Christmas gift question

[pambysue]

thankyou all for your comments. Yes, it is a one time expenditure I was considering. The only reason I have extra money today is because I have moved out of my house that is in foreclosure and haven't paid any of the bills there except the gas & electric until it is taken by the mortgage company, and my rent & utilities now run about $300 less than I have been paying..along with the fact that I was lucky enough to get a few extra hours over the past few weeks due to my co-worker taking time off for the birth of his first child. I have just been on this "darned if I do..darned if I don't" guilt trip lately. Being poor is very confusing..LOL.
Thankyou all again and have a wonderful holiday!!

[anonymuse]

I hope you realize that I wasn't being judgemental. I was trying to play "devil's advocate" and try to think how the worst trustee might look at it.

[CATCHMEIFYOUCAN]

Just my 2 cents, if you are using cash on hand (w/out it ever being in your bank account) than the Trustee doesn't need to know how much you spent on christmas. Hope you have a nice holiday

Still sticking with my 2cents - its cash on hand, no one knows, no one needs to know. HAPPY HOLIDAYS !

Catchmeifyoucan (The name says it all !)

miss puff - Don't feel bad about not paying a bill that you are including in your BK either.

NOT AT ALL, think of how much those creditors are still making at the end of the year .. BILLIONS in profit ! ! so whats a thousand dollars, eh

[anonymuse]

miss puff - Don't feel bad about not paying a bill that you are including in your BK either.

NOT AT ALL, think of how much those creditors are still making at the end of the year .. BILLIONS in profit ! ! so whats a thousand dollars, eh

It doesn't make any sense to keep paying on credit cards that you are asking to be discharged anyway (especially when you need to save up for BK fees/lawyers, etc.)

However, in the grand scheme of things (outside of the BK world) the justification that "they make billions" is not exactly what we want to promote here with a "catchmeifyoucan" attitude. People will still have problems post-BK if they don't learn to live within their means. People have to be responsible--if you buy something, you need to pay for it. Yes, their interest rates and late fees can be deplorable, but they are legal. Buying something on credit without any intention to pay is illegal.

[CATCHMEIFYOUCAN]

Anon

It doesn't make any sense to keep paying on credit cards that you are asking to be discharged anyway (especially when you need to save up for BK fees/lawyers, etc.)

However, in the grand scheme of things (outside of the BK world) the justification that "they make billions" is not exactly what we want to promote here with a "catchmeifyoucan" attitude. People will still have problems post-BK if they don't learn to live within their means. People have to be responsible--if you buy something, you need to pay for it. Yes, their interest rates and late fees can be deplorable, but they are legal. Buying something on credit without any intention to pay is illegal.

Well said, don't listen to meee, Catchmeifyoucan

[Kam]

Do what you must so your family will have a nice Christmas. I think going through bankruptcy at Christmas time is the WORST thing of all. We've been discharged and closed for a year now and we still don't have lots of $$ for spending. However, this is what we are doing for Christmas this year:

DH: a tool belt ($18.00 from Walmart), a tool box ($10.00 from Walmart), a package of thermal socks ($8.00 from Walmart) and a Sony-type portable radio and head phones ($5.00 from Walmart) (so my hubby can listen to music while he plows snow at work). I am also crocheting him a couple pairs of skull caps from some wool yarn I have. ---> $41.00

Oldest son and his family: $50.00 gc for Walmart.

Middle son and his family: $50.00 gc for Walmart.

Youngest son and his fiance: $50.00 gc for Walmart

Oldest daughter: We paid for her to have hair extensions ($100.00) (a combined Christmas and birthday present). I made her three necklaces from hemp, beaded a birthstone choker, several pairs of earrings, and will finish up two pairs of crocheted socks. --> $100 + $15.00 for jewelry odds and ends

Youngest daughter: I replaced her Game Cube that was stolen last summer ($60.00 from ebay), purchased Twilight-Princess for the Game Cube ($70.00) from ebay, purchased a small desk aquarium ($19.00 from Walmart). I am beading her a charm bracelet, a couple pairs of earrings and crocheting some sock-slippers. $149.00 + pocket change for jewelry.

My mother-in-law: cross-stitching an african pattern to be sewn into a tote bag, and beading a necklace and bracelet from garnet chips. --> $ 0 cost

My sister: beading her a bracelet and necklace from semi-precious stone chips. --> $0 cost

Me: The African Cross Stitch Collection pattern book. $14.95 from ebay.

This all comes to $460.00. We normally spend $300.00 a year for Christmas, but do nothing for the three boys. All the boys have families and $50.00 gc is not much at all. At least they will be able to purchase something for the children.

[pambysue]

thankyou Kam. Wow, I sure wish I was as talented with crafts as you are! I am going to sincerely look into developing a craft hobby over the next year and make gifts for my family as well. The handmade gifts are appreciated so much more than store bought, as they come from the heart!
I have decided to give my grown children and their spouses $50 per couple to go out to dinner. I will buy a little something for each grandchild and spend no more than $200 on my 12 year old, including her clothing. That way it will cost me a total of $500, everyone will receive something and I wont feel guilty about overspending..nor will I feel guilty for not giving them anything. I have also told my older children to just buy for the little ones and the adults can just get together and enjoy each others company. I think it will all turn out great!
I hope you have a wonderful holiday!!

[quietsound]

yeah but i think they look at how much you spend like one each person. for instance if you spent or wrote check for $800 for one place, one person and then $900 for another person or place, that would send up red flags.........i know that your not suppose to pay one creditor over another more than $600 90 days prior to bankruptcy. I don't think it's the total amount SPENT, $1,000 but more like they look to see if your spending one lump sum over a certain amount of money. if your spending $200 and writing checks even for that amount of money separately for like 5 people, why would they care, it's not over a certain amount............if your account looks like: $200, $150, $75, $175 $150 that does not look bad, if it looked like this:

$850, $750 $900, $890.................THAT looks bad