I've backed myself into a corner in regards to money matters, but I don't have enough debt to consider bankruptcy, at this point I am just trying to keep these bill collectors from calling my job. HELP!
211151
I would like to known that too
487678
Im really good at this sort of thing, I do this for a living( not set budgets) but loan according to debt to income ratios. so you need to let me know what other bills you have.I would love to help, Email me.
71900
there are laws protecting you to a point. The bank wants their money and they would rather you pay the entire load and not go into bankruptcy. So talk to them, ask them if you can add small payment onto the load.\n\nSeek advice from an accountant/lawyer.
32657
What you should do is talk to them and explain your situation... Also I would look into going through a debt consolidator... That is what I do... and I was in your situation and now all I have left is less than a year and I am debt free!!!! I had to go to court for one of my bills... and when I did that the person said that they couldnt take money I didnt have, so they worked with me so I am paying a very low payment... SO your best solution is to talk to all of them... They may be able to help you out...
84476
It depends on how your 'Community Property' laws in your state work.\nYou might want to retain a financial lawyer, or at least hunt around for a decent one experienced with financial matters.\nI would suggest you keep your finances separate, too. Stuff only in your name and such.\nOn a side note...even if it is illegal, creditors will say anything and everything to get money out of you. \nIf they've already discharged the bankruptcy, creditors cannot bother you anymore unless you fail to pay on agreed terms setup in the bankruptcy. We only had a couple of issues with creditors, but, as soon as you say it was discharged and give them the doc-number,they'll usually leave you alone.
317650
Please, you need to hear this...\n\nSTUPID!!!\n\nYou filed for bankruptcy, and it taught you nothing?  You STILL bought things with money you did not have?  Learn from this, I beg you.  Learn what happens when you decide that you have to have something NOW, instead of waiting until you have the money to pay for it.\n\nHere is what I would recommend:\n1) Talk with a Debt Counselor.  This is usually a free service offered by the state.\n2) You may need to declare bankruptcy again, but only as a last resort.  A better option is to find a credit card that offers a high-amount balance transfer with 0% interest for the life of the transfer.  Transfer your highest interest rate to that card.  Then, pay the minimum on that while you pay the max on the next-highest interest card.  That will save you money over time.\n3) Once you find some way to pay off a credit card, cancel it, cut it up, and burn the pieces!  Make sure you do not fall into this pit again.\n4) A house and a car are the only things you should EVER buy that cost more than you have in the bank.  Do not fall victim to the sweet sounds of "buy now, pay later."\n5) Understand that the amount of ~things~ you have does not equal the amount of success you have in life, importance, or friends.\n\n6) Lastly, LEARN from this!  Do NOT take credit card offers that seem too good to be true.  Have one card.  If you approach the limit, you spent too much on it!  Simple.
585795
Machelle,\n\nI don't want you to take this the wrong way, but honey, you need to slow your roll.\n\nWatch your actions, they become habit.\nWatch your habits, they become character.\nWatch your character, it becomes destiny.\n\nYou filed for bankruptcy for a reason.  \n\nStop living beyond your means.  You didn't luck up on a car where you owe $10,000 MORE than the trade in value.  $567 a month is rent on a one-bedroom aparment in the South!\n\nThere is nothing shameful about leaving below your means.\n\nRefinancing is not an option in your situation.  You are upside down.  Why would a finance company want to pay your loan off at $23,500 when the value of the car is $10,000 less than the loan?  The collateral is inadequate.\n\nIf you don't pay the refinancer, they have a net loss of $10,000 when they repossess your car from your work place parking lot..\n\nI think you need to return the car to the dealer, take the hit on your credit report, and start riding the bus.  I can NOT believe that you filed for bankruptcy and thought it was cool to pay $567 for a gas-guzzling SUV after you discharged your debts..\n\nYou got the bruise, but didn't learn the lesson.\n\nYour credit is an extension of your character and it is time that you take inventory of your character.\n\nYou are NOT your car.  Who are you flossing for?\n\nGet a used Honda hooptie and make life easier for yourself.
363669
PRO\n\ncollection agencies and lawyers can't contact you anymore - no more annoying calls, calls at work, garnished wages, etc.\n\nyou get a fresh start and can start building good credit right away, right after the bankruptcy is done\n\nyou can avoid repossessions of car, property, etc.\n\nmore businesses are being understanding now of people who have declared bankruptcy, and are more willing than in the past to give credit to you.  It will start small of course, but you can probably still get a car loan, even a low-limit credit card.\n\nCON\n\nlooks bad on your credit report - which can affect not only getting credit/loans, but also getting a home loan, getting an apartment, getting a job, etc.  \n\nstays on your credit report for at least 7 years\n\nit's harder to do now than it used to be, because laws have been passed to try to keep people from declaring bankruptcy - now they might make you pay some of it back, they make you take classes and try credit counseling first, etc.\n\nit costs at least 800 bucks for the lawyer/legal fees\n\nany loan you get will have very high interest rates\n\n\n\np.s. One more thing I forgot - be VERY careful with "debt management" services.  The ones that don't charge a fee like cccs (see answer below) are okay, but the ones that advertise online or on TV - some of these are scams, or end up taking a lot of your money, or your house.  Shop around, ask the better business bureau who the good ones are if you decide to call a company for help in debt management.
535503
you won't be able to file for bankruptcy it's much harder to do now than it was before. you can thank people like you who didn't have to file but did anyway. it doesn't matter if it's medical or mechanical they want their money and it looks bad on you. First off realize that you won't be able to get a house in the next few years, be realistic.  Call all of those agencies that you owe and ask to settle they usually settle for less than what is owed to them. Then on your other accounts start paying off the ones with the lowest balance first then the high balance ones. Well good luck and I wish you the best. Don't' try those credit counseling agencies, they are funded by credit card companies to get their money back so they are worthless to people like you who are in debt.
483438
When you find out be sure to tell me!\n\nBut seriously the only "free" way to get out of debt would be to file bankruptcy and even that's not free.  You have to obtain a lawyer and depending on what kind of bankruptcy you're eligible to file you may still have to pay a small payment each moth depending on the amount of debt you've incurred.
96866
try getting a job and stay out of debt
85140
Please check the links I have listed below. They will help you sooooooo much on your journey to reestablish credit. There is a listing for bankruptcy friendly creditors as well as a fantastic group of ppl that have been in your shoes to help you with each step of the way.\nFirst I recommend you get copies of your credit reports and check them over for accuracy. You want to have a good idea of what's on your reports since bankruptcy so you know where to go from here. Good Luck!
222155
When you have debtors calling you be polite, don't agree with any payment amount. Next write the collectors a letter of cease and desist send it signed register receipt. This will give you barging power, they will have turn your original bill back to whom ever, wait and see what happens. If they turn it over to a attorney, send them a letter of cease and desist, if they sue you the original debtor will realize you have no money and most likely write it off as noncollectable, but you have to realize this will go on your credit report, but roll off in 7 years. To find a copy of the cease and desist letter you can go to the library. And no I don't want to kick your butt it sounds like you have done enough of it already.
170666
As far as the credit cards go, I feel for you, I'm in the same boat.  I called all my cards last week and had one card drop the APR by 2% and another card drop the APR by 8%.  First step is to call all your credit cards and see who will drop those interest rates some.  This will lower your minimum monthly payments a little.\n\nLook for some really part-time jobs that are close to your house, one-two day a week jobs.  This is good for a little extra cash and doesn't take a lot of time.\n\nHold yard sales every weekend in the spring and summer.  If you don't have a lot of your own to sell, hit other yard sales for really good deals or hit the salvation army and goodwill for really cheap items that you might be able to mark up a bit.  \n\nIf you have clothing or some old books, used cellphones or friends with used cellphones that they will give you...list them on ebay for extra cash.\n\nTry babysitting or running errands for people.  See about doing laundry or going grocery shopping for an elderly person.\n\nGet creative and if you need to...check into consumer credit counseling.  They can help you cut your monthly payment and stop interest from building and sometimes get rid of most of the interst you owe.  If you choose this option, you won't have any credit cards to use anymore and it will affect your credit score but it isn't bankruptcy and as soon as you are paid in full you can begin rebuilding your credit again.  IF you are behind or have some late or missed payments on your credit report or collection accounts...look into consumer credit counselling.  If you are still making your payments you may want to wait a while to see if you can get back on track yourself.\n\nGood Luck~
389483
Well, collections go off your record in 7 years and bankruptcy will stay on for 10 and from what I hear the rules on BK have changed and they will try and make you pay it back.\n\nAnd, $18,000 debt seems like a lot to you but actually it's what an average car costs so you will be able to pay that someday.  In the future you will regret the damage it will do and the suffering you will endure for claiming BK for such a small amount.  I claimed for $40,000, 3 years ago and still regret it!\n\nYou are not going to be making $8 an hour forever.  Don't throw up your hands and quit just yet.  Pick two cards and make minimum payments to keep them in good standing and go to contact your utility companies to see if there is a way to get discount rates for low income.  Then good grief... Go find a better paying job!  You must have some skills, if not then go to one of those trade schools to learn how to keep books for someone.  Those schools have financial aid departments and will help you get scholarships and grants.\n\nOh, I see you asked a question about California.  If you are in CA then there are a lot of programs to help you get your bills down.  Hopefully you have already registered with the housing office to get on the waiting list for Section 8.  If not, do that on Monday.  There are also programs with most cities to help low income families and especially those that have just moved to the area  And $8 in CA?  There are a lot more opportunities to be making more here.  You need to go to a Apple One or some other temp or temp-to-hire agency and let them find you a job.  Do that on Monday too!  Go to the Salvation Army and see if they can help you out too.  Take the bus if you have to.
82205
1. Consider yourself blessed. If your bosses would just pick up and close shop the way they did, did you really want to be loyal to a place like that.\n\n2. Call unemployment and file as quickly as possible.\n\n3. Did you have a 401k plan? If so, you may be able to    \n   withdraw against it (There are tax and early withdrawal \n   penalties involved) But if you need the money,   \n   sometimes you do what you gotta do.\n\n4. Call all utilities and get on their budget plan. This \n   will begin to help you formulate a budget if don't  \n   already have one. And you'll know what your basic bills \n   wlll be each month.\n\n5. Write a letter to all your creditors telling them you  \n   will be making lower payment amounts because your income \n   situation has changed.\n\n6. Update your resume.\n\n7. Ask any and everybody, do they know of any place hiring.\n\n8. Surf the net for possible leads.\n\n9. Post your resume to a job search site like Monster dot \n   com.\n\n10.Volunteer somewhere doing something.  Sometimes you can \n   find the answer to your problems by helping someone else \n   with theirs. And who knows this may be where you get  \n   your best leads from. \n\n11.Exercise. If you don't already, start a routine that \n   will help you reduce stress.\n\n12. Finally, is there a dream in your life you haven't \n    reached for? Maybe now is the time to do what you were \n    sent here to do. When you are reaching for something  \n    you have always wanted, you'll encouter stumbling  \n    blocks but you'll never fail. Self employment might be \n    calling your name. You have 30 years of service, you \n    can't tell me you don't have the background to succeed \n    at whatever you want to do.\n\nI wish you Godspeed and the best of luck.
671856
Go to one of these and your credit is done.  It will be the same as filing for bankruptcy when it comes to buying a home.  They can get your debt reduced, but this is how they do it.  First they tell you to stop paying your payments (there goes your credit), then when you are about 3 months behind they contact your creditors and make a deal to take less.  If you send them the money sometimes it doesn't get paid anyway.  IF you use one, be very careful.  You should just pay your debt for yourself.  A good book to read that will help you get out of debt is "Total Money Makeover" by Dave Ramsey.