all i need to work on is the creditcards
the bankruptcy has to do with two main items...my first sons medical bills and my husbands child support we have to have it in a place like this to keep them from taking taxes, his drivers licenses and any thing of value we might have...
we had credit cards that were fine until i lost my job and since then (april) i think i may have paid 100.00 to 1 card...trying to fit those payments and everything else in is not working if i make a payment then they want another right after that, they want me to set up all these automatic withdrawls and then so does the next credit card company...i did something like this before the bankruptcy and it stopped the calls...
i also havent updated everything on my signature in months
all i need to work on is the creditcards
the bankruptcy has to do with two main items...my first sons medical bills and my husbands child support we have to have it in a place like this to keep them from taking taxes, his drivers licenses and any thing of value we might have...
Drivers license? Is hubby's child support going unpaid?
we had credit cards that were fine until i lost my job and since then (april) i think i may have paid 100.00 to 1 card...trying to fit those payments and everything else in is not working if i make a payment then they want another right after that, they want me to set up all these automatic withdrawls and then so does the next credit card company...i did something like this before the bankruptcy and it stopped the calls...
First of all - NO electronic access to checking accounts, EVER.
Secondly - if you're in an income crisis, the credit cards are the lowest priority. THey know this, and that's why they call - A LOT. They know there isn't a darn thing they can do legally if you're broke, so all that's left is to harass you with fear, guilt. manipulation and lies to convince you that they are more important than anything else. They aren't.
Learn to enjoy the phone calls and laugh at them. Also learn about the which governs what they collection agencies can and cannot do. You might also buy a tape recorder that lets you tape phone calls. When they call, say, "For your convenience, this call *IS* being recorded" (and get it on tape). If they object, tell them that you're sorry, but either the call's recorded or they hang up. If they don't object, get everything on tape. A couple violations of the FDCPA and you can report them to the FCC and threaten em with a lawsuit big enough to let you own their company when it's all done.
Now - do you have a budget worked up so you know where your money has to go every month, and is it prioritized so you know in which order you pay things?
NO...they had a verbal agreement she remarried and moved states with child...years later she filed with the childsupport and now its all arreagage and a huge sum...we have been paying on it for 10 years and sadly no change in the balance because its keep accuring interest
CCCS is not going to fix your husband's undisciplined behavior. You need to find a way to convey to him how important it is to you that your finances be well maintained. If you have to resort to giving the collection agencies his cell number and telling them to call him, hey - letting him face the consequences of his irresponsibility may not be a bad thing in the long run (though it'll prolly tick him off in the short run)
tick him off? it would be world war three...lol seriously just doesnt work like that is this household...he gives me his check and i dispense it..my problem with him..is using the debit card and what he spends it on...cig...lots and lots of cigerates and i can talk till im blue in the face but i can not make him stop....we would have a lot more money if he stopped
How about sitting hubby down and showing him, on paper, where the shortfalls are? You'll need him on board, otherwise, in an undetermined amount of time, you'll be here or somewhere else, asking about a reputable CCCS again. You've got to stop the cycle.
when we do this is always ends up in a fight...what are some suggestions to make it go smoothly or where there is no blame just want to make some changes
Document on paper where your money is going. Do it for a whole month. Go over the bank statements and log everything. Add up each category, and sort it by the amount spent, so there's a total for groceries, a total for dining out, a total for cigarettes, a total for "unknown" (stuff he spends you don't know where it goes), etc.
Put it on paper, and say "Please look at this with me and help me figure out what we can change to make our budget work." And let HIM figure out how much he's hurting the finances for himself from that.
Don't single out any specific category - just list them all, and ask him what can be changed.
I like Greebo's idea of documenting everything for a month. If you get your dh involved and get his suggestions, he might feel like he is making the decisions instead of you "telling" him how much money he can spend. I hope that this can open his eyes into how much you both are spending each month and where you can cut back to start chopping away at those credit cards. Good luck with this and check back in to let us know how things are going.
Tammy88 - The CC debt you listed isn't a killer; although I'm sure it feels like it is to you.
You can try calling the cc companies and trying to negotiate lower interest rates. It certainly doesn't hurt to try; all they can do is say no.
I know there are lots of people here that follow Dave Ramsey's plan. If you haven't heard of him, I would recommend you try getting his book, The Total Money Makeover from your library.
Again, Good Luck!
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Related Threads
?
?
?
?
?
Frugal Village Forums
1.8M posts
47.4K members
Since 2001
A forum community dedicated to the frugal lifestyle and the enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about simple and green living, cost effective tips, life hacks, debt reduction, recycling, gardening, other homesteading techniques, and more!