lucky?

… lucky? …

I was paying yet another monthly credit card bill this morning while listening to the Motley Fools on NPR and they were talking to a woman that had over $30,000 in debt at 29 years of age and I’m thinking that yeah I am lucky that my debt isn’t that high, however I still have it. And recently my mother was suggesting, to my surprise, that instead of seeking a roommate situation, Sean and I look to buy a place between the two of us, since we shouldn’t throw our money away. It got me thinking about my credit situation, which isn’t that bad. I’m currently in debt about $3,000 to one company on two accounts, both of which I opened to bring down the debt I had in other areas back when the “move your balance” fervor was going strong and all I had were cards designed for people with bad credit.

I was seduced in college as were so many people by the funny looking little man that had a photocopier set up on a table with an extension cord running off into the distance. It’s like carnival games. He calls out “Get a credit card, just show me your student id and current class schedule!” You even get a booby prize, a tumbler, or maybe a 2-liter soda. What a deal! It took me years before I understood responsible credit management. In that time I dealt a blow to a good friend who let me share an account with him (what *was* I thinking?) and seriously abused my parents’ trust when they gave me a gold AmEx account (what were *they* thinking?).

So I’m looking around online for debt consolidation services, out of curiosity, and most of them say that I don’t have enough debt to qualify for their services! And sure I know that it’s a small amount, but it’s still an amount I’d like to be rid of. So I should feel good that my debt is so small as to be considered ineligible for management assistance? Somehow my credit file is unconvinced.

Rather than get an embarrassing financial planner, I’ve been assessing my debts and how and where I spend my money. It’s not a pretty picture. Though I’m noticing how much of my money goes to those “workplace” things. Money doled out on people that you barely know and don’t much care about. Just today someone said that we’re collecting money for someone that used to work here who’s brother passed away. I know I must look like the office grinch, but I am going to manage to avoid the collection for this particular set of flowers and card. I barely knew the person, let alone their brother, I haven’t seen them since they quit and when they were here they barely did a lick of work! Add to this birthday celebrations, and then the heterosexual privilege events: baby showers and wedding showers. I think I’ll tell people at work that I’m Jehovas Witness or something, that might get me out of some of these…