Grrreat timing

So starting a few weeks ago, I would get a call from one of my student loan companies with an automated message asking me to call a number concerning my loan. Here's the thing, they would call at the strangest times when I didn't have a pen on me and I couldn't remember it exactly. Finally they called when I wasn't near my phone so they left a voicemail and I could finally get the right number. I called them today and although I knew this day was coming, I always kind of hoped it never would-maybe a mistake in the paperwork or an oversight and poof, my loan just wouldn't exist anymore :) If only.

Anyway once I finally got someone on the other line, they merely wanted to inform me that my loan payments will start being due as of Dec. 14th. Right before Christmas. Great. Sorry everyone, looks like there will be no purchased Christmas presents for anyone this year. I am going to start now to get creative and think of ideas that I can make for free or maybe two pennies per gift. I asked him how much my payments will be and of course he couldn't tell me an exact number. Of course. I will just get a bill 30-45 days before its due and then be forced to scramble to get the money for it. Super cool.

So after we hung up I did a little research. I found a loan calculator that determines how much interest I've accrued since I've taken out the loan and since its been in deferment. It's a $20,000 loan and by Dec. the interest will be up to $2476.39. That said I found a different loan calculator to see how much per month I will have to pay for 15 or 20 years. 15 years is $198.90 and 20 years is $170.90. Sweet. I'm so super excited for that. I'll be 50 by the time these loans are paid off! Crap. Not exactly how I pictured the next 20 years of my life but maybe I'll just strike it rich and be fine...haha...yeah right.

I'm dreading hearing from Sallie Mae to get the same message, even though I have an idea that those payments will be starting in Nov. Super fun.

Looks like I have even more motivation to spend less of my allowance or at least definitely not use more than I have allotted myself. I did decide that I'm going to the library after work to get some free entertainment when I'm not working these next two weeks. I think I'll stay in with a movie tomorrow night, which, besides the cost of Netflix, is free.

On another note, I've been trying to close my checking and savings accounts that I still have in MN. I wasn't able to close those accounts when I was home because I still had direct deposit payments coming from my old jobs. So I called the bank to see what I had to do to close it from here and they said to send a letter with all the info. I did. They called saying it had to be notarized. So I sent the letter to my mom to have her boss notarize it and drop it off at the bank. Apparently that's not the solution either. I need to send them the letter myself with my home address because they can't transfer the funds like they said they could, they have to send me a check instead. Sweet. So I have money just sitting around doing nothing and I have to jump through so many hoops to get access to it. Frustrating.