Who knows about your debt?

I was watching an episode of "How I Met Your Mother" the other night. It was Season 3, Episode 7 "Dowisetrepla", where Lily and Marshall are trying to get a home loan. The home loan they are offered is at a ridiculously high interst rate, and the reason being that Lily has a mountain of credit card debt.

We had found out in the previous episode "I'm not that guy" about the debt, where Lily showed her best friend Robin her "box of shame" which is a pink shoe box filled with credit cards. She hadn't told her husband Marshall, and in fact the first Marshall finds out about it is when they go for the loan.

It got me thinking, if you are in debt, who knows about it, and if they do know, do they know the extent of it?

I have no significant other, and although I'm not exactly going to reveal my financial situation on a first date, I definitely think that in a serious relationship you need to be honest with each other. But I wonder if that is the reality. In a way I don't want to be involved with anyone seriously until I get my finances in order, and I know that's partly because I don't want to have to tell anyone the extent of my debt.

My Mum and brother both know I have credit card debt, but they have no idea how much. My friends all seem to think I have my finances together because I own a house (well in reality the bank owns most if it!)

I think that's part of the reason I started a blog, (not that I have too many readers yet!) But at least I feel like I'm telling someone and getting it off my chest.

And back to How I Met Your Mother - if you haven't watched it before, I strongly recommend it - it is hilarious! (Season 4 is currently showing in Australia on Channel 7 Monday nights).