Can I Stand up here on this Soapbox?

I don't often use this blog to voice my opinions, concerns, etc. about political or social issues, but after a long frustrating afternoon, I feel I must vent.

I feel that the way credit reporting is done in this country is a SHAM! It's my credit report, but I can only look at it once a year without paying? I have to pay to see it any other time? I've known this for a long time, but it really only bothered me today. :) Shouldn't these credit bureaus be making their money off companies who want to check the credit of an individual consumer instead of the individual consumer? Aren't the companies checking the consumer's report the ones receiving a service? Credit bureaus: you are not providing me with a service. Maybe a headache, but not a service.

I just went through the whole Annual Credit Report thing with Nate's reports and mine just to make sure that there was nothing funny going on. For both of us, Equifax said, "We're sorry, we are unable to provide you your report because there is either a fraud alert, security freeze, or active duty freeze, etc, etc on it." Wait, don't I have to place those on my reports? Since I didn't, how'd they get there? Hmmmm. I guess we should follow up on that one?

Experian was the only company we did not have any problems with.

TransUnion worked just fine for Nate's report. Mine, not so much. Since I checked my report with them back in 2007 I had a user name and they wanted me to log in to continue, so I entered the information, pressed the Log IN button and up popped the screen saying "You are now logged off, thank you for visiting." When I logged back in, no free credit report, they now wanted $10.50 for it. No thanks.

As a side note, both Experian and TransUnion will allow you to see your credit score for $7.95  along with your free report. But, if you go to their websites at a later time to get just your credit score, I believe it's $15 to $18. So, if you're going to get your free credit report and want to see your score, you'll save a few bucks by tacking it on. As far as I know there is NO FREE way to see your score. Well, maybe if you're applying for a loan or something and the lender is willing to reveal it to you.

Oh, and the way you build credit? By having credit. How do you earn credit to build credit if no one will give you credit because you don't have credit? It's absurd, really. It's like when you graduate from college and you're searching for a job in your degree field, but everyone wants to hire someone with experience. How are you going to get experience if you can't get a job? (We won't delve any further into this one).

Because of my ranting and raving, you're probably assuming that we found something we did not like. Not the case, all is well in our little credit world (according to 3 companies who somehow get to decide what is important to our credit report and how that translates into a score). I just feel like I got screwed.

Anyone else agree with me? If you actually disagree, you are not invited to leave a comment. ;)

A Little Promo and Request

Our youth group at Bethany Reformed Church will be doing World Vision's 30 Hour Famine again this year. While the Famine isn't actually until April, we can start raising funds NOW! This year they also have the convenience of donating online at sites set up by Famine participants. So, you guessed it, I set up a site for YOU to donate online.

The funds that we raise during the 30 Hour Famine will be used by World Vision to support the programs that they have around the world that help feed children through various projects. This year, a portion of the funds raised have already been designated to go to the efforts that World Vision has already begun in Haiti. Want to know more? Check out their website.

If you decide this is a cause you'd like to support, please, please donate online TODAY!

I thank you in advance for your support of our youth group's efforts!

Family Pictures

A little over 2 weeks ago we spent an afternoon with Mark Leonard having our family pictures done. We had a good time and the results are fabulous! He even made me look good!

Here is a glimpse of some of the results. If you want to see more, just check out his gallery.

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks Mark!

Picture of the Day, v.3

2nd Cousins?  

Jonas, Lily, Sadie, and Baby Mia

I don't know how these relations things work, so this is a picture of Jonas with Nate's cousin's daughters. Got it? :) We spent Christmas in Michigan this year and enjoyed a Christmas Eve celebration at Nate's grandparents' home. Jonas loved playing with the girls, but we couldn't get him to sit on the couch to take a picture with them, until we let him sit in a box that is! What a boy. That is my Jonas in a nutshell.

Picture of the Day, v.2

We're being animals. Can you guess which ones?

Libby: ?

Kristin: ?

Abby: ?

Becca:?

Picture of the Day

Family Picture at The Cheese

Whenever we're back in Michigan, Nate and I like to at least take a drive around Calvin's campus. It still holds a special place in our hearts. Not only did we receive a great Christian education, but we met and fell in love there. It may seem strange or cheesy (haha, get it?) that we take a picture here every year, but this is a special place for us too. We spent many nights taking walks and ending up sitting here talking - it's how we really got to know each other. Nate even proposed to me here. For those of you with a knack for remembering small details you may even recall that there was a picture of us on a Jone's Soda bottle at this place.

* Sidebar: I know that this isn't actually called "The Cheese." That's just what we called it because it was yellow and holey. I'm pretty sure I probably heard that from somewhere else too, I don't think I actually made it up. Is it really called Jonah and the Whale? Anybody know? Trivia challenge!

As 2009 Comes to a Close ...

It's been several years since Nate and I have really "celebrated" New Year's. There's always some reason we don't really feel like whooping it up and waiting for a lighted ball to drop at midnight (replayed if you're not in the eastern time zone, of course). Last year I think it had something to do with a certain someone being born just days before. You decide whether that's a good excuse or not.

Tonight it's going to be another low key celebration - we just didn't feel like doing anything. We did run some errands and then end with a dinner trip to Qdoba to celebrate. We have plans to watch a 30 Rock marathon and maybe a movie. We'll even try to stay up til midnight. Maybe have a drink or two. Mostly just enjoy each others' company.

One thing I am doing this year that I maybe haven't really done in the past, is reflecting on what has happened in the past year. Maybe being an adult makes you do that?

So, what has happened this year? Without going into details, I will just say this: enough has happened to make me take stock of everything that God has given me. Enough has happened to make me ponder the idea of not wasting any time taking things for granted. And after those thoughts come the thoughts about how to best do that. Well, I'm not quite sure yet, but I will certainly be working on that. In the mean time, if you have any suggestions feel free to shout them out.

As 2009 approaches an end and 2010 is about to begin I am ready to put this year behind me, taking the good times and the things I've learned with me and begin another one.

Happy New Year dear friends and family! Nate and I pray that you may know God's presence in your life this year.