After MUCH procrastination, I finally dragged my butt over to the Consumer Credit Counseling office. It isn't as bad as I had anticipated.
It serves as a credit consolidation agency, without the fees. What I decided to do was to try and knock out my smaller debts first, and once that is taken care of, then I will try and tackle the bigger amounts. Because I have so many dependents, and because my husband isn't participating yet, I have an EXTREMELY LOW monthly payment. It will take me a year to a year and a half to knock those out, depending on how much money I am willing to add to my monthly payment. I'm going to play it safe for now and see how it goes before I add any more money. I DO have dependents...........LOL
This means that I will have to follow the very strict budget she laid out for me. No more impulse purchases unless I have the money to pay for them. No "extras." Lucky for me, I have survived on a lot less, and have plenty of experience on how to make my money stretch. It's doable.
I am praying and hoping that this will work out. I read the "fine print," and there's a clause that states that consulting a debt management agency may affect my credit positively or negatively. I hope that the former is true. For heaven's sake, I want to PAY my bills; that's got to count for something!
She also advised me to start saving for the down-payment and closing costs for a home, and to attend their home-buying workshops. Look, y'all, I am grateful for the roof that we have over our heads, but a family of five in a two-bedroom apartment......need I say more? We need more space. Prayer, faith, hope and my determination will definitely pay off.
I am SO GLAD that this school year is over!!!! We all worked SO HARD; I feel like I went to school!!! LOL
However, all three still have to go to summer school for a month; Angie needs help in several areas; Maya failed the TAKS math section (but once she takes the summer school course, she will meet the requirement); and although Nicolette passed ALL her TAKS requirements, her teacher just wants her to go because she doesn't want her sitting home by herself! LOL Another good thing about the summer school is that there is an after-school program, so I won't have to worry about them while I am at work.
In July, the girls will be shipped off to Mississippi with their Grandma (hubby's mom), and we will all drive up to Chi-Town together this August for the reunion. I need a break on so many levels; I am REALLY looking forward to this summer! LOL
We have to pay the dues for the reunion, plus pay for the rental, so the some of the money I will be saving for the house must go to that. We can do it! It's a sacrifice, but it can be done!
Well, enough about me; how y'all doin'? LOL My faithful readers, PLEASE don't hold it against me if I don't comment. I am STILL visiting y'all's journals! I will comment when I can! Love y'all!
Adrian
2 comments:
Keep up the knocking the debt down that is something that I am working on and I don't have any dependents. (giggle). Unless you want to call my dog, my rabbit and my rat dependents. I mean they cost me money. (giggle). Take care and keep your head up.
Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns,
and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable
then they? - - Matthew 6:26
http://journals.aol.com/iamtish0726/all-things-are-possible/ Hugs Tish G.
Hi Adrian! So glad you went to CCCS. I was on the program for a short while years ago. I don't think I actually stuck it out but it helped me while I was on it except they gave me a really tight budget and that did not help at all longevity wise so we didn't make it through. I hope they give you a budget that works for you. Have a great holiday weekend!! Will they take my kids too this summer? LOL> Hugs,
Lisa
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