Starting A New Life

She knew there was a way she could do a credit check on herself, but did she really want to know? Getting a free credit score was just a few mouse clicks away. She had been working for months to rebuild her credit, and now she thought she might be ready to face the music. She should see just how much her newly found self discipline and careful spending habits had done for her.

The past was in the past, and if her shopping had been a real addiction, then like an addict, she would have to spend each day for the rest of her life fighting off that addiction. But now was the time to check whether she could begin to build her life again. She wondered if her score had improved much, enough to let her rent her own apartment. That was all she wanted. Living with her brother and sister-in-law was beginning to get on everyone's nerves. She was grateful for their kindness, but she knew too that their patience was wearing thin, and so was hers. It wasn't as if she shirked her responsibilities and didn't try to pull her weight--she did most of the housecleaning and even some of the cooking.

She'd offered to pay rent, though they'd refused her offer. And, she even babysat for them when they needed a night out. Still, the way things were with the current arrangement, they had no privacy, and she didn't have much either. Of course, she figured they'd miss her when she was gone. That's when they'd really notice how much she helped out. But it was no use pointing that out now because she'd inevitably end up sounding ungrateful and spoiled, instead of merely logical and matter-of-fact. To get her own place was her only aim at this point, and that meant having a decent credit score.