Updates

I have some updates I feel like I need to write out.  This post is basically just for me and my sanity. :)


Anyway, I should be starting classes in less than a month at WGU.  My dad called me just to chat this afternoon and we talked about school and my hubby's job and how I'm going to pay for things... Conversations with my dad always seem to find their way around to finances every time.

I told my dad I'd received a scholarship that lasts for 2 years (it renews automatically for four 6-month semesters), but it doesn't cover the entire cost of tuition so I'm going to have to take out student loans.  My dad is completely opposed to student loans.  He offered to pay my tuition if the program I've chosen passes his and my mom's inspection.  This is the main reason I quit school before: I felt pressured by my dad to do what he wanted me to do and not what I wanted to do.  I don't know if he realizes it, but he requires a lot of hoop-jumping and he likes to keep a very close watch on my finances if he's going to give me money; he's very much like his father that way.

I feel pressured enough by myself, from myself, that I really don't feel like dealing with real or imagined pressure from my parents as to how to go through school, how to live my life, and how to organize and/or manage my finances.  Plus, paying for college on my own, even if I have to take out student loans, puts the responsibility of my education on my head and not on anyone else's.



Another new development is the idea that my hubby and I could go ahead and buy a home.  We don't have a down payment and I realize that we should have one, however I'm looking primarily at the idea of researching USDA and FHA loans.  FHA loans require 3.5% down (at least, depending on your credit score), and USDA loans don't require anything down but they require that the home you plan to purchase is in an approved area.

I mentioned the idea of buying a home to my dad, and he is of course in favor of waiting until we have a down payment.  He also pointed out that we should have 6 months worth of bill money available in savings in case one of us loses our job.  My response to that is that we should have that whether we're renting or owning, and we're working on it.  My dad's other piece of advice was to buy a "starter home" that's smaller, maybe a 2bed/1bath, and move up to a larger home later.  We'll see.




Well I've vented and thought enough and now my mind is winging its way along to a new set of worries, so I'll publish this and worry about it later.