This is Where It Began – A Watch, A Big City, and A Credit Card

by Hope

I moved to Chicago in 1996. I had just completed by Bachelor’s degree and was moving to Chicago to save the world. Ha! My plan was to work with gangland kids as a licensed social worker.

My rent was $350. I didn’t have any debt. I didn’t have any credit cards. And I didn’t have a car. In fact, I left my car in Texas for my parents to sell.

I was completely ignorant of finances. I mean, I had grown up with a checking account. But credit score, no clue. Credit cards, no clue. Loans, no clue. I was really ignorant about the bigger world of money and debt and such.

And then I walked by a table somewhere and I’m sure they were offering something for free. And I signed up for my very first credit card.

This was my first purchase… (There was one more that I remember…a Coach backpack purse. I loved that bag! But I had no idea what Coach was. I had never been a name brand girl. And frankly, I’m still not, even though I do know what they are now.)

If memory serves, this watch cost me $300? Don’t quote me, it has been almost three decades since I made this purchase.

During my continuous clean out and purge, I found it a few weeks ago. Along with a couple of other nice watches I obtained since then.

I went to Walmart to try to get new batteries in all three. But they wouldn’t do anything with them due to the price point, I guess. They referred me to a jeweler to replace them. For $42, I got three new watch batteries. And now, I’m wearing my 28 year old purchase, and my daughter’s will each have a nice watch.

Several months ago, I was able to sell my engagement ring. (I couldn’t find the post about it.) But I had tried pawn shops, jewelers, and finally Facebook Marketplace to sell my “real” jewelry. I was shocked at how little these supposed valuable pieces were worth. But for now, I will keep this watch. I haven’t worn a watch for years. And I will enjoy it. It brings back the memories of some of the best times of my early adult life. I LOVE Chicago.

But it will also be a reminder of what not to do financially ever, ever again! No MORE CREDIT CARD debt!

Sidenote: Before you bring up unexpected spending, etc. this money came from my Christmas saving – cash bucket. I figured these are perfect gifts for the girls.

Hope is a creative, solutions-focused business manager helping clients grow their business and work more efficiently by leveraging expertise in project management, digital marketing, & tech solutions. She’s recently become an empty nester as her 5 foster/adoptive kids have spread their wings. She lives with her 3 dogs in a small town in NE Georgia and prefers the mountains to the beaches any day. She struggles with the travel bug and is doing her best to help each of her kids as their finish schooling and become independent (but it’s hard!) She has run her own consulting company for almost twenty years! Hope began sharing her journey with the BAD community in the Spring of 2015 and feels like she has finally in a place to really focus on making wise financial decisions.