Comments on: a broken furnance, credit card debt, what to do, and and being “lucky”

By: Zipdodah

Zipdodah — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 03:47:52 +0000

Hey girlfriend, you know I have a lot to say about this shOOt…..and there isn’t enough gigs for me to say my piece. However, I love this guy, and he is out there for the consumer, and has a lot of good advice, so just sayin’….ya don’t have to luv him, or his annoying voice, but we have received some awesome financial advice and tips…..so maybe you can pass this along….http://clarkhoward.com/
see you next week with some foodies for your family while you are in recovery……..always got your back…and front….xxxooo z

By: WackyMommy

WackyMommy — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 04:36:25 +0000

Vixen, you know how much love i send out to you guys in my prayers all the time. It sucks, what you’ve had to deal with. It just totally, completely sucks and is ridiculously unfair. Thank God y’all have each other, and that we have each other. love, me

By: Vixen

Vixen — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 03:52:17 +0000

Well I think you know where I fall in there somewhere. I haven’t had a credit card since the great Vixen Family Credit Card fiasco of 98. Which resulted in a BK that took care of us ever getting another card. Which is good. Unfortunately, even though after that we rebuilt (stronger, better, not) we did get a car loan. Even more unfortunate is that since then we have lost our bank acct (closed for reasons I’d rather not go into, but I know you all will guess) for over a year, have no reliable income at all (I still have volunteered at the Neuter Scooter, all I have is free time), have had to beg for money to eat, live in a home by the grace of someone who “dates” someone I am related to and have had to CRY hysterically with a hospital two hours after being released from spinal surgery for them to allow me to make payments on my $1000 portion of Medi-Cal due, because if they didn’t mark it paid I could not pick up my PAIN PILLS. For spine surgery.

I worked since I was 16 part time and since 18 full time, even while raising three kids. Hubs has worked full time since he dropped out in 10th grade. All that time we supported society, paid bills and paid taxes. I never, never thought I would say I deserve something from someone else, but after the last 10 months, I am really starting to feel like we deserve better treatment from someone. I don’t know who. But I feel it.

By: WackyMommy

WackyMommy — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 02:53:44 +0000

Jennymcb, thank you.

WackyMummy, rant away. We all need to be talking about this and do what we can.

LIB, that is the way to go with cars. We’re making two car payments right now and i’m thinking — how did this happen? Got good deals on both of them, and halfway thru paying them off, but still… Nice to start out married life in the black and not the red, good for them A & A.

By: LIB

LIB — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 01:18:12 +0000

You said it girl! I am SO THANKFUL that Chris & I have the same feeling about credit/debt–and don’t have any. When we needed a ‘new’ car earlier this year, we bought a good used car that we were able to pay cash for.

I’m thankful that Ali & Andy are of one mind about credit/debt. They will be entering their marriage with (almost*) no debt and they will keep it that way.

*Ali does have a Student Loan that’s in deferment until she gets a job.

I wish everyone in the Wacky Household a VERY HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

By: WackyMummy

WackyMummy — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 00:52:52 +0000

* Holy cow, woman, have you ever said it! This has been on my mind a lot the last few years… we have so much in common! I moved back to Canada from the US, couldn’t find work because I’m not qualified, have health problems so can’t take physical labor, etc etc etc. I now have a whole “screw ‘em” mentality about credit cards and their ilk… I totally agree with you: it’s (unnecessary) credit that’s screwing over everyone. Last year was a serious mess. We’ve been pulling ourselves out of the hole this year by our own bootstraps. Seriously, without good friends, last Christmas wouldn’t have happened. And I won’t ever forget that. I’m jaded and anxious and, if not pessimistic, then at least fatalistic about the economy and what to expect. My parents didn’t prepare me for the real world, so now I’m probably going to over-prepare my son. His one saving grace–he’s part native. You can bet I’m going to bank on that for his future… that’s going to open doors for him, and I swear to god that he’s not going to have his life predetermined by what society or the economy says he can have based on what’s temporarily available to him.

* Sorry about ranting just a bit.

By: Jennymcb

Jennymcb — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 23:18:22 +0000

I got so pissed off when the first letter came that I canceled my jcpenny mastercard. Now we are going to opt out and keep one of the cards with the current interest rate until they expire. We have had to use the cards for tuition this past September and had a balance, never again! Went the home equity route, paid everything off and refuse to use the credits card unless we have an emergency, which a furnace would qualify as. I think that the smart people like ourselves see that this is all one big game between the government and the banks, but we are choosing to opt out of using the cards. I truly feel bad for the people who have large balances, they are screwed.
So true about college, my son who is graduating realizes that jobs will be scarce and is seriously thinking about the service. My worry for him? I just want him to have a job with insurance!
Your post rings true for the middle class who I feel has become the forgotten class in this country. Christmas will be light here, we have what we need and won’t buy into more stuff equals more love.
Happy Thanksgiving and thank you for a well written post.

By: WackyMommy

WackyMommy — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 21:03:41 +0000

TOL, I wish it was just a bad dream and not reality. I kept pushing it back in my head, too. Happy big Thanksgiving to your family, in return. You know I feel just the same about you. I am going to force myself to make a list of what I’m grateful for. It will start with 1) heat 2) sunshine 3) good friends. Just read “Life as We Knew It,” by Susan Beth Pfeffer. It hits too close to home, with the desperation and hoarding.

By: The Other Laura

The Other Laura — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 20:17:28 +0000

Oh. Oh. Oh. You have done such a good job of articulating what has been lurking (like a bad dream) at the back of my mind for a good long while.
We are hanging in there, keeping the faith, trying to spread a little hope wherever we can. I’m just praying it will be enough.

I am grateful to know you and call you a friend. Happy Thanksgiving to the whole damn wacky family!