The other side

[lookin2wardthefuture]

I moved into MY OWN apartment yesterday! I'm thrilled ,thankful, and relieved. I have to pinch myself to make sure I actually had the courage to leave the mentally unstable, lying , vindictive, cheating son-of-a-bitch!!!!! I'd like to thank everyone on LS for your inspiration. This site has been a warm place to come to when I felt like no one could really understand what I was feeling. Unless someone has been there they just don't get it. In theory unfaithfulness "sounds" awful. Living it is truly surreal. The numbness, anger, despair, and worst of all, the confusion that comes with infidelity. I think no matter how bad it's been, most people ask the enevitable question,"can this relationship get better if "I" try harder?" I did this for twenty years, I'm done, and I'm sooo happy with my decision and so are my children. We are starting our new journey together. I'm going back to school and I'm so excited. Hang in there, there's a new life out for there for every one of us!!!!!

[Ronni_W]

:bunny:

Congrats!!! Live long, happy and healthy in YOUR OWN apartment

Excellent Holiday/New Year's gift to give to yourself and your children. You deserve it.

[JaneDoe35]

So happy for you & your children....what a wonderful Christmas time you will have in your own place. Congratulations on surviving the pain you have experienced. Look at your life now!! You must be so excited about the future....so much ahead to look forward to.

 

JD

[tojaz]

Congratulations.Enjoy the peace that a stable home is going to be able to provide for you and your kids. Best of luck on this new adventure for both you and your kids, a new life starts now.

TOJAZ

[Gunny376]

Congrats on the new apartment ~ and with your going back to school.

 

But coming from someone who's been there and done that?

 

Let me throw in some "Yea But's!

 

Not to discount your decision to leave the %$#&^$& SOB, but to clear a few land mines for ya.

 

First off. Being a single mother going back to school, (you didn't say what your major was, at what level your of schooling your at, (Freshman, Sophmore, Junior, Senior)

 

I'm assuming your a Freshman. 100 and 200 level course are pretty much Bull manure courses. (Again I'm assuming your pursuing at least a BS or BA degree)

 

There are a couple of ways that you can shave off years and lots of money off of our college education ~ be you in a community college / trade school or a four year education.

 

The first one is to challenge the exam. Most of us have at least one subject that we're really good at. So say your really good at math or English. You can challenge to take the English 101 and 102 or the Math 101 or 102 course.

 

Its basically taking the Math 101 and 102 or English 101 and 102, or History 101 and 102 courses mid term and final exams. You pass? You get credit for the course. Mind you that your grade is not just a pass or fail (at most college and universties. That is to say if you score a D ~ it will have an affect on your GPA) So you should only challenge a course if your all day strong on the given subject.

 

Another way would be to take the ACT subject test. The ACT offers test on many different 101 and 201 courses. (Yes the same folks that administer the ACT admissions test) Its basically a 'pass or failure" type deal which you can then admitt to the college registrar for credit covering basic require college classes at the 100 and 200 level, This the much safer method, in that if you don't pass? You simply do not submitt them to the registars office, and take the class.

 

You should also approach the registars office about giving you credit for "Life Experiences" At many colleges and universities you can get credit for certain classes, electives etc for certain life experiences ~ such as having been in the military, an Eagle Scout, etc.

 

You need to find a mentor ~ someone who is going to take you under their wing, lead you, guide you. Only one quarter of college students are traditional college student. The other two thirds are outside the 'traditional' college student criteria.

 

That is to say that they're over the age of twenty five, are married, divorced, have children, work full time jobs ~ in short are people such as yourself.

 

Those are the people that you need to seek out on campus.

 

The average 'four year' degree on average? Takes seven to eight years to earn for your typical average eighteen year old college freshman.

 

Finacially?

 

Mimimize expeses, clip coupons, maximize income, eradicate debt, maximize savings.

 

As a long term goal seek to have a minimum of one year's net income in the bank.

 

I know. This is a hugh goal. But first commit to just having an hour's worth of your net income in the bank, then a day's, then a week, then a month, then two months, then three months, then six months.

 

Suzie Orman and others call this an Emergecy Fund.

 

I call it my OMG! WTF ~AIGTDN (Am I going to do now) fund!

 

I've got things to where I can live off of my military retirement. That is to say I can keep a roof over my head, a decent dependable ride under my butt, the ligths and gas on etc.

 

I've also got a years worth of civilian income put back.

 

I've also got what Hellen Hunt calls "Freedom Accounts" funded (somewhat)

 

I've got $5k in the bank for auto repairs, (Engine, transimission, tires, tune ups, 30/60/90K maintenance /replacement)

 

The idea for all of this I got from Dave Ramsey's & Hellen Hunt.

 

Dave's book "Compete Money Makeover" and Hellen Hunt's book "Debt Proof Living" (which both have a website. Hellen's is a paid website, $6 a month to subscribe ~ which I highly recommend)

 

For a single mother? And college student I would also recommend "Once A Month Cooking" by Mimi Wilson and Mary Beth Lagerrborg

 

I only cook two days a month the first of the month. The above mentioned book combined with a vacumn Food Saver/server and its done.

 

Pull the prepared plate, soup, stew out of the microwave ~ and its done!

[Gunny376]

OMG and WTF!

 

I just re -read my last post and sound like Frank Hill!