my financial life hasn’t been great for a while. as soon as i graduated college, i started working for the family business. that meant no paycheck and some petty cash to cover my expenses. then 10 months later the business went under and i was left without an income and there started the credit card debt. i kept putting everything on the card because there was really no alternative. at least i didn’t have to pay rent (i am living with the boyfriend and he’s paying it all for now) and had no major expenses that i couldn’t either put on the card or borrow from the bf for. anyway, i was getting by on making minimum payments with odd jobs for the last year but i finally was able to join grad school in september and get low interest college loans. so i’m trading my 21% credit card for 6.8% on the school loans (also it doesn’t start accruing interest until i graduate in dec 2011). i’m slowly bringing down the balance on the credit card (it’s better for your credit score that way) and will have it paid off by end of january. i am not used to seeing balances this high in my checking account though so i really have to control my urge to spend money both on myself and in covering expenses with the boy. i hate living off him but i have few alternatives right now and i’ll make it up to him in the long run.