Sunny Side Up

Just when I thought I had reached rock bottom, I realized I DID! That was it, that was rock bottom. And now it seems like I am going to reach back to the top. I went car shopping today with a very tall order: $10,000 or lower, good gas mileage, low mileage, and 4 doors. And this is what I ended up with:

2012 Toyota Corolla

...And it's mine, all mine! I never thought I would end up with a brand new car, but I actually qualified for it. Getting rejected for a loan was the best thing. I ended up taking out a lease on a car (which I never even considered), and so far, I think it was the right choice. It only had 10 miles at signing, and I have full maintenance for the 3 years I am going to lease it. Then in the end, I wont be upside down in a loan payment! I can trade it in a get a new car, no questions asked. It's a great idea. 

No more worrying about how am I going to get from place to place, no more wondering if my car is going to start. Dependability, that is all I ever wanted in a car, and it seems like that is what I ended up with. I am so happy. 

I could realy go for some boring right now...

I asked a vague question, "Can't anything just come easy?". One of my friends told me, "Well, if things came easy, it would make life boring.". That makes sense. If everything came with no trials and tribulations, life would get boring. However; I argue that if everything comes with a struggle sometimes things just get too unruly. I could really go for some boring right now.

I make too much money for financial aid to cover the cost of education. This would mean that I have to take out over $15000 in loans in order to pursue my degree. I am unsure where the government perceives I make too much money considering I work at a daycare for very little wage. But, when I got that news, I just went with it.

In another frame of my life, my car is dead. I am unable to drive my car anymore, and have been having to find other means of transportation to get to and from work and school. This has become more stressful, and tiring then I have thought.

With my supposed "high paying job" I went to the local credit union and applied for a loan for a car. But, I guess I don't make enough money to get a loan for a car.

So now I am stuck. Unable to pursue and education, and unable to qualify for a car loan. No car, no school. I am stuck, and I have no idea where to go next.

There is a part of me that knows I should try and find a better, high paying job. But, I question my sanity in a job that I am not in love with. I love my job now, but it seems like I am not going to be able to afford anything living in the means I am now.

I'm stuck in a place where I can't live the way I have been living. I feel like I have to make a choice between being happy, and affording to live. I guess there really is a price to happiness, but I haven't found out how much it costs yet.

School--Change of Plans

So, here is the deal. This whole last year has all come down to this: It has been a giant waste of time. This last year I have been going back to WCC so I can get my transfer degree and transfer to a 4 year university. Unfortunatly, it looks like this has been a giant waste of time.

Mainly, it's bad planning on my part, and over-the-top assumptions that turned out to be false, but we will get back to that.

After I finished with my transfer degree I planned on going to WSU in order to get a degree in Human Development. Since I am no longer having to claim my parents on my financial aid form I had assumed that I would recieve financial aid at WSU when I transfer; However, my assumption was very wrong. When I received my financial aid letter in the mail I was very discouraged.

The letter stated that althought they did accept my financial aid, they were only going to offer me $3000 a year in grants and the rest would be in loans. I was not aware the financial aid was a loan? But, I guess it is.

For a brief momment I considered this to be good news, and I would simply take out some loans for school. But on further review I found this to be a very bad decision.

Upon the suggestion of a friend I sat down with my self and thought of the pros and cons. Then I sat down and did the math. If I take out the loans, it will total a little over $15,000 of debt after college. With the interest rate they are offering me, this would mean that I would be paying about $200 a month to loans for the next 10 years. After I graduate I, on average, I would not be making much more money after then I am right now. This all means that after I graduate I would not only have a low paying job, but I would make technically less then I am now, because I have to pay off the loans.

This is very discouraging.

So, at this point I have made the decision not to attend a four year university. After I get my 2 year, I am going to take a break and figure out my life. All the careers I would like are careers where I technically don't need a degree, so really, what is the point of going into debt when I don't need that silly peice of paper?

Yes, I would love the education. And the thought of learning more would is something I dream about. I had my heart set on Human Development, but sometimes dreams are mearly dreams. Reality is today. Today I know I will ultimatly be happier being debt free. And I can figure out the rest later.

Day by day right?

Diet

One day, I hope that people will realize that the best diet is simply eating right and exercising regularly.