Getting kind of down

[MeLLE159]

Hey all,
Just needed to vent I'm getting extremely stressed out because I didn't think it would be this hard coming up with money to pay attorney. I have a FT job with a decent income not over the median though and with all my bills I just don't have the money to pay in full. I'm making payments but I want to get him paid in full so I can file.

[df04527]

Others with more experience in this area will chime in i'm sure but what I read is for you to stop paying your bills and use that money for the attorney.

[ccsjoe]

Vent away, I've used this board for that before and it's a great help.

If you know you are filing for certain, and you are still paying debt, stop now. If you have already done this, what can you do without from your regular expenses in order to gather your attorney fees faster? Maybe come up with a skeleton budget for a month and see where that puts you attorney fee-wise?

[AngelinaCatHub]

The last two posters have good advice as you will be no worse off stopping. Be advised that you must stop ALL payments not secured, except for your utilities of course. If you don't then you have the ol'e preferential thing.

Also it is perfectly normal to feel stressed. If you did not, I would be concerned for that alone. It is likely to get worse, but it DOES get better. It was a blessing we were so dumb as an anvil that we didn't even know the meaning or reason for a 341, so we went in, calm as can be, did our thing, left and with a question in both our minds said "what was THAT all about". Ignorance sometimes is bliss. Spared of that stress but far worse came into our lives being so ignorant. WE LEARNED A LOT though about our mistakes so makes us "experts" in ignorance, so we can help others not make OUR mistakes. It all worked out though and if you practice proper "new start" procedures, go cash, things will become extremely better for you once all is over. 'Hub

[MeLLE159]

Hey ccsjoe thanks for listening. I haven't stopped paying on unsecured debt, but I have student loans and my car pmt. I don't plan on keeping the car pmt is 350 a month so I'm really upside down on it. However if I don't pay it then I'm in default so if I could stop paying that I would be golden. I'm looking into the skeleton budget right now! I'm just going to have to live on the bare necessities for a month or two!

Vent away, I've used this board for that before and it's a great help.

If you know you are filing for certain, and you are still paying debt, stop now. If you have already done this, what can you do without from your regular expenses in order to gather your attorney fees faster? Maybe come up with a skeleton budget for a month and see where that puts you attorney fee-wise?

[Freddy03]

Hang in there. I'm in the same boat. My filing date keeps getting pushed further and further. I was hoping and praying to file mid Oct but now it's looking like mid or late Nov.

Can you try to have a garage sale or put some stuff on craigslist. I started that this week. Good Luck

[AngelinaCatHub]

Hey ccsjoe thanks for listening. I haven't stopped paying on unsecured debt, but I have student loans and my car pmt. I don't plan on keeping the car pmt is 350 a month so I'm really upside down on it. However if I don't pay it then I'm in default so if I could stop paying that I would be golden. I'm looking into the skeleton budget right now! I'm just going to have to live on the bare necessities for a month or two!

If you are planning on letting the car go back, yes stop. It will take several months before any action to repo it. That should get you enough to get going.

Look for a good used car and pay cash. You can pick up some real bargains in this economy, but stay under your state's exemptions for that car. 'Hub

[MeLLE159]

Hey Freddy,
Isn't it so hard to keep pushing the date back? I'm so ready to file and I can't until the money gets paid. A garage sale may be an idea or craigslist I will check and see what I can get rid of! Thanks for caring!

Hang in there. I'm in the same boat. My filing date keeps getting pushed further and further. I was hoping and praying to file mid Oct but now it's looking like mid or late Nov.

Can you try to have a garage sale or put some stuff on craigslist. I started that this week. Good Luck

[MeLLE159]

Hey Angelina,
Yea I've been looking on craigslist for a small beater to get me through the winter here. On this site though everyone is saying to keep paying on the car or it will show as a repossession on my CR and I don't want that!

If you are planning on letting the car go back, yes stop. It will take several months before any action to repo it. That should get you enough to get going.

Look for a good used car and pay cash. You can pick up some real bargains in this economy, but stay under your state's exemptions for that car. 'Hub

[ccsjoe]

Hey Angelina,
Yea I've been looking on craigslist for a small beater to get me through the winter here. On this site though everyone is saying to keep paying on the car or it will show as a repossession on my CR and I don't want that!

Hey MeLLE159 & Hub,

From everything I've read and my own (well, my wife's) experience with repo and cars, these actually happen fairly quickly, like at the second consecutive missed payment. Granted, my wife's experience was 9 years ago, but the scar stays....has the timeline changed?

[tobee43]

Vent away, I've used this board for that before and it's a great help.

If you know you are filing for certain, and you are still paying debt, stop now. If you have already done this, what can you do without from your regular expenses in order to gather your attorney fees faster? Maybe come up with a skeleton budget for a month and see where that puts you attorney fee-wise?

yes STOP paying ASAP!!!!!

also...i know my atty was excellent and allowed us to direct all calls to them if we rec'd any from out creditors even tho we had not paid in full.

i would stop paying everything except your necessities....and just pay the atty!!! do not think about it....just do...some times it's best NOT to over think a situation.

best of luck!!

[MeLLE159]

Hey tobee
Thanks for the info!

yes STOP paying ASAP!!!!!

also...i know my atty was excellent and allowed us to direct all calls to them if we rec'd any from out creditors even tho we had not paid in full.

i would stop paying everything except your necessities....and just pay the atty!!! do not think about it....just do...some times it's best NOT to over think a situation.

best of luck!!

[drowning123]

I stopped paying on my car. Our credit reports are so shot anyway. What difference does a repo make? You mean to tell me that everyone who's filed Chapter 7 kept paying on their car? I don't think so. I'm already getting all sorts of calls and offers for loans and I'm not even discharged! But that's just my experience.

[tobee43]

Hey tobee
Thanks for the info!

your welcome....

and listen to what drowning is saying....really.

[keepmine]

I'd suggest you get your transportation needs taken care of prior to filing.
I'd also agree with the poster who said forget about what your credit report shows and just make the decision that puts money in your pocket!