Our modest beginnings... (part 2)

Read Part 1

Here, in part 2, I(Andy) will briefly recount my pathetic financial beginnings (pre-marriage).

When I arrived in Provo, I quickly got situated, and got an incredibly high paid job as a campus custodial worker (insert sarcastic facial expression here). Along with this, my school expenses were covered by pell grants and a Stafford loan. I also had a lovely 1986 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme that was handed down to me from Andrea via Chris. Things were looking bright.

(much like this...but crushed in the back...silly us, we didn't think to take pictures of it!)

A few problems soon arose for me. First, since it was my first time getting a Stafford Loan, that money was not dispersed until part-way through the semester. To cover this, I received a short-term BYU loan. A couple weeks before the short term loan was due, I received the Stafford Loan money, and was shocked and saddened to see that the amounts didn't match. I needed about $300 more to cover the short-term loan amount... in just a couple weeks. In order to make that payment, I used my entire 2 week paycheck (which was usually around $250), and whatever else I had left.Kizzie had also come out to visit me prior to this time, I think, which meant that some of my money had gone to activities with her, as well as silly little things like a wedding ring and a new cheap suit for our wedding.

After all of this fun stuff, I had absolutely nothing. I had no cash, and my very low limited student credit card (used mostly for the ring... which was a bargain I might add) was essentially maxed out. For about a month or so, while attempting to get things back to normal, I made my minimum credit card payment of $25, and then used the newly created available credit to buy my groceries for the month. That left me about a $5 a week for a grocery budget. This was generally enough to keep me stocked with peanut butter, jelly, bread, cereal, and milk. That was all. When talking with Kizzie about this the other day, we were both embarrassed a little that we hadn't even considered sharing some of Kizzie's incredibly high paychecks(ha). Oh well.

When the opportunity arose for a free ride to Missouri at Thanksgiving (to go to the Temple with Kizzie), I jumped at it. With $25 of pity money from my parents, and much kindness from those with whom I was riding, I set out on this journey. When the time came to return, I did so with a bag of turkey sandwiches (thanks Mom), and another bag of canned food, macaroni and cheese, and things like that complements of my parents' kitchen.

Luckily, shortly after my return, we began receiving some wedding gift checks, which helped me live a semi-human life for my last few weeks of single life, and also cover rent and deposit for our apartment the following month, as well as a few other basic home items.

Sadly enough, though not surprising, our financial situation did not take a dramatic up-turn as soon as the marriage was finalized. Fortunately though, they are funny to think about and at least make good stories right? More of these details will be forthcoming.