Is there a new filers curse?

[Pugbug]

Late last week we filed ch 13 after waiting seven months. Seven quiet months, and then...

Today the clothes dryer died. (All I can say is--thank goodness for craigslist. There are lots of used dryers listed.)

Anyone else been the victim of New Filers Curse??

Pugbug

[liz417]

That's every new filers fear...no, we haven't had anything go wrong but....we haven't filed yet either....

[justplaintired]

Well we were all set to file and the fridge died. We fortunately still had a little of the stimulus left, but had to get a small loan from DH employer to make up the difference. So now we wait to file! Every time we get close something happens. I have to admit one of my biggest fears is what if something breaks, we haven't been able to save yet. That hopefully can start after we file and that should be within 3-4 wks. loan pays off soon.

[lrprn]

Anyone else been the victim of New Filers Curse??

Filed Ch 13 on June 1, then on June 12 I was admitted to the hospital as an emergency (severe bowel infection). Three days in the hospital with two CT scans and expensive IV antibiotics = $11,000 bill. Twelve DAYS after filing....I think that qualifies for 'filers' curse' status

Btw, our health insurance paid all but $1800, but we did have to find a way in a brand new Ch 13 plan to pay off the $1800 because it happened after we filed. Luckily our hospital was agreeable to a reasonable payment plan - we were lucky! We paid the debt off slowly over 15 months - so far, so good since.

[liz417]

Filed Ch 13 on June 1, then on June 12 I was admitted to the hospital as an emergency (severe bowel infection). Three days in the hospital with two CT scans and expensive IV antibiotics = $11,000 bill. Twelve DAYS after filing....I think that qualifies for 'filers' curse' status

Btw, our health insurance paid all but $1800, but we did have to find a way in a brand new Ch 13 plan to pay off the $1800 because it happened after we filed. Luckily our hospital was agreeable to a reasonable payment plan - we were lucky! We paid the debt off slowly over 15 months - so far, so good since.

Oh that sucks! How come you couldn't include it in your matrix of bk or have the bk amended to absorb that amount?

[bk4sky]

well i retained my lawyer last month, cut up all my credit cards, had absolutley no emergency fund saved, right after that my car broke and cost me 400, now this week my cat got sick and cost me 250....so yes im suffering the curse alright. im wondering whats next ....

[WoodSprite]

Now that you mention it...two weeks after I signed the paperwork and a week before I filed, Microsoft, which had been funding the project that employs me, decided they were bored with it and withdrew their funding. No notice whatsoever: I read a press release on the web before I even heard about it from my employer. Before Memorial Day I had a full-time, permanent job, albeit at a dismal rate of pay. I've been on a month-to-month extension ever since, continually expecting my next paycheck to be my last.

[BKOnce]

The whole America country is cursed.

[momof5]

Filed chapter 7 on May 29th..

June 6- our hot water heater would not stay lit and after going 4 days with no hot water ,had to get a new one. $500

June 17- our vehicle started leaking anti freeze. Husband did something to stop the leak temporarily as we are surrendering it. $70

July 7- Entire shower head in one of our bathrooms came down with a huge crash. Actually cracked the tub! God only knows what this will cost to fix! Shower head replacement was about $80

July 13-19th son was in the hospital. $100 a day co pay!


So yep I guess I will now call this the New filers curse.

[Phillymanhere]

I appreciate this thread and the humor and reality behind it. But I wonder if we're looking at this incorrectly. I am talking to myself as much as to anyone.

Take my dad--the guy is still more financially savvy and organized at 88 and with Parkinson's than I am at 46. (Yes, he would be puzzled about me facing bk). My brother and I oversee his finances these days and he's constantly querying us about this possible expense and that one). In other words, he thinks about the likely ("unexpected") expenses in the next year or so. He's never worried about his immediate bills. He has those covered. He's always thinking about the longer-term stuff.

I am not talking about creating an emergency fund! Yes, my dad did that as well. But an emergency fund, as I see it, is for layoffs, true unpredictable crises. I'm talking about the habit of realizing that items that now work fine may stop at any time.

I wonder if there is a thing among folks who are facing BK where we pretend away/ignore those predictable (though sporadic) expenses because they're not in front of us. And so we have to borrow and use credit ... and the trouble mounts ...In other words, when I do my budget each month, I need to realize that the monthly expenses in front of me are only PART of the expenses I'm facing. The monthly bills are probably only 80 percent (maybe lower) of the real bills I'll face throughout the year.

We have to prorate expenses (happily so!) when filling out our expenses for Chapter 7's ... We also need to prorate these in our monthly budgets. Again, I'm thinking out loud for myself here. No criticism or dismissal intended.

[justplaintired]

Filed chapter 7 on May 29th..

June 6- our hot water heater would not stay lit and after going 4 days with no hot water ,had to get a new one. $500

June 17- our vehicle started leaking anti freeze. Husband did something to stop the leak temporarily as we are surrendering it. $70

July 7- Entire shower head in one of our bathrooms came down with a huge crash. Actually cracked the tub! God only knows what this will cost to fix! Shower head replacement was about $80

July 13-19th son was in the hospital. $100 a day co pay!


So yep I guess I will now call this the New filers curse.

Wow! Sure sounds like a when it rains it pours.

I do hope your son is better.

[Frogge]

I appreciate this thread and the humor and reality behind it. But I wonder if we're looking at this incorrectly. I am talking to myself as much as to anyone.

Take my dad--the guy is still more financially savvy and organized at 88 and with Parkinson's than I am at 46. (Yes, he would be puzzled about me facing bk). My brother and I oversee his finances these days and he's constantly querying us about this possible expense and that one). In other words, he thinks about the likely ("unexpected") expenses in the next year or so. He's never worried about his immediate bills. He has those covered. He's always thinking about the longer-term stuff.

I am not talking about creating an emergency fund! Yes, my dad did that as well. But an emergency fund, as I see it, is for layoffs, true unpredictable crises. I'm talking about the habit of realizing that items that now work fine may stop at any time.

I wonder if there is a thing among folks who are facing BK where we pretend away/ignore those predictable (though sporadic) expenses because they're not in front of us. And so we have to borrow and use credit ... and the trouble mounts ...In other words, when I do my budget each month, I need to realize that the monthly expenses in front of me are only PART of the expenses I'm facing. The monthly bills are probably only 80 percent (maybe lower) of the real bills I'll face throughout the year.

We have to prorate expenses (happily so!) when filling out our expenses for Chapter 7's ... We also need to prorate these in our monthly budgets. Again, I'm thinking out loud for myself here. No criticism or dismissal intended.

ITA with this theory, on my own behalf. I have been amazed, while now trying to budget, at what expenses come up that I don't anticipate.

[krielly]

Well, does this qualify?

2 months after filing 13 (in 2005), my DH checked himself into detox & rehab for cocaine addiction (right through Xmas and new years, I might add). He was there for 45 days (no income) and then right around the same time, his truck died. Took 3 mos to figure out it needed a part which was $1800 (and that was for a rebuilt part).
Our budget was so tight anyhow, and with him not working, it was even worse. There was NO way we could fix the truck, and we were making $350/mo payments on a truck that wouldn't even run.

Times were really tough, but we made it though........Let the truck get reposessed though.........could never recover from that one..........

things are pretty smooth now. Thank god for friends and family.

K

[Heartburn]

Gosh..what all of you have been through!! Now, not only am I afraid NOT to file, I'm afraid TO file. Yikes!!!

[liz417]

Gosh..what all of you have been through!! Now, not only am I afraid NOT to file, I'm afraid TO file. Yikes!!!

Now I'm afraid to file...Yikes!