Stressed..............

[jcsawyer]

I hate the summer months with no income. Teachers and Substitutes I do not see how they make it in the summer months with nothing coming in. NC changed their unemployment laws and I was $1k shy of being able to collect it for the summer. Not having any money for the summer has really done a number on our finances. We are struggling to make the payment and are 2 weeks late getting it in. YIKES..............I hate how this feels. Next year it will be easier as I will work enough to collect unemployment for the summer but we dont get food stamps anymore, we pay more in medications and our house payment went up $40 because our homeowners insurance went up for a claim they waited 2 years to put on our insurance! I am feeling very overwhelmed. We need to get supplies for school clothes to fit the girls I need new tires on my SUV and brakes I cant seem to get it together no matter what I do. We've cut to bare bones on EVERYTHING. I had to call to make arrangements on all my bills just to make this payment to the trustee this month. Our big factor is hubby had to pay for his certification for his CDL and the test and rent a truck. In the end this will give him a $100 raise per week but the $360 out of our pocket right now is a KILLER! And threw us off BIG TIME!

[Pandora]

I know its hard, but there are many programs that can assist you. When we first filed (hubby lost his job) - our income was just my SS, which was not enough to pay the bills. We looked into programs to help and found there are many through the county and school system. Our son qualified for the reduced lunch program as well as free school supplies (they stuff a bus full of things for kids, including backpacks); they also have health insurance, dental, vision, etc - all on a sliding scale through the schools. Thankfully we had insurance so we didnt need it, however these programs were there if we did.

Coupons always help and... if you're really in a bind - there is the local foodbank you can use as well as food co-ops. Here is a site that has many listings for places that can assist:

http://uglygrayhouse.blogspot.com/2013/02/food-co-ops-and-food-ministries.html

Salvation Army, St. Vincent De Paul, & Goodwill offer specials (many times free of charge) during the month for clothing - something like $2.00 per bag, as much as you can fit. You can call to find out when they do their monthly specials.

Given you've just started your Ch. 13 and are having this much problem paying the bills and are late paying your Trustee, maybe you need to rethink why are you in it to begin with. I know you stated you dont want to lose your house and your FIL's house is somehow in the picture, but...think about this for a moment. If you cannot make ends meet now and are falling behind, how are you going to do so through your entire plan? The worst thing that could happen to you is you get dismissed and then are faced with filing Ch. 7 - or having your home(s) foreclosed on; either way you'll have thrown all the $ away you paid in your Ch. 13 should you end up getting dismissed and then faced with a different choice. Most Ch. 13's fail due to being unrealistic - you have to have the money for every day living expenses and all bills to be paid on time. If you dont - or cant - then you may need to look at the bigger picture.

Hang in there - and know you're not alone

[tobee43]

you aren't one of my kids are you????

pandora has provided some excellent advise for you. maybe you need to call you atty and see about changing your payments. again, as pandora says or has implied, the payment schedule must be realistic, or it simply will set you up to fail.

we just got back from NC, my daughter married a teacher no income at all in the summer ....their freezer was bare, cupboards were bare. one of the kids just started school in a track out system. they couldn't even afford a decent track out option! my daughter has an excellent job, they do NOT mismanage their money and still the kids needed clothing, my son in law starts teaching again in two weeks and didn't even have good shoes! i know they frequent the second hand stores as well, but many times they have difficulties even with the food budget. so i can't imagine how difficult it is for you. like pandora says, you just have to hang in there!

best if luck!! you will make it through this! just keep the faith!

[pamkev]

Our teachers here in our school district get there paid stretched out over the year, so they get paid over the summer.

I wish I could say the same for support staff we are just like you. I do have a second job so that helps somewhat. We try to pay as many bills ahead as possible to account for this. We had unexpected bills this summer and I was thankful for our savings although as soon as I get back to work we need to build it back up.

Pam

[tobee43]

frankly, i just don't know how people make it nowadays if they are working and have small children.

it was costing my daughter well over 2k monthly for full time daycare. now that one is starting school its paying for good track out sections..$600-$1000 every 7 weeks or so, through out the year, for ONE child. or they could dump them in a cheap daycare NOT while i'm still breathing. what are people suppose to do? it's so terrible. i'm hoping at least for them as soon as the kids are both in school full time it will be better, but really not since they are in that track system going to school all year round.

[ccgirl]

I am a teacher but I have my pay stretched through the summer. Our teachers have a choice...either 21 pays during the school year or 26 pays year round. I would take your yearly salary amount and divide it by 26. (Since there are 52 weeks in a year and I am assuming you get paid every other week). Then take what you do get paid each pay day (before taxes and such) during the school year and subtract the amount you got when you divided your salary by 26 pays. This amount will be what you can put aside each pay to get you through the summer...kind of like stretching your pay for the summer yourself instead of having a school district do it.
Hope things get better as school is right around the corner!

[jcsawyer]

Thanks guys. We would be ok if I had worked one month longer this year but since I started in February instead of January I did not qualify for unemployment. I wast there 6 months or didn't make $4800 this year. We will be fine next year since I start back to work and will qualify for unemployment next summer. We looked into all kinds of services but some how made too much. We are squeaking by and will have the trustee payment made up in September it's just getting there that seems so hard. I know why we are where we are and it had nothing to do with mismanagement of money. It had everything to do with lies being told by BOA, loss of income and medical bills coming out the backside. I did get their school supplies but clothes will just have to wait. Sorry it took so long to respond back but ATT Internet has been out and still is. I am on my cell posting. Once I start back to working we will be in better shape its just seemingly not getting here fast enough. I have a long term substitute position so having work won't be a problem. I get paid every two weeks and luckily our trustee payment won't change with me working. This being our first summer with onlynone income we have learned what to do for the next year (401k , FLexible spending account for meds and dr visits, savings account needs to be padded and boy have i couponed recently (wont need laundry detergent or paper towels any time soon) it's been a challenge an with only two more weeks I think we an handle it. I have just never been this frustrated in my life. If we let the trustee convert we loose out house vehicle and my father in laws house so I can't do that. We just have to push on and do better for next year. This really took us for a surprise run for our money quite literally.

[pamkev]

I wish I could get unemployment during the summer state law says school district has to agree and of course with budget issues they will not. This is for support staff only