Want to share the burden a little?

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-23-2005
Want to share the burden a little?
2
Fri, 09-23-2005 - 8:32pm

Hi,

I am in my mid-twenties and I just graduated from a small liberal arts college (not that I will be leaving behind my $70,000 in student loan debt any time soon). I got a decent job right out of school but the money is not enough to handle rent and other living-in-a-new-city expenses, and somehow pay off my approximately $7,000 in credit card debt which is on three cards that are all over limit, and with interest etc those minimums are just getting too big.

I grew up in a poor family and some of this debt is a result of my parents needing money, or me needing things that my parents couldn't give me when I was younger. But instead of blaming them, I am trying to take responsibility and make changes, and as you might imagine, I am having a really hard time not feeling totally paralyzed by how much debt I managed to wrack up. Nobody in my life, including my parents and my friends, know about this, and I just really don't feel ready to tell them because I am so ashamed.

But I am writing because I just discovered this board and it seems like a really positive place, and I was wondering if anyone who is finding themselves in similar shoes feels like keeping in touch with me every so often so that we can both talk about how things are going and stuff like that. I am very willing to listen to and support anyone who is having a hard time. I know how you feel! But it would be really nice not to feel so alone in all of this, because that is one of the main things about this that is so hard for me.

Thanks for listening! Best wishes to all of you.

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-19-2004
Sat, 09-24-2005 - 2:41pm

Hi there and welcome. I am in the exact same shoes as you. I graduated college in 2002 with $70K in student loans, because my father was disabled and my parents didn't make enough money to help out financially. Unfortunately, they did make to much for me to qualify for financial aid.(I hate the federal student loan system and financial aid is a crock if you ask me). I have other debt as well and I know how you feel. I would love to chat with you and help each other through our extremely similar situations!

This board is wonderful and I think you'll find that it helps a great deal!

Angelpie41

Avatar for cl_phocid
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Mon, 09-26-2005 - 11:24am

Sarah - hello - welcome - and ((((hugs))))


I have been in a similar situation as you.

All my best,
Danni