it was community college and if you weren't I apologize for my assumption, like I mentioned I learned to defend). Anyways, while in school and hating my classes, I would see ads for nanny positions offering $700-$1000 a week, the whole sha-bang: the car, the health insurance, the traveling, the paid time off etc.

Um...hey genius, why are you in school when you can be making MORE than a teacher and not have the crazy amount of debt from school??

Little guy on my shoulder was right.

With much prayer and consideration, Mr. B and I decided that it would be best for us to stop putting ourselves more in debt with my college loans. I would pursue my dream job, pay off the loans in just one year before we got married, become a stay at home mom and eventually have my daycare.

Oh, hello reality. What's that? I will actually be the family's servant? I will be underpaid and hate it? My planned weekly income is actually my monthly income? I won't make enough for us to live, let alone pay off my loans?? I will keep paying for my loans and they keep growing?? It will be like digging a hole in the sand by the water??



Um...Suzie Orman, I think I could use some help over here.