Earlier today, I made the final payment on my private student loan. Everyone I know who’s paid off their student debt has told me that doing so can be relatively anti-climactic. And today I experienced that first-hand. Confetti did not fall from the ceiling, and not a single marching band was in sight to celebrate what has been the most significant financial moment of my life up to this point.
Unlike housewarmings and weddings and baby showers, there’s no stock event to celebrate this kind of milestone. There’s not a market for debt payoff party planners. No color schemes typical of celebratory dinner decorations. (Although green seems to be the natural choice, doesn’t it?)
Is that because we’re so ashamed of money? We’re simultaneously obsessed with and ashamed of our finances. It’s considered rude to discuss our salaries yet it’s always a naughty curiosity to know how much a friend recently paid for their new home. But we can’t talk about these things — or at least that’s what we’re taught. So it only makes sense that having any kind of party to celebrate the end of something that you were never meant to discuss in the first place just doesn’t seem appropriate.
A charming Seattle fixer-upper
In an ideal world, my dream home is a creaky little residence with lots of period details that make it unique. Stained glass, original hardwood floors, Gothic doorways that open to tiny linen closets. Crystal doorknobs, intricate hinges. I could go on and on. I’m not totally sure that I’ll ever find the perfect home with all of these things plus the modern conveniences needed to live, such as a perfectly functional kitchen and a sunlit home office. But a girl can dream.
This charming Seattle fixer-upper stands just over 1,000 square feet in size and is host to three bedrooms and one full bath. Originally built in 1900, period details like stained glass windows and exterior trim can be found throughout the home. Other features include a spacious front porch, an updated kitchen with granite countertops and stainless steel appliances, and a quaint backyard. Some work needs to be done to bring the home up to date, but this Victorian bungalow has a lot of potential. The asking price is $700,000. [Windermere Real Estate]
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