Sharing a Reader’s Debt Story

Anytime that you, my readers, would like to share your debt story, feel free to send it to me in an email and I will post it on here. It’s not easy reading all of the stories, because there are so many people struggling. But with sharing our stories, we know that we are not alone. Debt can affect anyone.

“Eight years ago I had a hundred and fifty thousand bucks. Now I’m 25 thousand in high interest debt and struggling. To pay it off, I’ve allowed myself 10 dollars a day for food and gas, refuse to use the cards, use advances from work to handle emergencies.

What I did wrong: I bought a fixer-upper with a man who turned out to be a total flake. Then we had a baby. To get out of owning real estate with an unstable person, I lost my shirt on the house. With about $10,000 left, I moved back to Seattle with my son, got a job, enrolled him in preschool. The preschool was expensive, but child support helped us get by, until child support ended, and it looked like it would be gone for a very long time. Ran through the savings, started using the credit cards to pick up the slack. Just three more years til kindergarten, then I would stop with the credit cards. We were getting by until I was robbed, stalked, had to move to a different, even more expensive preschool, had to change apartments. This might have been manageable except that kindergarten isn’t as cheap as I thought.

So now I’m in debt, living day to day until I pay down this debt, which I calculate to be about a 5-year haul if I suck it in and keep to my $10 per day budget. When the lease on my apartment is over, I’m moving to a cheaper apartment (I moved to a more expensive one when I was running away from the stalker, not thinking straight because of fear.) I might even try living without a car.”

Thank you for sharing your story. I think yours is one that many can relate to…things were going well but then a series of unfortunate events created the spiral downward into debt. Which reminds me. There is a banner on the left hand side of my blog that will take you to Modest Needs. People can go there to apply for help with such expenses and others can go there to donate to help others. I support this organization 100% (take a look at their financials – they are very impressive).

Posted by Tricia on February 26, 2007 at 12:44 PM in General Debt | 7 Comments »
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Donna responded:
Posted: February 26th, 2007 at 2:03 pm
Okay, I’m feeling much more blessed today. Peace to all and try to not worry.
TMac responded:
Posted: February 26th, 2007 at 3:05 pm
When I read stories like that I think that my own debt situation isn’t that bad.

Good Luck to your reader! Keep your head down and stick to your plan.
JW Thornhill responded:
Posted: February 26th, 2007 at 4:56 pm
My heart really goes out to her. God Bless Her.
john responded:
Posted: February 26th, 2007 at 7:42 pm
Yikes,

Sorry to hear the support has stopped. Good luck!

I pay about $2000 a month support for my three kids. My mortgage is $1625 a month (including taxes). My net from my jot is $4000 a month. You see where I am. I have to hustle extra work.

I just got a shiny new credit card in the mail today- Working Assets, with a $15,000.00 line of credit. Are these people nuts!!?? I already have $10,000.00 on another card. I cut the new card up and tried to remember why I applied for it in the first place.

I had applied for an ARM mortgage to keep down my payments. It was at the closing that I realized I was making a pact with the Devil. I was walking away from a fixed rate at 6% to save $500 a month on payments for the first year and then about $300 the second, only with prospect of the payment booming shortly thereafter. I realized I gotta find a way to save $500 a month. So, I cancelled the deal. Wew.
Greg responded:
Posted: February 27th, 2007 at 9:49 am
What a tough story, I admire your grit and fortitude in all this. I encourge you to get involved with your local church, or other community group that will give you support with the ex- and stalking issues…you do not need to travel that path alone.
March 2007 - Here’s How Much We Made and Here’s Where It Went : Blogging Away Debt responded:
Posted: April 24th, 2007 at 6:00 pm
[...] not give all that much monetarily. Slowly, I am trying to give more to causes that I believe in. A reader’s debt story reminded me that I should make another contribution to Modest Needs so I [...]
Tim responded:
Posted: October 9th, 2009 at 5:02 am
unlucky man, u should of been more careful with your money.