Thursday, February 22, 2007

Thursday Thirteen #21

The website says that this will be the final edition of TT...unless someone else buys the rights to it. That's sad that a community of people and something people will enjoy...will come down to money. Well...if this is it, it was fun while it lasted.

P.S. I woke up a smidge ago...and I am feeling better. I got to the point when my temp went back to normal and I just feel like I can't sleep any more.


Thirteen Things About Shelley And Money!


1. I have a love/hate relationship with money, but then again...doesn't everyone?
2. When I entered college...I had close to 2K in savings from my job in high school.
3. I got my first credit card when I was 18 years old...my mommy co-signed for me.
4. By the time I graduated from college, I had about 2K in credit card debt. And sadly, it was just from living beyond my means.
5. That 2K completely freaked me out. It may not seem like a lot to some, but for me...it seemed like a bottomless hole.
6. When I started grad school, I vowed to reduce my debt and once I paid off the cards to never have a credit card balance.
7. I paid off all my cards in 2003...and to this day have never paid a penny in interest in credit cards again.
8. When I graduated from grad school...I was once again saddled in debt, but school loans. It's healthy debt, but I still hate it. When I went to my exit interview...they student loan people gave me a chart saying that if you owe this much you should make this much per year. I laughed out loud when I saw this because as a social worker I was NEVER going to make what the chart says I should.
9. Since I have graduated from grad school in 2002...I have paid down over 25K in educational debt. (sadly that is not even half of what I owe for both undergrad and grad school) This afternoon I made a 2K payment to one of my loans. I figured that it makes more sense to pay that money off instead of just keeping it in an account...getting a smidge of interest.
10. I am lucky to have really good credit. I saw lucky, but really it was a lot of self discipline and hard work. I haven't always had a lot of money, but I have paid bills on time and not gotten overwhelmed.
11. I paid off my car lst year...2.5 years early. I am really proud of that. And now the money I used to pay for my car loans...I send to my student loans.
12. Right now I am on schedule to be debt free by 2010. That seems like a long time away, but if I only paid what they told me to...my loans would be paid in full on 2033. That's right 2033!!!
13. I know much of this post seems like I am bragging...and well, I probably am. I am really proud of the financial decisions I have made. I have a journey ahead of me, but I love that I have a plan and I am making choices to help my financial future instead of just hiding under a rock!



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