BullDog777

I did credit consolidation. Green Path was who I worked with. It was next to nothing. Like a one time fee of 50 bucks when i signed up. I paid off 180K debt in a little over 16 months. They also worked with the credit card companies as the middle person. I got all interest rates eliminated and I just can't say enough good things about them.

zjw

Thats AWESOME!!! what a relief that must be!

BullDog777

It was. I had a counselor i could talk to about financial strategy anytime i needed to. They were the ones who talked to the credit companies. I got the whole thing set up in an afternoon and I was so glad i did.

They're also better business bureau approved and while it only took me 16 months, they have 5-7 year plans too. I wouldn't hesitate to use them again.

zjw

bulldog thats really encouraging. I remember how friggen scared i was at the time.

teatreeoil007

Hang in there Bunny.

You can only do what you can do now. Try not to worry about stuff you simply cannot do right now....So that good concept about "one day at a time" applies here too....

"Baby steps" also applies.

Learning to pay for things only with cash was one of the biggest changes I had to make..."Cash is king; debt is dumb" is one of Dave Ramsey's common sayings. "God's and grandma's way of doing things, only we leave our teeth in" is another.

You need a lot of moral support right now. When you have a mountain of debt and no idea how you're going to dig yourself out it can be an overwhelming feeling and you feel like you are buried. But you can only do what you can do now.

August252015

Yes.

Today is day 253 sober. I, too, had medical bills, a credit card I couldn't pay (the one and only I foolishly opened while drinking, knowing I wasn't going to use it responsibly or care if it got paid), IRS bills, and little or no money that my parents didn't give me when I was still drinking and when I stopped in Feb. There is a lot more to my story, like yours, but the bottom line is that when you are sober, you can handle money problems, just like any other kind. I'm a hard core AA-er and I firmly believe the part in the BB that talks about fear of economic insecurity leaving us. That doesn't mean I don't worry about money (I do, sometimes) nor does it mean that making decisions to clean up problems was easy or solutions are even completely in effect now.

It DOES mean that I can deal with every situation, one at a time. One payment to this dr that I made a payment plan to (no interest- most if not all should work with you and go interest free if you commit to a plan and keep it up) each month, that hospital that I make another to, the IRS I paid part to (the bills have stopped so that's a situation I know is not resolved)....all of it.

Nothing is worth more than me being sober, and the most insurmountable and scary things can be faced. Sometimes hard choices- I would not want to move in with my parents (again!) but if it came to it, I'd survive and stay sober. Bunches of other examples of how situations come up and choices have to be made that we think would be "the worst" or "I just couldn't do [ ] " but we can, if staying sober and following a program (like AA for me) that teaches us how to live - spiritually and practically!- is our choice.

I don't make much (I am a server, so realistically I will make somewhere in the 30Ks this year) and I am only saving 10% of each shift's money for a "back up" fund that is really only enough for things like rent shortfalls, not retirement planning/catch up! But that is ok. For now. I have to keep making the right next decisions and keep moving forward. My money situation is so far from ideal - and so different than the high-flying success I once had- that it could paralyze me. But it just can't- I won't let it. I have to keep making decisions to make it better, just like I do with everything else.

Money and debt are scary and they were things that overwhelmed me when I was drinking, so I hid. And everything got worse. Now, I have to face things and it truly is much better to know, then be able to act.
Some decisions I made (not paying off the credit card) affect my already low credit rating; that just IS, for right now. It's ok.

You have to take care of you and be sober first. I truly believe that everything else- EVERYTHING else- comes second to that. I would be devastated to lose my boyfriend, it would be a big problem to lose my job, it would be.....but I accept that there are no accidents in God's, world and related parts about relying on God's will (paraphrase BB 85-88, 4th ed).

No matter what, you don't have to drink. Dying a scary, painful, alcoholic death would be infinitely worse than "losing" everything.

Good luck.

Bunny211

OMG THANK YOU!
I am going to call them!
I feel better already!

advbike

Ooona made a great point about finding a way to bring in some extra income, like selling personal things, or a temp job. Just to get a start on it. And cutting monthly expenses is just as good. I know someone who gave up their car and saved $600/month on payment, insurance, gas, etc. And no need for a gym membership when you bike or walk more.

The next step is to get your interest rates on the debt down, or you won't make any progress on the payoff of the principal. Maybe a friend or family member can make you a low interest loan. Or tap a home equity line. Or negotiate a credit settlement with your creditors.

Always pay the smallest and highest interest debt off first, so you can see progress, then apply that payment amount to the next highest interest debt, etc. Whatever you do.. you have to stop spending, or you'll end up back where you were. Make a budget and stick to it.

You're still young. You can do this.