Still poor?

[inpain66]

So I filed 3/2009 and already had my 341 meeting. I am waiting for my discharge which should be in June if there are no issue.

I have not paid my creditors for a while and I realize that I am very broke even when being free of these bills.

My main bills are rent, car, and student loans.

I would get rid of the car but I have NO money for a new one. It would prob take me like 2 yrs to save for another one.

Just wondering if anyone else out there feels very very poor despite not having to pay those debts anymore.

Am I alone in this?

[Iamtoobroke]

No, I am still struggling. I am severely underemployed. The reason I filed was that a creditor had filed suit against me and I could not afford to be garnished. So bankrupcty helped me in that way. Still struggle with the normal living expenses. Have a small car payment - $190. It will be paid off in 3 more payments. That will help, but the car is getting old and needs something every month it seems.

[inpain66]

my car is a 2005 but I have like 3 yrs of payments left. Right now it needs new tires but I do not even have the money for them. I wonder if they will just blow out when I am driving and I get put out of my misery once n for all.

I am glad I am not alone in the struggle.

I love my job and it is govt so I have job security but the pay is less than great. I am afraid to leave a stable career I love just to try to make more money.

[Moms4Boys]

I am so right along with you all. I actually just started looking for a 2nd job to hold us over for a little while. I have been at my current job since Jan 2007 and sure dont want to leave it.

Remember when $40k sounded like you were making good money? I do, thought I would never make it. Now that I do, I still feel poor (granted I have 4 kids to feed..lol)

[hamburgervol]

my car is a 2005 but I have like 3 yrs of payments left. Right now it needs new tires but I do not even have the money for them. I wonder if they will just blow out when I am driving and I get put out of my misery once n for all.

I am glad I am not alone in the struggle.

I love my job and it is govt so I have job security but the pay is less than great. I am afraid to leave a stable career I love just to try to make more money.

Have you looked into buying some descent used tires? You'll be surprised what you can find for $15 a tire or so. Also, post a want to buy ad on craigslist for used tires and explain your circumstance. If you have a skill you might can barter for them as well.

[downsized]

We're still broke, too, but that's because dh is unemployed. We had about a 75% decrease in pay when dh lost his job and that's why we filed. We'll be in much better shape when he finds new employment.

[hopefulbk]

Have you considered renting somewhere cheaper? I know that is easier said than done because we WILL be in that situation soon (we aren't paying the mortgage so I'm not having to come up with rent right now and we are still struggling). It scares me with all the "what- ifs" but I know things will carry me through. There are sites out there designed to help those in need. A local church might be able to give money and angel food ministries can feed you for (sometimes) cheaper than what you can get at the grocery store. I'm including my car in BK to get rid of the payments. That money saved allowed me to save for a beater but at least it works for now *sigh*. Hang in there, you aren't alone!

[BkinTX]

The relief of getting rid of this debt is immense.

We don't have a huge income (DH is military and we are a large family), but sans cc debt it is definitely sufficient. I feel very fortunate.

[sassiebaz]

We just filed an emergency bk. Still dont know what our payments will be as we had to do a 13. But, even though we haven't paid anyone for months, we are just paycheck to paycheck. We have 3 kids and both work. I work part time(and hate my job) my husband was laid off(or let go) and took another job making significantly less. I have to still be grateful as we have so much more than somany others in the world. It doesnt make life easy, but that helps put it all in prespective.

[cetiya]

I am so freaken broke. i live from paycheck to paycheck and dont even make it that long. i always have to get a payday loan to make it. i have no savings, no retirement, no nothing. i am one payday away from being homeless. i try to work extra but my job is so stressfull i just cant work 6 days a week every week. my future is very grim and it scares me.

[inpain66]

I am so freaken broke. i live from paycheck to paycheck and dont even make it that long. i always have to get a payday loan to make it. i have no savings, no retirement, no nothing. i am one payday away from being homeless. i try to work extra but my job is so stressfull i just cant work 6 days a week every week. my future is very grim and it scares me.

This time last yr I was working two jobs so I feel your pain. I lost the second job and then realized I had to look at options and now I am in the bankruptcy process.

I also know about running out of money between checks. I do not get paid again til next friday and I am already out of money!

Hang in there! Did you file yet?

[inpain66]

I am so right along with you all. I actually just started looking for a 2nd job to hold us over for a little while. I have been at my current job since Jan 2007 and sure dont want to leave it.

Remember when $40k sounded like you were making good money? I do, thought I would never make it. Now that I do, I still feel poor (granted I have 4 kids to feed..lol)

I feel your pain. I do not have kids so I cannot imagine how hard it can be with kids.

My main issue is the damn student loans. my salary is 37k and my student loan balance is 42k!

[Moms4Boys]

I feel your pain. I do not have kids so I cannot imagine how hard it can be with kids.

My main issue is the damn student loans. my salary is 37k and my student loan balance is 42k!

My SL balance is $8k. 2007 Tax return was suppose to be $7500 and instead they intercepted it all except $1500. I can't wait until these are paid off. Then they want to charge be $200 a month. Are they nuts?

[marinah]

We are right there with all of you...out of money from this paycheck already, and we don't get paid until next Friday. We can hardly feed our family of five and are thinking about food stamps. Two years ago my husband's business was a success and we were making well over $100K. Now, we are not paying our mortgage (letting the house go), we filed for bk (and getting rid of all that debt is definitely a blessing), and my husband's business has failed, so his current call center job leaves us SEVERELY underemployed.

I worked part time during tax season and we were just scraping by -- now that tax season is over we are seriously broke. We are both trying to find work -- not looking for a dream job, but something that will pay our now reduced expenses. We can't secure a rental home until we find another source of income, so I pray we don't get kicked out of our house anytime soon...

It'll get better for all of us, right?

[shabam]

I feel your pain. I do not have kids so I cannot imagine how hard it can be with kids.

My main issue is the damn student loans. my salary is 37k and my student loan balance is 42k!

What field do you have a BA in?

$42K for school seems a lot.