Friday, November 03, 2006

The price of being an adult

Today I signed up for my job's insurance. Since I moved from Nashville to Shreveport, my insurance providers naturally changed. I thought it would be no big deal.

I was wrong.

My insurance costs doubled. Literally. Instead of paying $30, I'll now be paying $60 for the same type of medical insurance. And, this isn't a once a month deal. This is $60 every two weeks--for one person! I'm not married. I don't have kids and I don't even smoke OR have any diseases.

What's the deal?

And on top of all of that, my parents call themselves teaching me to be responsible. What does that mean? I've been responsible my whole life. I've always been responsible enough not to do anything too stupid and I know how to get myself out of a jam. I graduated from college, with honors no doubt, and even got my own apartment and bought my own furniture too. But recently my parents made me start paying my own cellphone bill. I didn't mind that much, it was my phone. They had also paid for two cars of mine. I got my mom's hand-me-down Nissan Sentra when I turned 15 and when I graduated from high school they bought me the somewhat sporty Ford Escort ZX2. They even paid for my car insurance. I was so thankful for their generosity--I thought it would never end.

But, as many folks know Fords aren't the best cars. Mine broke down many times and eventually had me on the side of the road in tears. I started lobbying for a new vehicle to my parents. They weren't biting. They told me, "the next car you get you'll buy it."

That's fair, right? I figured if I bought a car, they'd still pay my insurance, right? Wrong again, Ashley. So in July, right before my 23rd birthday I had the pleasure of buying my first brand new car (I'll never buy another brand new car, the deprecation value is insane) and it marked the start of me paying my own insurance. Crappy.

My car note is around 320 and my car insurance is around 110. My cell phone bill costs an average of $70 (unless I get too chatty). That's $500 bucks my parents just got out of paying and shifted to me, on top of the $30 increase in insurance. It's amazing how I'm expected to pay all of this and have a life. My mom says I'm being a responsible adult. I say it sucks-my expenses increasing $560 in a matter of months. Who knew life would be this hard?

My dad always said I look back on my childhood years and wish I was a kid again. I thought he was out of his mind, but boy he was sure right.

1 comment:

Donecia Pea said...

Lawd have MERCY do I feel you on this one girl....Ohhh Lawd have mercy....If I could only turn back the hands of time!!!! But the independence truthfully is priceless!