I'm Happy today!

[eddiep]

I'm just really happy tonight, three months ago I thought I would never be happy again but tonight I really am.

My husband was out of work from Sept to Dec. No unemployment... scarey! We thought we were done for, that our lives would never be the same. Well things are turning out better than we ever imagined.

First we found out that we could file chapter 7 - 150k unsecured - we have no choice, but are comfortable with this option. Even if he had not lost his job we could no longer handle this much debt. Our debt had been snowballing over the years trying to keep our ship from sinking in the first place but had never considered bankruptcy. Not sure why! But if he had not lost his job we would not qualify for chapter 7.

Second we got our loan modification on our home - reduced monthly payment by $1030 a month! If he had not lost his job we would not have qualified for the loan mod.

Third I found out today that my daughter who is graduating in the top of her class will qualify for $17000 in financial aid. She was accepted at UNH and the tuition is $23000 a year. This was breaking our hearts, how could we tell her that we cant afford to send her after all her hard work. Originally we were only getting $6500 in student loans. Last week I sent in a "Special Circumstances" form to explain that our income was inflated because we became "responsible" for an old 401k loan when hubby lost his job. this increased our reportable income by almost $30k. Funny, if he had not lost his job he would have earned that $30k and we would not have qualified for the additional financial aid and would not have been able to afford to send her.

I know this only affects me and my family directly but I hope that someone who is at rock bottom right now and thinks that life will never be the same will be inspired by my story and not give up hope. I had to work my butt off to get it back on track, and it was a bumpy road, none of this fell in my lap! But dont give up, I honestly thought we would be homeless, broke, and telling my daughter sorry but I was so wrong!

[PoorGrammyinBK7]

I am happy for you!

[lrprn]

Sometimes in the darkest times a bit of light shines through to show us that all is not lost. So glad to hear that a searchlight banished your financial darkness today!

[Gerry]

I'm glad things are looking up!

[JRScott]

Good to hear things are going good

[jeb]

Eddiep, it is stories like yours that make me feel proud to be an American and that there are programs in place to help people.

How can anyone be against helping those in need - I happily pay my taxes. - jb

[blankslate]

I'm so glad to hear things are looking up for you! I really do think things are going to start leveling out for a lot of folks. For the past 10 years at least we have become a credit society that inflated prices of things we need to where you had to purchase them with credit and put yourself in debt. I hope we soon go back to the days where you saved for a few months to pay cash for that car or tv you want instead of having to finance them. Same for tuition. $23-25k a year is ridiculous and puts any student who doesn't come from a very wealthy family into a lifetime of debt before they even graduate.

[AngelinaCatHub]

I'm so glad to hear things are looking up for you! I really do think things are going to start leveling out for a lot of folks. For the past 10 years at least we have become a credit society that inflated prices of things we need to where you had to purchase them with credit and put yourself in debt. I hope we soon go back to the days where you saved for a few months to pay cash for that car or tv you want instead of having to finance them. Same for tuition. $23-25k a year is ridiculous and puts any student who doesn't come from a very wealthy family into a lifetime of debt before they even graduate.

I surely agree. Perhaps all this stuff that we, the U.S. the World are going through, in the long run, will bring us all back to reality. Stuff is junk. Stuff goes away. Stuff when not paid for, enslaves.

I just put a gas range out at the curb, twenty years old. I doubt we have used it a hundred times. We push a button, or I grill outside. The damn thing just rusted in old age. JUST STUFF.

What does matter? Family, self esteem, faith, Country (if we survive), God. This is all that matters. One other thing, Health. If you have health, you have hope. ‘Hub

[blankslate]

Agreed Hubs. I've learned in the last 5 years with all of the losses and hard times that stuff is just stuff. In my latest move a couple of things got broken and the people who were helping me move were so apologetic. They were shocked when I shrugged my shoulders and said "Oh well. It's just stuff it's not the end of the world." I try to take care of my items and keep everything as nice as possible. What I do have, I appreciate but in the end it's just stuff. As long as I have a roof over my head and food in the fridge it's all good.

[FLBK7]

I'm just really happy tonight, three months ago I thought I would never be happy again but tonight I really am.

My husband was out of work from Sept to Dec. No unemployment... scarey! We thought we were done for, that our lives would never be the same. Well things are turning out better than we ever imagined.

First we found out that we could file chapter 7 - 150k unsecured - we have no choice, but are comfortable with this option. Even if he had not lost his job we could no longer handle this much debt. Our debt had been snowballing over the years trying to keep our ship from sinking in the first place but had never considered bankruptcy. Not sure why! But if he had not lost his job we would not qualify for chapter 7.

Second we got our loan modification on our home - reduced monthly payment by $1030 a month! If he had not lost his job we would not have qualified for the loan mod.

Third I found out today that my daughter who is graduating in the top of her class will qualify for $17000 in financial aid. She was accepted at UNH and the tuition is $23000 a year. This was breaking our hearts, how could we tell her that we cant afford to send her after all her hard work. Originally we were only getting $6500 in student loans. Last week I sent in a "Special Circumstances" form to explain that our income was inflated because we became "responsible" for an old 401k loan when hubby lost his job. this increased our reportable income by almost $30k. Funny, if he had not lost his job he would have earned that $30k and we would not have qualified for the additional financial aid and would not have been able to afford to send her.

I know this only affects me and my family directly but I hope that someone who is at rock bottom right now and thinks that life will never be the same will be inspired by my story and not give up hope. I had to work my butt off to get it back on track, and it was a bumpy road, none of this fell in my lap! But dont give up, I honestly thought we would be homeless, broke, and telling my daughter sorry but I was so wrong!

I'm so happy that things are looking up for you and your family!! A very wise person once told me that... "the sun always shines above the darkest clouds" -- and your story reminded me of how very true that maxim is.

I wish you the best of luck!

[jeb]

I surely agree. Perhaps all this stuff that we, the U.S. the World are going through, in the long run, will bring us all back to reality.

Boy, wouldn't if be nice it that were only so for the masses. For a few of us, maybe, but it is not the nature of we humans to do things the hard way.

We like the easy road and, when everyone has begun to climb out of this mess the overwhelming majority will go right back to what they were doing - because it is easier.

We vote the same way - throw this group out and a few years later vote them right back in expecting them to be different. - jb

[robivi3]

mymom and angeline I can agree with you both. eddiep, that is excellent news! Romans 8:28. What is important is that your child will prosper and now has a chance. Excellent, if we don't live to provide a good generation then what is the piont?

[eddiep]

Thanks for all the great replies! This forum has been so helpful and informative. It has kept my hopes up and given me the courage to keep going!

Lrprn, what a beautiful statement "Sometimes in the darkest times a bit of light shines through to show us that all is not lost. So glad to hear that a searchlight banished your financial darkness today!"

I have to admit that I find it a little shocking that so much of our happiness depends on our financial stability. But in the end it was the love and support of our family that got us through this nightmare. We stuck together every step of the way.

It is funny how much you appreciate something when you think you are about to lose it. Five years ago I planted two tiny hydrangea plants, neither one of my thumbs are green, but I have kept at it all these years, feeding, watering, pruning and they have grown into these massive 6ft bushes that are covered with the most beautiful blue flowers. All summer long I pull into my driveway and just enjoy these plants. One day last October, I went out to cut them back like I do every year, I had to stop several times because I was crying so hard, it was almost unbearable, I kept thinking what's the point I will have lost my home by the time they bloom again. But I did it, I finished cutting them back, and I will enjoy these beautiful flowers this summer like never before.