SoberinSyracuse

Okay, so now that I'm safely home and my sobriety is holding for now, I've started to work on a few things that got REALLY out of hand during my drinking. In particular: FINANCE.

Yesterday, I met with a coach to begin a short, focused program to get my finances back under control. My homework was to contact every creditor and attempt to arrange for interest rate reductions and/or reduced minimum monthly payments.

I was a trooper. I spent 7 1/2 hours on the phone. Didn't even make it out of the house today and so now I'm all wound up even though it's bedtime! Worst of all, not one single creditor was willing to negotiate with me until I am very far delinquent. Well...that kind of defeats the purpose, does it not?

So, I guess this is part of "recovery work." The "hard stuff" that follows getting sober and physically/emotionally stabilized.

Good lesson today is that I need to maintain balance. All day long on the phone, unshowered, has me agitated and ill at ease. I'll try to avoid those marathons going forward!!

sva777

Your doing good, I had some credit card debt built up after I quit drinking. Be happy you haven't been delinquent, you might not have had any success lowering interest rates but at least you don't have the sky high rates that are a result of being delinquent.

SoberinSyracuse

Thanks! Unfortunately, my credit card rates range between 18 and 28 percent because I was not monitoring and managing these things. It'll be a challenge to dig out. I can't obtain a consolidation loan right now because my debt:income ratio is off. So... I'll have to massage this little problem a bit more to break it down.

bandicoot2

Hi Sober -- sorry you have to go through the financial muck. If you can find a reputable (emphasize Reputable!) credit consolidation program to work with, you'll get out of debt much faster with the lower rates...but it will ding your credit score for awhile. Good luck with that---it's no fun to stress about finances.

SoberinSyracuse

Thank you! 'Ya know... since my credit score is very good, and I have no need to finance anything in the near future... maybe this temporary ding is worth it.

You've primed my mental pump! I'm a real estate agent, and I work with a lot of mortgage brokers. I send them clients who can't get mortgages due to credit problems, and they in turn connect them with credit repair resources. I'll bet one of these brokers would be happy to recommend a reputable debt consolidation resource and could also give me a good idea about what the impact would be to my credit score.

Ruby2

I hate financial stuff. It makes my head hurt. Talk to your coach to see whether you think it's feasible to apply for a new credit card that does no interest on balance transfers and consolidate that way? It might work. Then pay a whopping sum on the new card to get them down.

Hang in there. Yes, balance is important. Take a shower and go to bed.

Dropsie

Syracuse,

I have the same issues.

I have never had a financial problem in my life, and now that too. But like you say, its all part of the same cycle so I am hopeful that if I can dig out then at least I won't make the same hole again.

For me, I have a strong self destructive streak that goes much beyond drinking. Its a hard thing to cure, but I am trying.

Good for you for all that time on the phones, but next time I would be kinder to yourself.

I love your posts.

Fly N Buy

Most alcoholics face financial issues when we start to get sober. The first thing I realized was not drinking saved a good amount of cash. I also learned that correcting issues would take time - maybe years.

My first and most important focus was staying sober, not picking up that first drink. Others "messes" didn't get created overnight and weren't going to be solved overnight. As I addressed problems I had to do them in small bites as too much too soon pulled me into resentments and regrets.

When the daily crap got to painful, I stopped and set it aside. Recovery for me started with simply not drinking.

Ariesagain

Wow, good for you!!! I would have found about a zillion excuses to put off making those phone calls. I hate the phone and I hate officialdom.

Bravo!

SoberinSyracuse

Thanks, Aries! That's actually why I hired a coach -- to create external structure and accountability. I know it's a journey of a thousand miles, but it has to BEGIN with a single step. Sitting around with my head in the sand won't get the job done.

Y'all know me. Always ranting about the need to take action! But hey...action produces results. It's great to meditate, blog, journal, and post, but action is what produces a clean house, a fit body, a good job, etc.

I strongly suspect that the more "real life" improves, the more solid my sobriety will become!!

Pondlady

I worked as a credit counselor , many years ago. Investigate, reputable and perhaps non-profit, credit counselors. You meet with them and set up a plan. You give your counselor money, they intern, make arrangements with your creditors and pay the bills. Their strategy is usually to pay off smaller bills, then apply, those fund to the next smallest etc.

Some credit counselor agencies, are sharks.....looking to profit from your problems. If you have good contacts in your field, use them to look for something reputable.

Anna

Good for you for starting to deal with the stuff in your life. My messes were more family relationship messes but they were horribly difficult to deal with. You're right, that this is the hard stuff, but have faith that you are ready for it.

Soberwolf

Excellent