Student Loan Debt - My reasons why

I have a lot of student loan debt. My degree is a BA in Communications. Nothing fancy, not a doctor, lawyer or and Indian Cheif (although I have some Indian running through these veins). From my other post I said I would be 67 when it would be wiped out through the new government plan. I don't believe in 25 years I can get it all paid off either. So I am sure there are some of you wondering why did she borrow that much money for that type of degree. Well a lot of it is interest. 14,000 to be exact. Okay now that you have gotten back on the chair I just made you fall off of. Let me explain a bit.....

I went back to school at 26 years old. I had a 3 year old and an ex husband. Who we can all call DEADBEAT! He did not pay any child support for years...oh wait he barely pays now. So I had to borrow money for school, living and for daycare. Even though I was on welfare collecting $440.00 a month, had cheap rent $49.00 a month. I still had to pay for everything else. See when I was in school ( a 4 year school) Good old Tommy Thompson who at the time was the Gov. of Wisconsin changed our welfare program to W2. Which meant once your child was 6 weeks old you had to work or go to school. The catch was you could not go to a 4 year school. You were only allowed to go to a 2 year school. They would not help me with food, medical (well the kid got medical) nor daycare. So I was a single parent who had to pay for it all by herself. So I did take extra money to cover things that I could not cover with $440 a month. I did for awhile work a few days a week too, but did not make much. I did not and still do not own a car, nor did I live in expensive housing.

However had I been taught better or learned on my own the frugal lifestyle I may not owe as much as I do now. I grew up not understanding that you can shop at Target and Walmart for things cheaper. I never really knew how well you can use coupons to save money. Hanging laundry...that was not even talked about in my house. Not that I blame anyone but I think had I been taught more, even knew what frugal meant the loan might not be so big.