Posted by Penny on July 4, 2003, at 22:36:51
In reply to Re: Spiraling into the Pit of Despair, posted by noa on July 4, 2003, at 22:03:50
Yeah, I went to the local credit counseling service at the women's center here. Took my budget and my debts and they told me I should seriously consider bankruptcy. The credit cards got completely out of control.
I went and talked to a bankruptcy attorney and she's been very helpful. Said that because I have no real property (financing my car, which would be the only property worth anything if I owned it outright), what I do have is exempt and I don't have to do anything. Of course, my credit is shot to hell, but bankruptcy is not necessary. I paid her $100 to start talking to my creditors for me so they don't call me or send me anything anymore, which lessens the stress. I have finally been sued by one of the creditors, and she said when they get a judgment against me, I should bring my paperwork I receive to her to fill it out, to ensure all my property is exempted. She'll charge me $50.
The problem is, I was paying all of my bills and doing fine while I was in Charlotte - but I didn't have rent or utilities to pay as I was a live-in nanny and took care of the kids in exchange for rent/utilities. The only thing I had to pay was phone and internet and then my normal living expenses and other bills. Then, last June 30, my job ended and my plan was to move back to chapel hill to go back to school, which I did in August, but after doing a little freelance work in July which was helpful, and after a nice bonus from the family I nannied for, I moved back to CH with no job. It took forever to get unemployment filed, and even then, due to all kinds of circumstances, I only ended up getting $500 before I started my current job on Oct. 15.
I was living with my roommate after moving back to CH, and she didn't charge me rent, but I tried to help out. I also started school, was still going to therapy, was still on meds and paying for COBRA, which was outrageously expensive, had gotten my car payments deferred for a couple of months, thank goodness, had gotten my student loan payments deferred thanks to school, but the money I had didn't last long. Fortunately I found a job as quickly as I did, and I thought the salary would be adequate, but it's not. After my rent and utilities, car payment, car insurance, cell phone (which I suppose I could get rid of, though it's the only phone I use), therapy, doctor and meds, there's nothing left. That doesn't even figure in food, clothing, gas and other necessities, and it certainly doesn't figure in credit card payments.
I feel like there's no way out. I know that if I can just get through nursing school I'll be making more money, and if I go to duke, they'll pay back my tuition loans for me, but I'll also have to have enough money to live on for the 16 months I'm in school, and with ruined credit, I just don't see it happening. So I don't know how I'm ever going to make it through school, and, if I don't, not only will I remain financially unstable, but I'll remain emotionally unstable, I feel like, because I'm quite unhappy sitting behind a computer screen all day long.
poster:Penny
thread:239330
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20030704/msgs/239354.html