What I Thought About While Checking My Credit Report

I checked my credit report yesterday. I'd never done that before, but it's free you know. ( AnnualCreditReport.com )

I apparently borrowed $9,035 for my undergrad education. I've never known how much we actually borrowed. I was 18-22 and all it meant to me then was signing loan papers on time. On top of that, my parents borrowed at least that much in parent PLUS loans.

I never paid back any of that money. My mom and dad paid every cent of it. It cost them a lot of their overtime pay, retirement money and certainly some of the nicer things they probably wished they'd had.

I remember there was even a clause written into their will at the time that should anything happen to the both of them - God forbid - my college loans would be paid first. Then if there was anything left it would be divided and distributed.

When I graduated and got my first job at the Northern Virginia Daily I wanted to start paying on the loans myself - I was an adult damn it, with a job! But they refused saying it was their responsibility as parents to give me a good education.

My mom wanted me to have a "sit down job" since she worked in a factory and had to stand all day. My dad was just proud I went to college.

They finally paid off my loans - and theirs - in 2003, when they retired.

They took my dad's retirement and paid of the remaining of my loans, and with my mom's retirement they put a front porch on the house.

The picture above was taken last summer from the porch swing of that new front porch.