One more Xmas in Chapter 13

[krielly]

This will be my 5th and final xmas in Chapter 13. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

7 Payments to go!!!!!!!!

Things can be tight in a Chapter 13, but amazingly enough, xmas has come regardless, and everything has been fine.

My DH also gets laid off for 9-10 weeks every year just before xmas. So this means its also the last layoff during a 13!

YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
K

[justbroke]

Congratulations!

[klandsb]

Congrats to you !!!! Will the failure rate of 13's that have been posted you should be VERY proud of yourself and looking forward to your fresh start...
Happy Holidays

[j0hn13]

Yes, good for you!!!

This is my last Christmas in my Ch 13 plan...1 more payment then I'm done!
I agree, things can get tough at times, but if you stay disciplined a successful Ch 13 can work out.

It was a long road and I'm looking forward to my hamster dance soon!!!!

Hang in there my fellow Ch 13 friends!

[lrprn]

We are so proud of you, kreilly! You're an inspiration to all of us in Ch 13s. Way to go!

[krielly]

Thanks all of you. This board has been a godsend since I found it. I wish I had found it before I filed, but better late than never.

A lot has happened in our 13. I don't want to give anyone the impression that it's been an easy road... Shortly after we filed, my DH closed his business and went into drug rehab for 2 mos. If it wasn't for my parents and sister helping me out, and a trustee who allowed payments reduced from 680 down to $100 (good faith payments) for 4 mos, we probably wouldn't have made it. The trustee allowed me to pay $800/mo once DH got a job until we were caught back up. THANK GOD!!!!!!!

We've also been through 2 years off and on of my son (now 18) having his own drug problems. He was in rehab as well twice. Once was last xmas. He was away Thanksgiving through after new years.........

MY DH has been clean now for 3 1/2 years. My son is doing better also, but there are still a lot of teenage issues......

Some times you need to just take life one day at a time and keep on keeping on. It's been a very long road, but we are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel!

Keep the faith people!!!!!!

K

[ruggal]

Another final Christmas 13'er

You can add me to the list of last holiday in the 13 as well.

I can also chime in on the difficulties we've faced as a couple (only I filed) and a family. It's been a very long road, and with six payments to go, I see it should be downhill from here on out (fingers crossed).

Fortunately, we were a 36 month plan (actually comes out to 37 payments and some change), so I feel we were very lucky in that regards. BUT since we've filed, my husband lost his job 6 months into plan, was unemployed (no unemployment comp) for 6 weeks, and had to take about a 40% cut in pay. I was lucky to find a second part time job for a full year (yes I worked seven days a week). About a year ago, he finally found a position that brought him close to what he was when we filed, and I was able to quit that job. When I look back now, I'm amazed I was able to do it for so long.

My husband had to have back surgery early this year, missed two weeks of unpaid time off work, and his holiday pay has been eliminated. And despite insurance coverage, this year alone we've had an additional $3000 in out of pocket expenses for medical, and an additional $1000 in dental, that I'm happy to say we will have paid off this month.

We could have qualified for a modification, or a conversion to a seven about a year ago, but stubborness on my part prevented me from going that route. We are lucky that the trustee in this area is hands off as long as you're making payments, and we were able to keep our modest tax returns.

As I read this, I'm not quite sure how we did it, but I am proud to say I have not been one day late with ANY of our bills since we began the plan. I have done some really funny things to save money, that sometimes I'm embarrassed to talk about.

Oh, and I just found out I will be getting a raise beginning January.

The silver lining for us, my husbands child support obligation will end the same time as our Chapter 13! We have one graduating college, and one graduating high school this May. Our graduation party for them this summer will definitely be for all of us!

I have been telling our friends and family (we told everyone about the BK by the way) to save the date for the last year or so. I am going to have an additional cake (private) that has a very large $ with a red X through it to celebrate OUR freedom from CS and BK.

[krielly]

Good for you! I LOVE the idea of a party when it's over!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ruggal]

It's supposed to be for Graduation

The party is supposed to be for the graduates, but in my mind it's for us as well.

I'm glad your husband's doing well with his recovery, we're also longtime friends of Bill W

[krielly]

Hey, you are "graduating" too!!!! ...from Debt!!!!!!!

Thanks very much!
K

[woeisme]

This is our 3rd Christmas in CH 13. It hasn't been bad. Actually a good excuse not to go nuts on the gift-giving, although this year everyone is scaling back it seems, we were just early birds who stopped overspending a couple years earlier than the crowd. Congrats on being so close to finishing, I'm looking forward to being 1/2 way through in a few months.

[krielly]

I found scaling back actually made me feel better! Yes, I agree, it's like we were forced to do so in advance of everyone else!!

It's amazing, just cause we can't overspend, the world does not end! And no more "ouch" from the after xmas credit card statements!

Here's to my 5th Credit card free Xmas!!!!!!!!!

[joek]

i also have a pass for the party lol, my last christmas in 13. Hmm sounds like quite a few successful 13'ers in here lol

[charmedmom]

This is also my last christmas in our 13. Only 2 1/2 months of payments to go!!

[flower04]

This is our first Christmas in a 13. For us, it isn't any different because we've been cash only for almost 2 years prior to filling. It has been good to come up with more creative ways to stretch your resources. This year, our meger budget for the holidays is being split in half because we are doing a small christmas for a family who really needs it. That's what the holidays are all about anyway. Glad to hear that even though the struggles that you all have survived. Can't wait to join you here in 2 1/2 years!!