Who are we? What are people who file for bankruptcy like?

[fileda13]

I'm 51 years old; I am a devoted father and grandfather; I love my wife with whom I will be celebrating our 30th anniversary in August; I work out most everyday (at home); I like a few rum drinks during the week; I listen to heavy metal music (favorite bands include Opeth, Nevermore, Grip Inc, Exodus - to name a few); I like keeping up with technology; I call my parents every day while driving home from work; I try really hard not to get stressed by life; I'm still trying to decide what I want to be when I grow up.

[panda]

My husband and I will be celebrating our 32nd anniversary this month, but we sure don't feel like we are the age we are. I am not sure what we are going to be yet when we grow up either, as we are on our second life now and both need to find new jobs. Husband is retired, and we just completed a move to our new home state less than six weeks ago. I still like Margaritas and Mai Tais, but will settle for wine coolers any day. We are on the hunt for a simpler, more relaxed way of life now, we have had everything we ever wanted monetarily wise, and then lost it all, so this is our chance to begin again and it is so refreshing.We have lived in two of the best states we know of which were polar opposits of each other (Alaska and Hawaii), and now are hoping to make this third one the best place for us at this phase in our lives. Our kids moved with us, son is 26, daughter 21. Daughter just finished college and is looking for work, son is getting ready to go back to college for his masters degree after working 55 hour weeks the last three years, he manged to save his money and has learned how to live on very little while he achieves his goals. Our life revolves around our family, which has always been in the forefront for us, but as time goes on remains even more important than ever.

We are finally at peace again and are looking forward to each new day, learning new things and meeting more friends. We are done with moving and am content to settle into our new home (apartment). So far so good. Now we just need a job.

[newbie2]

fileda13, this may be an odd question: Are you writing a book about bankruptcy?

[Benchracer52]

ll

[AngelinaCatHub]

I guess this is a tell your profile thread:

So, we are in our golden years with no gold. I'm remarried and wife once only. We just had our 23rd. I have two daughters 47 and 46. Used to own an airplane, and miss it. Have had a wonderful career in business machines and computers. I can do about anything and am rebuilding our house at this time. Was worth 10 mil in assets at one time. Never imagined having to bk. Found it necessary and at first shameful. Realization came to us and we both adjusted our values and find we are living a fuller life with less toys than we did when we had it all. Our values have changed as well as our life. I won't say what I want to be when I grow up. I have to grow old but I don't have to grow up so I won't. Too much fun in my second childhood. 'Hub

[Drazil65]

We are in our late 40's have one child and have been married 10 years this year. We have been living in this state for almost 5 of those years and moved for a job transfer (husband). Husband is 80% complete in school and will be starting his new career after graduation next year. This will be his second degree (1st degree 4 yr never went into that field graduated 1993), this one is in the health care field and fortunately there are more jobs than certified people to take them. We were very lucky and are very excited to have this opportunity even though the financial hardship this last year and half (while he was full time student in an excelerated program with 20 hours of homework each week) has been extremely hard on us. Of course the 2 lay offs less than a year apart prior to him going back to school were no piece of cake either but was the catalyst for us making the decision for him to change careers (silver lining). He starts his clinicial rotations this month and that is the milestone we have worked so hard to come to as this is the last step before graduation (starts July and will continue through spring). We are just hard working people that enjoys our family time together when we have it!

[fileda13]

fileda13, this may be an odd question: Are you writing a book about bankruptcy?

The thought has crossed my mind. I like knowledge, so I like to learn from others walking a similar path as myself, to better ready me for a new experience of my own.

[tobee43]

ahhhhhhh....i also love to learn, but apparently, even all the lessons in the world may not prevent life to turn the way it does ...even if one has followed all the correct paths and twists and turns.

both of us held professional upper management positions and making well over 6 figures and being married now over 40 years. we never anticipated a life threatening illness would exhaust much of our savings, or job losses at our stage in life. we were on the path to 5 more years and we are sailing into the sunset. after living in our home 33 years, putting two children through college and grad schools. we were dreaming about a comfortable future together, we never mismanaged our money, when it all hit the fan and things flew and blew apart to the likes of what we never could imagine, to say the least we were in shock, fear and every emotional imaginable.

as bad as it all seemed, one sometimes just needs to let go and land where the wind blows..we did and i must say, we couldn't be happier now, had we followed our original plan, so maybe this was all just meant to be for us.

we have no regrets!!

[sunshinepa]

Who are we? Well, I am on this forum because I filed BK however, I think most of us here are just everyday folks who a lost jobs b had unforseen expenses or c just couldn't keep up with the payments after the thieving cc companies got their new laws passed. I know it doubled my payments and made it impossible for me to keep up.

What are we like? I don't think we are any different than anyone else in the world. In these times, we are all just trying to get along. Some are doing better and some are worse off than they used to be. After being on this forum for quite awhile, I know most of the folks here are decent, hardworking and caring people. I like to believe I am one of them!!!!

In the past two years, I have dealt with some difficult times going on in my family. Even though it bankrupted me so to speak, I believe it made me stronger. One thing I learned at an early age.....family, friends and good health are what makes us wealthy, not money!

That about sums it up for me!

[dbr]

Everyone has a story: It almost seems that the people filing now are the people (like us) that never thought in a million years it could happen. We are married 12 years, 4 children, one in college, moving away for the first time.
Both of us have great jobs combined over 125K. Lost our construction business and it took us down.
Raising four teenage girls, yes I drink, would not give up family for anything but unfortunately this chpter13 could end our marriage if we cannot get payments lowered. Just no money left after makng all our payments. Not giving up, keep struggling and looking forwrd to the end of this.

What does'nt kill us --- makes us stronger. I will be one bad ass after all his is over. LOL

Good day to all.

[iswmle]

32 years old, female, in a relationship. I have an associates and bachelors in liberal arts. I enjoy history, religion, reading, games, the normal stuff. I am also a huge mystery buff, thanks to multiple viewings of Murder, She Wrote and Mystery! when I was a child. I am part Asian, I love to cook, both Asian and American food. My mother is exceptional with money. She bought a second house recently and the realtor told her that her score was the highest they had ever seen. She was the one who encouraged me to file BK.

Once upon a time I was married to someone and we were playing the "Keeping up with the Joneses" game. We divorced, during which the majority of our debt was accumulated. So it was a mix of Jones, divorce debt, and medical debt due to health issues that was exacerbated during the divorce. Filed BK a year after divorce...

Now I look back and don't recognize that person. Ex and I have found a new found friendship. He is remarried, I am happy in my relationship... 3 years later we have both moved on and our scars have healed for the most part. We still talk and joke together. His new wife is lovely.

I don't mess with the Joneses' anymore. I find their lifestyle to be a little too rich for my blood. :P

I am grateful for my BK. Easily one of the best decisions of my life. I learned a lot from it, and have completely revamped my financial outlook because of it. I am determined to go nowhere but up from here.

[DesdemonaB]

I am a single 41 year-old parrot head, mother of two beautiful girls, 6 and 8 living in the Motorcity who felt that she needed to dump her 3rd child – if I was going to be a single parent I was going to do it on my own terms. Problem was I didn’t count on that 3rd child to become unemployed for TWENTY SIX months. Soul financial support of two kids takes its toll, I did not live beyond mine means, money going out did not match the money coming in. Period. Mean while he was taking money from his parents, getting a girlfriend which he took on a lake front vacation with jet ski rentals, moving her and her three kids in to our home all the while “looking for a job”. Yes I am bitter, but one day very shortly (july 28th) he will have to answer.

I have skills, love my job and I am damn good at it, and have family and friends that support me, I am at my best with my MP3 player blasting 80 – 90 music (in my own world). I still don’t live beyond my means, hell as I type this I am in a 9-year night gown. During this all I have uncovered a love for cooking, my passion for my girls, massive weight loss, and peace.

I was told last night at the pool that I was a cheap date because I drank Bud Select 55, as a parrot head I like me a margarita, just make it a skinny and I am at peace ~ love ~ fins up.

Ala Jimmy…Good times and riches and son of a *****es, I've seen more than I can recall...

[free2breathe]

We are the "average" couple. Hmmm, maybe not so average ;) Second marriage for both, met at a distance...a very GREAT distance, and fell in love and got married. We have six grown children between us, and a beautiful daughter together who is just getting ready to start kindergarten. We left California several years ago for "greener pastures", namely a place where we could afford to buy a home together. Unfortunately, the economy kicked us to the curb. We both lost jobs and ended up loading the wagons and heading west looking for work. Several months after my husband finally found work, he had a medical emergency that knocked us right into the gutter. It only took six months to decide to bite the bullet and file Chapter 7. I look around and realize that a good portion of the people I see could very well be in our shoes. I've learned from this site that the economy/credit/illness doesn't discriminate. Some have made bad choices, some have had bad life experiences, but all of us are human.

So, who are we? We are all a very good cross-representation of the population of this country. We are people who've swallowed our pride and learned that bankruptcy is a business decision. We are people who have decided to reclaim our lives and start over.

[tobee43]

Everyone has a story: It almost seems that the people filing now are the people (like us) that never thought in a million years it could happen. We are married 12 years, 4 children, one in college, moving away for the first time.
Both of us have great jobs combined over 125K. Lost our construction business and it took us down.
Raising four teenage girls, yes I drink, would not give up family for anything but unfortunately this chpter13 could end our marriage if we cannot get payments lowered. Just no money left after makng all our payments. Not giving up, keep struggling and looking forwrd to the end of this.

What does'nt kill us --- makes us stronger. I will be one bad ass after all his is over. LOL

Good day to all.

dbr: your story made me laugh and cry at the same time!! 4 girls!!! your soul needs extra blessings daily..LOL!! we have one of each and i have always said, and i truly love them BOTH, BUT, i would have 10 boys to 1 girl anyday??????

me too! i'm going to be ONE (i hope not too big) bad a**!!!

free2breathe, that is so well said.

So, who are we? We are all a very good cross-representation of the population of this country. We are people who've swallowed our pride and learned that bankruptcy is a business decision. We are people who have decided to reclaim our lives and start over.

[dbr]

There must be soooo many people suffering soooo bad with this crazy stretch in our economy. Let's all hope and pray this turns around soon so we can all get back to life.

Living to feed the "system" is taking a toll on many us.

Get back to basics, save, and stay out of the system.

Cheers!