--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Believe it or not, when we were first…" description: "\"Believe it or not, when we were first married, our combined monthly student loan bills were actually higher than our mortgage. We were so young, so in ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e8/michelle-obama-518_quote_believe-it-or-not-when-we-were-first-mar_1661952.jpg" --- # Believe it or not, when we were first married, our… ![“Believe it or not, when we were first married, our combined monthly student loan bills were actually higher than our mortgage. We were so young, so in love, and so in debt.” quote by Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e8/michelle-obama-518_quote_believe-it-or-not-when-we-were-first-mar_1661952.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e8/michelle-obama-518_quote_believe-it-or-not-when-we-were-first-mar_1661952.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e8/michelle-obama-518_quote_believe-it-or-not-when-we-were-first-mar_1661952.jpg) > “Believe it or not, when we were first married, our combined monthly student loan bills were actually higher than our mortgage. We were so young, so in love, and so in debt.” [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Balancing love and financial responsibility is challenging for young couples, especially with student debt outweighing mortgage payments. **In simple terms:** Young love meets debt reality. Key Takeaway Prioritize debt repayment early. Themes financial love responsibility Mood reflective practical Type advice personal narrative When to use this quote - planning finances - seeking financial advice - setting payment goals Key Concepts budgeting student loans mortgage early career Questions to Reflect On - How can couples communicate about money? - What strategies reduce debt faster? A Different Perspective Debt can strain relationships if not managed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [Student loan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/student-loan/) ## Related quotes > [Believe it or not, when we were first married, our combined monthly student loan bills were actually higher than our mortgage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/believe-it-or-not-when-we-were-first-married-our-combined-monthly-2/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [We were so young, so in love, and so in debt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/we-were-so-young-so-in-love-and-so-in-debt/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [You know what higher interest rates mean. To you it means a higher mortgage payment, a higher car payment, a higher credit card payment.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/you-know-what-higher-interest-rates-mean-to-you-it-means-a-higher/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [Credit is an 'I love debt' score.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-ramsey/credit-is-an-i-love-debt-score/) [Dave Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-ramsey/) > [I have been in love, and in debt, and in drink, this many and many a year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-brome/i-have-been-in-love-and-in-debt-and-in-drink-this-many-and-many-a-year/) [Alexander Brome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-brome/) > [Love is the debt you owe to one another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tabassum/love-is-the-debt-you-owe-to-one-another/) [Tabassum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tabassum/) > [“I was stolen by a Debt Inheritance. The First Debt Taught me Lust The Second Debt Brought me Love The Third Debt Shaped my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pepper-winters/i-was-stolen-by-a-debt-inheritance-the-first-debt-taught-me-lust-the/) [Pepper Winters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pepper-winters/) > [This would be a much better world if more married couples were as deeply in love as they are in debt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-wilson/this-would-be-a-much-better-world-if-more-married-couples-were-as/) [Earl Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-wilson/) > [It is a dangerous experiment to call in gratitude as an ally to love. Love is a debt which inclination always pays, obligation never.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/it-is-a-dangerous-experiment-to-call-in-gratitude-as-an-ally-to-love/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [Too many of us never understand what we owe to our dear ones until there remains no further opportunity of paying love's debt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-miller/too-many-of-us-never-understand-what-we-owe-to-our-dear-ones-until/) [J.R. Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-miller/) > [“That is not love. That is debt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/that-is-not-love-that-is-debt/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Love is a debt, she thought. When the bill comes, you pay in grief.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-doria-russell/love-is-a-debt-she-thought-when-the-bill-comes-you-pay-in-grief/) [Mary Doria Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-doria-russell/) > [Your FICO score is an "I love debt" score. You're going to pay a bazillion dollars in interest to keep your FICO score up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-ramsey/your-fico-score-is-an-i-love-debt-score-you-re-going-to-pay-a/) [Dave Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-ramsey/) > [When a man is in love or in debt, someone else has the advantage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-balance/when-a-man-is-in-love-or-in-debt-someone-else-has-the-advantage/) Bill Balance > [Pay off your student loan. Even if you don't have a job...Because when you finally get a job you're going to be one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-cosby/pay-off-your-student-loan-even-if-you-don-t-have-a-job-because-when/) [Bill Cosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-cosby/) ## More by Michelle Obama > [It's hard to change adults, and it's hard to change it from a political position or a perceived political position.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/it-s-hard-to-change-adults-and-it-s-hard-to-change-it-from-a/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [ The president \[Barack Obama\] asked for a commitment of, I think, 100,000 jobs for veterans and military spouses over the next couple of years.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/the-president-barack-obama-asked-for-a-commitment-of-i-think-100-000/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [You work hard for what you want in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/you-work-hard-for-what-you-want-in-life/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [We must once again come together and stand together for the man we can trust to keep moving this great country forward my husband,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/we-must-once-again-come-together-and-stand-together-for-the-man-we/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [We're starting to see, as the economy improves, that the unemployment rate among veterans and military spouses - we're seeing some improvement in those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/we-re-starting-to-see-as-the-economy-improves-that-the-unemployment/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [There's so much going on in the healthcare system that makes it difficult for women to really have a strong economic hold if insurance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/there-s-so-much-going-on-in-the-healthcare-system-that-makes-it/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [In the 10 cities with the nation's highest obesity rates, the direct costs connected with obesity and obesity-related diseases are roughly $50 million per…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/in-the-10-cities-with-the-nation-s-highest-obesity-rates-the-direct/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [What I admire most about Hillary is that she never buckles under pressure. She never takes the easy way out. And Hillary Clinton has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/what-i-admire-most-about-hillary-is-that-she-never-buckles-under/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [A lot of young people think they're invincible, but the truth is young people are knuckleheads... Now young people can get insurance for as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/a-lot-of-young-people-think-they-re-invincible-but-the-truth-is-young/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [One of the lessons that I grew up with was to always stay true to yourself and never let what somebody else says distract…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/one-of-the-lessons-that-i-grew-up-with-was-to-always-stay-true-to/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [I have never felt more confident in myself, more clear on who I am as a woman. But I am constantly thinking about my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/i-have-never-felt-more-confident-in-myself-more-clear-on-who-i-am-as/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [ We got a commitment that 3 million nurses are going to be trained to better identify these signs \[of PTSD\], because, you know, when… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/we-got-a-commitment-that-3-million-nurses-are-going-to-be-trained-to/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [We're our kids' first and best role models. So the first question is, what are you as a mom or a dad doing every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/we-re-our-kids-first-and-best-role-models-so-the-first-question-is/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [I've always tried to make sure that what I do really connects with the broader agenda of what my husband is trying to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/i-ve-always-tried-to-make-sure-that-what-i-do-really-connects-with/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [I know from experience that if I truly want to leave a better world for my daughters, and all of our sons and daughters;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/i-know-from-experience-that-if-i-truly-want-to-leave-a-better-world/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) [Explore all 504 Michelle Obama quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) ## More Marriage quotes > [Unmarried couples should get married - that's an excellent tax avoidance measure, if a bit drastic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-whiting/unmarried-couples-should-get-married-that-s-an-excellent-tax/) John Whiting > [I know for my wife and I, we always loved the idea of being young parents. It is an incredibly inspiring and challenging job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hanson/i-know-for-my-wife-and-i-we-always-loved-the-idea-of-being-young/) [Taylor Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hanson/) > [I cannot forbid a person to marry several wives, for it does not contradict Scripture. MARTIN LUTHER, letter to Chancellor Gregory Brück, January 13,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/i-cannot-forbid-a-person-to-marry-several-wives-for-it-does-not/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [I don't like being away from home. That's one reason why I don't work as much as I used to \[when I started my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-powell/i-don-t-like-being-away-from-home-that-s-one-reason-why-i-don-t-work/) [Jane Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-powell/) > [Luckily, the bullet that hit my chest never got to me. It was stopped by a silver case I got for my brother's wedding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-doohan/luckily-the-bullet-that-hit-my-chest-never-got-to-me-it-was-stopped/) [James Doohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-doohan/) > [Do you think that God would separate me from my husband if I killed myself? I feel as though I am going out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-you-think-that-god-would-separate-me-from-my-husband-if-i-killed/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The thing about hitting kids is, think about if you were doing the same thing to another adult. Hitting your kid is really the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/the-thing-about-hitting-kids-is-think-about-if-you-were-doing-the/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [“Take an interest in his appearance. Keeping his clothes in order is your job; encouraging him to look his best, and admiring him when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-baker/take-an-interest-in-his-appearance-keeping-his-clothes-in-order-is/) [Ellen Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-baker/) > [Females always say, you can't turn a hoe into a house wife, but steady be trying to turn a dog into a faithful man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hussein-nishah/females-always-say-you-can-t-turn-a-hoe-into-a-house-wife-but-steady/) [Hussein Nishah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hussein-nishah/) > [He's a fool that marries; but he's a greater fool that does not marry a fool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wycherley/he-s-a-fool-that-marries-but-he-s-a-greater-fool-that-does-not-marry/) [William Wycherley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wycherley/) > [Her dignity consists in being unknown to the world; her glory is in the esteem of her husband; her pleasures in the happiness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/her-dignity-consists-in-being-unknown-to-the-world-her-glory-is-in/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [But I think that of all the literature that I studied, the book that did more than any other to fire my enthusiasm was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/but-i-think-that-of-all-the-literature-that-i-studied-the-book-that/) [Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/) > [Most marriages don't add two people together. They subtract one from the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-fleming/most-marriages-don-t-add-two-people-together-they-subtract-one-from/) [Ian Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-fleming/) > [Alimony - the ransom that the happy pay to the devil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/alimony-the-ransom-that-the-happy-pay-to-the-devil/) [H. L. 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