[abowers]

I'm still fairly young, but I got a little carried away with spending while in college, with one of my credit cards!! I then realized, while a sophomore or junior, that paying the minimum would not get rid of the debt quickly. So I stopped using the credit card, paid cash for everything, and paid as much as I could every month. I'm glad I realized it was an issue before it got too out of hand! Honestly, I don't know what I was thinking! Now I am very careful with what I spend my money on, and I save my credit card just for emergencies (haven't used it in a year).

My long time boyfriend and I are living together now and we have separate accounts. we split the cost of just about everything (rent, cable, cell phones, electric bill). he helped me out with the down payment on our new car that I am driving, but I am paying the monthly payments (we are co-signed on the loan though). We take turns paying when we go out to eat, and for groceries. It seems to be working out pretty well, but we are both making about the same money right now. In 3 years when I expect to have my masters degree and be working as a school psychologist, I will be making more than he is (only for a couple years), until he finishes up his PhD work (then he will make LOTS more than me...) and I expect to pay a little more for things while I have a real job. (We will also probably be married by that point, but I think we will probably still keep separate accounts).

My boyfriend is not a big spender, and that has been a good influence on me.