Portrait: Lexington, Kentucky

I am the girl you want to be.

I have a secure job at a company that is well-placed to survive this economic crisis even though we are tied to the construction industry. I have medical, dental, vision and short term disability that will kick in during my maternity leave this June. My husband owns his own business which is thriving. When our daughter is born, she will go to work with my husband so we won’t have child care expenses. Our cars are paid off. We refinanced our 5 bedroom house in a desirable school district in early January at a good rate. We are in the process of installing hardwood floors throughout the entire upstairs.

I am the girl who doesn’t sleep well at night.

I have $17,000.00 in credit card debt from my first marriage/divorce. Even at my low rate, my minimum payment is $350.00/month. My paid off car has 140,000 miles on it and I’m afraid it will go at anytime. In June, when my daughter is born, my health insurance cost out of pocket will go from $40.00/month to $300.00/month. If anything changes, my situation will go from rosy to rocky overnight.

I am the girl looking for four leaf clovers.

I’m not cutting back on ‘luxuries’ yet. I have my expensive cell phone plan and high speed internet. I still pick up take-out when I’m too lazy to cook. I am still going to prenatal yoga twice a week. I am hoping and praying that the status quo reigns in my life for another year while we weather the worst of this.

So cross your fingers for me. Cross your fingers for all of us.


Anonymous
Lexington, Kentucky