Posted by noa on July 4, 2003, at 22:03:50
In reply to Re: Spiraling into the Pit of Despair » Penny, posted by Dinah on July 4, 2003, at 21:27:06
I know. Money problems can be so anxiety provoking and depressing. Chronic stress, really.
I'm in a better place financially, now, but for many years I was a financial mess. I was in so much debt because I couldn't make ends meet so I allowed myself to be lured by credit cards. And those debts just grew and grew out of control. I stopped opening the mail (unfortunately, I still seem to hold on to this habit!).
Finally, about 6 years ago, I went to the local non-profit consumer credit counseling services and that really helped. I had to make some decisions to cut costs--like moving to a lower rent apt.--and then they arranged the repayment schedules with the credit companies, many with lower or no interest, although some did not accommodate at all. The payments were taken directly by automatic debit every month. It was a 6 year plan to pay everything off. It meant really scrimping, but because I had the program, I felt supported and structured enough to do it. As it happens, a couple of years ago, I got some money in a legal settlement, so I was able to pay it all off earlier than expected, but it would have been paid off by this year anyway.
I felt so hopeless before that but having that repayment plan gave me hope.
I know how awful financial stress can be. Is there anyone who can help get it under control?
I didn't get a handle on it until I was 40--I strongly recommend getting help soon while you are much younger than I was.
poster:noa
thread:239330
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20030704/msgs/239347.html