Just when . . . . . .

Just when I thought things were going really good - i.e. I was able to pay everyone of our creditors a little bit of money this month - I looked at my bank account on-line. OUCH!!!!!! I could not believe it - an automatic payment that I forgot about went through and sucked up much of the money I had written checks on. Because I have a $700 overdraft limit - the bank paid them to the tune of $15 each. Suddenly, I am over $700 in the hole. Then I get the mail. In it is a certified letter notifying me that I am late payments on my credit card and they have frozen the account. Dah! I haven't used that credit card for months because I know I couldn't pay it. It's not like we owe that much on credit cards, less than 10 grand - a drop compared to others. Now we know that credit cards are bad as is other credit. It is much better to pay cash than to borrow in any way. This month we will try again to stay within the income afforded us. I ask God for blessings and ask that I get a job to help pay the bills. Sometimes I feel so frustrated - I just want to shout - "WHAT HAVE WE DONE TO DESERVE THIS?". There I have it out of my system and I don't need to shout anymore. I will continue to depend on the Lord to provide and we will be faithful in our efforts to get out of debt. As Scarlet O'Hara always said "tomorrow's another day."

Time Passes

I must tell you that, although we have been in debt for quite some time, this is the first time that I have included "God" in my debt reduction plan. I've been a Christian for many years and now depend on God for daily guidance. Somehow, during all the "fun" time of getting in debt - I left him out. I think it would have been much better if I had included him in my plans - I know that he would have burdened my heart much earlier. Although, in truth, I probably wouldn't have listened.

However, time marches on and waits for no-one, including those in debt (especially those of us in debt!) I can't sit here and play "woe is me", I need to get on with the debt free plan. This is the 9th week in a 13 week course from Dave Ramsey about getting out of debt. We are concentrating on dumping debt. Do do that, we must first find cars that we can pay cash for. These last two weeks we not only found a car for ourselves, but we also found one to replace the one our daughter was using to get to and from school. The best thing - THEY ARE PAID FOR!"

Today I am listing my car again on Craig's List (a free advertising website) hoping to get a bite. My ultimate plan (read hope) is to get it sold for at least what we owe on it. I am becoming adept at writing "for sale" ads. I have found that if one is creative, he/she can find a way to post the same add several times without repeating too much - giving a better exposure and chance of being seen. I need to spend the rest of this afternoon cleaning the car. It's a nice one - Ford Focus SVT (#1600 out of 2100 built) and I need it to look as good on the inside as it does on the outside.

I am still unemployed, but had a encouraging interview yesterday. God is guiding my steps and I have faith that he will put be in a job that will be great for my family and meet our financial needs.

Although trying - life continues to be good

Reflections of a debtor

Let's face it, I knew I was in debt from the first day that I refused to balance my checkbook. In my frazzled state, I figured that if I didn't know I was overdrawn, it didn't exist. Talk about avoidance. I should hold a PHD in the field. The practice of ignoring my checkbook went on for two years. I had many excuses - "I worked too many hours and didn't have time"; "I want to do something else"; "What I don't see doesn't exist".
The statements above would lead one to believe that I am not intelligent - Whoa Nellie! I actually hold a MBA. I know how to do balance sheets, I know how do do spreadsheets, I know how to budget and I know how to balance my checkbook. Reality was, I did work too many hours, but hat neither of us realized for many months is that I was totally "burned" out. Burned out at the job, burned out with the commute, burned out with responsibility of any kind. . . . . . . .

One day I realized that the health issues that I had were caused by stress. I needed to find a job closer to home. I took a temporary position that gave me no responsibilities and it was 10 minutes from home and paid the wage I was making in Corporate America. Instead of the job lasting 6-12 months as advertised it ended in 3 months and I became "non-essential."

Over the last 12 months, I've worked 6. Not good for the pocketbook. Talk about avalanche of the checkbook - dismal is a positive term compared to what was going on. The realization that we are broke was no shocker to either my husband or me. We just weren't aware of how broke we are. I am still not working, but the good thing about this hiatus is that I have mostly recovered from the stress and can now look at our debts in all their sordid cloaks. With the grace of God, we will get out of this. Do I think we will go unscathed? Nope - but we will get there.

The purpose of this blog is to chronicle our rise from the ashes of debt. Today is a new day full of promise. We have creditors hounding our feet - each day is a they just nip our heals. Today I know where our checkbook is - and yes there is not enough money to cover the debt, but we are trying to pay some each month to our creditors. Each day I pray the armor of God around my family to help us cope. With grace, we will survive this.