Debt Advice Desperately Needed....Please!

[pixie921]

I don't want to seem to be piling on, but I think the OP is still quite a ways from really understanding her situation.

Did you even read the OP's post that appeared right before yours? She seems like she understands things very well.

 

[wall*e2008]

Very good points and true Crisi. It has taken this harsh but true backlash to get me to see exactly where we stand and that I need to face up to the reality and make it better. I was not accepting that what we were doing was irresponsible (sp?). A good hard slap was painful but also enlightening. The fact that I honestly thougt, in all truthfulness, that we were living within our means shows that I really did not understand where we were going and how much the fall was going to hurt. Unfortunatly, I will be hurting others with what we do IF it comes to bankruptcy or reducing our debt owed by cc companies being forced to accept less than what we owe. And that is why I sat my family down tonight and told them that we are going to be doing a LOT of things differently starting now. We discussed selling all of the DVC contracts, shutting off cable and phone but keeping internet for my job searches. (As a side note I am looking for anything, not just accounting jobs. Good point though. I thought putting in 5-14 resumes/applications a week for five months was a lot. But after reading what others have done I obviously need to step it up even more.) We are going through our things this weekend and seeing what we can sell and what to throw away or give to charity. We really don't have much that isn't well worn/used to give or sell but we will see what we can do. We might even need to cancel our life insurance policies and pick them back up once we can afford them again. But since we have children that may not be the responsible thing to do. Once we take those steps and go back over the budget to see if there is anything else we can get rid of we will see where we stand plus what else we need to do. We will make the sacrifices that we will need to make and set this right. I know I keep saying thank you to everyone but I also really mean it.

Both types of posts have helped. The negative ones are truthful based on what I have posted in the past and has thrown a nice cup of ice water in my face and made me own up to what I need to do and REALLY realize what we have done with our spending. Those blessed hugs and supportive posts have given me (and hopefully others that may be in a similar situation) the tools to get help and change where we are. Those are the posts that have kept me from falling off of the edge into an abyss. I guess what I am saying is that I am thankful for both. I may not like them all but I am certainly going to be a big girl and listen to what everyone has to say. There are valid points to each one and they each have made an impression on my choices.

I think you are seeing the light. I agree with all that is bold except canceling the life insurance. I would keep paying this so that the house is paid off if the worst happens. The internet is a must today for job searches. Maybe you can downgrade to dial-up.

You kids, except the baby, are old enough to be told the truth and to help out as they can. Maybe they can kid or pet sit for the neighbors all summer long. Do dog walking etc.

 

[Mrs.Reese]

Very good points and true Crisi. It has taken this harsh but true backlash to get me to see exactly where we stand and that I need to face up to the reality and make it better. I was not accepting that what we were doing was irresponsible (sp?). A good hard slap was painful but also enlightening. The fact that I honestly thougt, in all truthfulness, that we were living within our means shows that I really did not understand where we were going and how much the fall was going to hurt. Unfortunatly, I will be hurting others with what we do IF it comes to bankruptcy or reducing our debt owed by cc companies being forced to accept less than what we owe. And that is why I sat my family down tonight and told them that we are going to be doing a LOT of things differently starting now. We discussed selling all of the DVC contracts, shutting off cable and phone but keeping internet for my job searches. (As a side note I am looking for anything, not just accounting jobs. Good point though. I thought putting in 5-14 resumes/applications a week for five months was a lot. But after reading what others have done I obviously need to step it up even more.) We are going through our things this weekend and seeing what we can sell and what to throw away or give to charity. We really don't have much that isn't well worn/used to give or sell but we will see what we can do. We might even need to cancel our life insurance policies and pick them back up once we can afford them again. But since we have children that may not be the responsible thing to do. Once we take those steps and go back over the budget to see if there is anything else we can get rid of we will see where we stand plus what else we need to do. We will make the sacrifices that we will need to make and set this right. I know I keep saying thank you to everyone but I also really mean it.

Both types of posts have helped. The negative ones are truthful based on what I have posted in the past and has thrown a nice cup of ice water in my face and made me own up to what I need to do and REALLY realize what we have done with our spending. Those blessed hugs and supportive posts have given me (and hopefully others that may be in a similar situation) the tools to get help and change where we are. Those are the posts that have kept me from falling off of the edge into an abyss. I guess what I am saying is that I am thankful for both. I may not like them all but I am certainly going to be a big girl and listen to what everyone has to say. There are valid points to each one and they each have made an impression on my choices.

This is going to be the most self-confidence crushing time you will go through. People will judge you and they will be cruel. Believe me I know. I lost my teaching job in June 2008. I'm still looking for work. Unemployment in Florida is a pittance. You get $275/week max but what makes it really bad is that if you earn anything over $45 dollars a week that is DEDUCTED from your UE checks. Right now you can get 3 unemployment extensions after the initial claim runs out. I'm on my second extension and will enter the third one in July.

I see your on the west coast of Florida. I'm assuming your near Lee County the foreclosure capital of the country. Last check, unemployment was around 10% in your area. Finding any kind of job is going to be difficult. I must send out around 30 resumes a week. You need to be honest with those coming to visit.

Florida is not paradise. Lee County is now the poorest school district in the country. There are more students on a percentage basis getting free/reduced lunch than anywhere else in the country. That's right they're poorer than Detroit. In fact, Florida ranks third in terms of low-sociecnomic students now.

This is the time to become an expert home cook. You can make ramen taste gourmet. I do it all the time. Being frugal isn't a four-letter word. Being unemployed is very stressful. It can take a huge emotional toll on everyone.

Have you looked into the state's health insurance for your kids? Since both of you are out of work, it should be much easier to qualify. What about food stamps? You can pre-screen yourself and see what you might be eligible for at http://www.dcf.state.fl.us/ess/ You've been paying for these with your taxes and now is the time to use them.

 

[wall*e2008]

This is going to be the most self-confidence crushing time you will go through. People will judge you and they will be cruel. Believe me I know. I lost my teaching job in June 2008. I'm still looking for work. Unemployment in Florida is a pittance. You get $275/week max but what makes it really bad is that if you earn anything over $45 dollars a week that is DEDUCTED from your UE checks. Right now you can get 3 unemployment extensions after the initial claim runs out. I'm on my second extension and will enter the third one in July.

I see your on the west coast of Florida. I'm assuming your near Lee County the foreclosure capital of the country. Last check, unemployment was around 10% in your area. Finding any kind of job is going to be difficult. I must send out around 30 resumes a week. You need to be honest with those coming to visit.

Florida is not paradise. Lee County is now the poorest school district in the country. There are more students on a percentage basis getting free/reduced lunch than anywhere else in the country. That's right they're poorer than Detroit. In fact, Florida ranks third in terms of low-sociecnomic students now.

This is the time to become an expert home cook. You can make ramen taste gourmet. I do it all the time. Being frugal isn't a four-letter word. Being unemployed is very stressful. It can take a huge emotional toll on everyone.

Have you looked into the state's health insurance for your kids? Since both of you are out of work, it should be much easier to qualify. What about food stamps? You can pre-screen yourself and see what you might be eligible for at http://www.dcf.state.fl.us/ess/ You've been paying for these with your taxes and now is the time to use them.

I did not know this.

 

[minnie1928]

I just want to throw my 2 cents out there, I (like others) would sell the DVC contracts and hold the cash. Use that to make payments on house, car, groceries, utilities, etc. until some form of employment comes through. The credit cards would be my last consideration at this point. Also, since you won't have the contracts anymore, then you won't need to pay the dues for the contracts either.

I saw someone mention it, but I think it's worth repeating. Look into Angel Food ministries for your family's food needs. It's open to anyone and can really help to stretch your food budget. Since you are a family of five, I'm guessing that your food budget could get ugly pretty quick.

I don't know if this will help, but since you aren't working I'm guessing that you aren't driving as much. Call your insurance agent to see if there's any value in lowering the amount of mileage you drive per year. Maybe that could help knock some $ off the premium. While your at it, ask them to re-price the policy as is. I do this every year with my mom's policy and every year it's dropped.

And one more thing...

 

[kisobel]

try and see if angelfood would help you out with food. they provide food for a set rate. you get a box of food that feeds a family of four for a week for around 38$. google them and you can see if they are running programs in your area. you dont have to meet income requirements. good luck.

kate

 

[dipin]

Did you even read the OP's post that appeared right before yours? She seems like she understands things very well.

Did you?

Because in that very same post she talks about how she is going on this vacation, since she will be using gift cards to pay for stuff and the dvc is already paid for. Meanwhile, she could be renting those points and using those gift cards at home.

And in that very same post she talks about how they had a "very good income," not noticing how if you can't save a penny, its not a very good income.

 

[kisobel]

a website called frugalvillage.com has lots of ideas on how to make everything stretch. lots of cooking ideas, household cleaning. and just plain shoulders to rest on when the going gets tough. hang in there. i dont have anything clever to say. just wanted you to know i was thinking about you and your family.

kate

 

[MoniqueU]

No advice just hugs to you.

 

[Mrs.Reese]

I did not know this.

Florida is home to some of the poorest cities in the country. Look up Immokalee, Liberty City, Carol City just give you some idea. We have the very rich and the very poor with some of us stuck between.

Schools are closing and teachers have been laid-off. It's a very scary time to be unemployed in Florida. I see many a fast-food, retail place with signs saying NOT HIRING. Florida's been called the "great human pyramid scheme" by Economists. Without growth, the state dies. SW Florida is probably the hardest hit area in the state.

 

[daileyad]

Another thing to think about OP in regards to this upcoming trip you still have scheduled: I know that unemployment laws vary from state to state and I am in no way an expert but I thought to claim it each week you had show that you were ready and available for work. How can you claim that if you're on vacation 2.5 hours away?

 

[bluesaturn]

Be my guest and go find it.

lol



I'm glad that at least some people are finally starting to tell the truth around here.

 

[scrabblegirl]

I didn't read every response but I'd like to offer some sympathy and a few things I've learned since I'm going through a similar situation. I live in Detroit. Our unemployment rate is so high, the job fairs sometimes have to close down early because of crowd control.

#1 IT IS NOT WHINING to mourn the loss of a job. In my case, I worked for a company for 10 years when I was laid off. Besides the financial aspect, there are emotional and social aspects people don't think about. People treat you differently. My local university has free counseling done by psychology graduate students. My son and I both met with someone just to talk. My counselor also specialized in career counseling. Check into that near you.

#2 We went from eating at restaurants to eating ready made foods at home and then to making food out of INGREDIENTS. Sometimes when I wonder what to make for dinner I go to allrecipes dot com's ingredient search and find a recipe to make using what I have on hand.

#3 We've taken everything down a notch. Obviously, no more highlights/manicures for me, no movie outings, no restaurants, no cable. We became library junkies. Not just books, we got movies, CD's, books on tape, etc. I also used their internet when I had to give mine up.

#4 In Michigan we have MichiganWorks offices that have lots of resources like computers with internet, fax, copier, phones used for job searching, along with job postings on their bulletin board. Does Florida not have something like that?

#5 You're a taxpaying citizen, right? If you and your children are in need DO NOT FEEL GUILTY about accepting assistance. If it is not there for you, then whom? People who have never worked? Both times I've had to accept food stamps, I got a job within a month. They don't want you to stay on welfare so they provide mandatory career counseling. Believe me, nothing gives you the drive to find that perfect job like being on welfare!

I was laid off from job #1 in April 2006 and job #2 last October. Michigan has a "No Worker Left Behind" program so I'll be going back to college this Fall, God willing. I beat myself up for a long time for poor financial planning and poor education choices. I wish I had spent that time moving on. I hope you are able to brush off the naysayers and look to the future now instead of months from now.

Take care.

 

[snowbunny]

#2 We went from eating at restaurants to eating ready made foods at home and then to making food out of INGREDIENTS.

Good for you - there are a lot of us who do this anyway because prepared foods are a total waste of money and loaded with salt and fat anyway. This seems so obvious!

All your tips are good ones. I was born in Flint and when I was a little girl we used to go to Detroit to shop...all that we knew is long gone now. Good luck to you.

 

[momx2]

Did you?

Because in that very same post she talks about how she is going on this vacation, since she will be using gift cards to pay for stuff and the dvc is already paid for. Meanwhile, she could be renting those points and using those gift cards at home.

And in that very same post she talks about how they had a "very good income," not noticing how if you can't save a penny, its not a very good income.

No, wrong one. There is another newer post right before yours. That is what pixie is talking about.

 

[crisi]

Florida is not paradise. Lee County is now the poorest school district in the country. There are more students on a percentage basis getting free/reduced lunch than anywhere else in the country. That's right they're poorer than Detroit. In fact, Florida ranks third in terms of low-sociecnomic students now.

Florida actually isn't that bad off in comparison to Texas, Kentucky, Mississippi, or the Dakotas (which don't have a lot of poor counties, but have some of the poorest counties).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lowest-income_counties_in_the_United_States

I know Florida isn't a paradise (even when it was a boom state, it had its share of poverty). And I also know that its a place whose economy is crashing - which makes it harder in some ways - to go from haves to have nots.

 

[disneyagogo]

Very good points and true Crisi. It has taken this harsh but true backlash to get me to see exactly where we stand and that I need to face up to the reality and make it better. I was not accepting that what we were doing was irresponsible (sp?). A good hard slap was painful but also enlightening. The fact that I honestly thougt, in all truthfulness, that we were living within our means shows that I really did not understand where we were going and how much the fall was going to hurt. Unfortunatly, I will be hurting others with what we do IF it comes to bankruptcy or reducing our debt owed by cc companies being forced to accept less than what we owe. And that is why I sat my family down tonight and told them that we are going to be doing a LOT of things differently starting now. We discussed selling all of the DVC contracts, shutting off cable and phone but keeping internet for my job searches. (As a side note I am looking for anything, not just accounting jobs. Good point though. I thought putting in 5-14 resumes/applications a week for five months was a lot. But after reading what others have done I obviously need to step it up even more.) We are going through our things this weekend and seeing what we can sell and what to throw away or give to charity. We really don't have much that isn't well worn/used to give or sell but we will see what we can do. We might even need to cancel our life insurance policies and pick them back up once we can afford them again. But since we have children that may not be the responsible thing to do. Once we take those steps and go back over the budget to see if there is anything else we can get rid of we will see where we stand plus what else we need to do. We will make the sacrifices that we will need to make and set this right. I know I keep saying thank you to everyone but I also really mean it.

Both types of posts have helped. The negative ones are truthful based on what I have posted in the past and has thrown a nice cup of ice water in my face and made me own up to what I need to do and REALLY realize what we have done with our spending. Those blessed hugs and supportive posts have given me (and hopefully others that may be in a similar situation) the tools to get help and change where we are. Those are the posts that have kept me from falling off of the edge into an abyss. I guess what I am saying is that I am thankful for both. I may not like them all but I am certainly going to be a big girl and listen to what everyone has to say. There are valid points to each one and they each have made an impression on my choices.

I just wanted to commend you for your honesty and willingness to accept all that has been written on this thread. Many people would "cut and run" when the harsher criticism started, but you still read and responded to the comments in a mature, adult fashion. You have strength and now that you realize the scope of your challenge, you will be able to attack it with all your strength.

I wish you the best .

disneyagogo

 

[OceanAnnie]

I just wanted to commend you for your honesty and willingness to accept all that has been written on this thread. Many people would "cut and run" when the harsher criticism started, but you still read and responded to the comments in a mature, adult fashion. You have strength and now that you realize the scope of your challenge, you will be able to attack it with all your strength.

I wish you the best .

disneyagogo

I second the above. I think you are stepping up to the plate.

Good luck with everything.

 

[Kay1]

Florida is home to some of the poorest cities in the country. Look up Immokalee, Liberty City, Carol City just give you some idea. We have the very rich and the very poor with some of us stuck between.

Schools are closing and teachers have been laid-off. It's a very scary time to be unemployed in Florida. I see many a fast-food, retail place with signs saying NOT HIRING. Florida's been called the "great human pyramid scheme" by Economists. Without growth, the state dies. SW Florida is probably the hardest hit area in the state.

The Herald Tribune had an article about a man who called the UE office for a week and couldn't get through. And they (or maybe it was the News Press) had an article about the hunger and poverty in the area with so many people living in the woods. One man went into a fast food restaurant to fill out an application and was shown a huge stack of similar applications - they weren't hiring anyhow.

Here, we have a tent city and the people who move in are given a free bus pass. They spend their days going from business to business filling out applications. That's why I asked about the possiblity of OP moving back home if she's from an area that actually has jobs. Also, I think it's easier to find work when you have a lot of contacts.

 

[pixie921]

Did you?

Because in that very same post she talks about how she is going on this vacation, since she will be using gift cards to pay for stuff and the dvc is already paid for. Meanwhile, she could be renting those points and using those gift cards at home.

And in that very same post she talks about how they had a "very good income," not noticing how if you can't save a penny, its not a very good income.

Why, yes I did read the post I was referring to, the one your post immediately followed. You obviously didn't. There is no mention of ANYTHING you said above. Those statements were in a post much earlier in the thread. Why don't you have a look now?

Very good points and true Crisi. It has taken this harsh but true backlash to get me to see exactly where we stand and that I need to face up to the reality and make it better. I was not accepting that what we were doing was irresponsible (sp?). A good hard slap was painful but also enlightening. The fact that I honestly thougt, in all truthfulness, that we were living within our means shows that I really did not understand where we were going and how much the fall was going to hurt. Unfortunatly, I will be hurting others with what we do IF it comes to bankruptcy or reducing our debt owed by cc companies being forced to accept less than what we owe. And that is why I sat my family down tonight and told them that we are going to be doing a LOT of things differently starting now. We discussed selling all of the DVC contracts, shutting off cable and phone but keeping internet for my job searches. (As a side note I am looking for anything, not just accounting jobs. Good point though. I thought putting in 5-14 resumes/applications a week for five months was a lot. But after reading what others have done I obviously need to step it up even more.) We are going through our things this weekend and seeing what we can sell and what to throw away or give to charity. We really don't have much that isn't well worn/used to give or sell but we will see what we can do. We might even need to cancel our life insurance policies and pick them back up once we can afford them again. But since we have children that may not be the responsible thing to do. Once we take those steps and go back over the budget to see if there is anything else we can get rid of we will see where we stand plus what else we need to do. We will make the sacrifices that we will need to make and set this right. I know I keep saying thank you to everyone but I also really mean it.

Both types of posts have helped. The negative ones are truthful based on what I have posted in the past and has thrown a nice cup of ice water in my face and made me own up to what I need to do and REALLY realize what we have done with our spending. Those blessed hugs and supportive posts have given me (and hopefully others that may be in a similar situation) the tools to get help and change where we are. Those are the posts that have kept me from falling off of the edge into an abyss. I guess what I am saying is that I am thankful for both. I may not like them all but I am certainly going to be a big girl and listen to what everyone has to say. There are valid points to each one and they each have made an impression on my choices.