While I'm normally your typical black-and-white, analog prophet, I certainly got a lesson in rule-breaking last night. My fiance and I have been discussing the different aspects of our upcoming marriage and how it will change each of our lives. The hot topic of finances snuck in to our loving conversation and wreaked havoc. It's true. I am not a frivolous spender. I pay my bills; I buy gas; I buy discounted cheap wedding stuff...and I don't do anything. I'm a regular boring single person. However, in order to get through school at a decent pace (remembering that I had a deadline...said wedding), I was forced to take out some loans. I currently find myself quite indebted to them.
Also, last fall I plowed into the back of a Jeep and totaled my Escort. I work two jobs and maintain a long-distance relationship. Not having a car is not an option. I had two weeks with a rental car, which means I had two weeks to find a reliable, safe, smart car. I financed it, as loan payments and two weeks notice did not allow me to save up more than $2500. It really is a great car. It will last me at least 10 years and has enough room for a growing family, no added bells and whistles or anything.
So there I was, with my two financial decisions and a 1/1,000,000 chance of getting out of there alive. I found myself arguing that although I definitely advocated the debt-free, less extravagance lifestyle, I've found that a big bag of money doesn't fall out of the sky every time someone with good intentions goes through a difficult time! Alas, I have become a rule-bender!!! It wasn't black and white anymore. My fiance's "simple" decision to buy a 10-year-old clunker for a fraction of the price I paid after 4 months of research and thought was not in any way comparable to my car-buying decision.
As hard and fast as I've always thought, this nay-sayer can admit when she's been taught a lesson. And I shall try to show kindness to all rule-breakers...
