It's been fascinating reading everyone's posts. All the stories of how we all came to be here, as different as can be, yet all with the same end result. But that's alright!
I've been feeling guilty about the things I charged up before being faced with the reality that I could no longer pay for things. Things like a new mattress, $100 worth of work clothes and tires for the car. I literally bought the tires the day before the bomb dropped at work.
I had been putting off getting back tires for well over a year and just could not put it off any longer. I went to Sears after work on Monday and wouldn't you know it, we got the email on Tuesday morning. No more OT, 3% pay cut and no time-off accrual (so that means unpaid time off for me!) Yeah, the time off cut was the worst for me. The sprinkles on the icing on the cake, yanno?
I went to see the credit counselor and that was when I realized I was in a "Very Bad Place". My income had dropped by at least $500 to $600 a month. I had been paying one credit card with cash advances from another for a few months. I had been looking for something part time to help supplement my income but no luck.
I could not pay my bills.
OK, was it really time to think about BK? The credit counselor thought it might be.
Wow.
That was a big one to swallow. But I did start to consider it. I started looking for infomation online and realized that yes, it was time.
I made the appointment.
Then my cat died
As if all of this was not enough to deal with. I lost my boy.
That sucked.
For the next week or so I was in a deep, deep hole. Deep and dark.
Going to see the attorney didn't do much to help with improving that dark mood. In fact, when we were finished, he asked "Do you feel a little better, now that you know your options?"
"No".
I tried to smile and make light of it, but no. I didn't feel better at all. I felt worse. At one point, he asked me when it was that I realized I needed to consider BK. I said after I went to the credit counselor and there was my budget in black and white right under my nose. He said that was when most people finally realize that it's time. I mean, there was no denying it. I was going to have to come up with nearly $600 a month to pay THEM so they could pay all my debts. And that was assuming they could get interest rates lowered for me.
A few days later I was talking to a friend about all that was happening. He was trying to be encouraging, said "God doesn't give us more than we can handle."
I said yes, he does, and I had proof.
"Proof?"
"Mental hospitals!"
I just really needed to find something to laugh about at that point.
I think I have rambled enough for now. Thanks for reading
Your blog touch on so many of the same things my husband and I have been going through. Hubby lost job, out of work for three months, tried to commit suicide, ended up in mental hospital, it was more than he could handle! while he was in hospital my cat Fred got sick, I could not afford to run the tests to figure out what was wrong with him, so I had to put him to sleep, I don't think I will ever get over the guilt. Hubby is doing great! He never had depression issues in the past and he is back to work (making $800 less per month), back to normal. When it rains it pours, but april showers bring may flowers