Sink or Swim
November 25, 2010
It seems like a lot of areas of life are sink or swim. Life itself, really, is a matter of sinking or swimming.
In life, there is no manual (and please do not comment on this saying “Yes there is. It’s called The Bible”). Our parents say, “Here is what I know,” and then some time later, they turn us out into the general public hoping we do not follow through with our naive teenage plans of raising Hell.
And lately, I’m realizing I’m sinking.
It started with a credit card application. I got rejected – again – for a credit card. This one was the UPromise MasterCard from BofA, which is basically a glorified cashback card masquerading as helping people save for college. I wanted it because it gives cash back, starts out at a 0% balance transfer APR, and because I don’t have any MasterCard products (I’m also looking at Amex).
Every time I get rejected for credit, it feels like a personal affront to my personality. I am deemed very high-risk because I am young, in college, and make very little money. Sure, I have had trouble with making impulsive purchases in the past, but I have always paid my bills on time.
I also got rejected for two different auto loans, including one from a credit union (which is supposed to be easy as pie).
They recommended a cosigner. Sorry, but have you met the people in my life? You’d reject them sooner than you’d reject me.
And so I am left wondering whether my financial life is going to go well. I can’t get a loan to pay off my cards. I can’t get a balance transfer card. I’m stuck paying 16% interest (on average) on over $3,000 of debt (not to mention my student loans).
I recently elected not to get a regular, full-time job. It is a standard when one needs money to go out and get a job. It’s secure and stable. But unfortunately, this isn’t true. Pete lost his steady job (which came with a contract) back in November 2008 and failed to find regular work until over five months later, when we moved back in with my parents.
Working for other people isn’t really stable. It’s just what you’re supposed to do. And really? That doesn’t always work otu so well.
So I’m freelancing now. I’m going to teach dance. I’m going to perform. I’m going to write. I’m going to design. I’m going to sell websites for other people. And I’m going to make money doing it. I’m not going to sink. I’m going to swim. And it’s all because I’m the lazy guy who didn’t want to get a job.
