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Old 06-22-2010, 01:14 PM
 
7,099 posts, read 27,119,671 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cl723 View Post
The debt will still be there, inspit of the vacation. I`m not advocating spending $1000 on a vacation but a few hundered dollars will not make a difference to what the op owes.
But it will make a difference. It may so small as to be hard to see, but it will make paying another bill easier. That's the way it's done. Do without so that what you do have does more and that makes paying the next thing easier too.

It isn't fun and it's often hard, but sometimes doing without just has to be done. It does seem as if Bad Luck comes in bunches, doesn't it!!

Good Luck!!!
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Old 06-22-2010, 01:36 PM
 
8,263 posts, read 12,162,113 times
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Go camping for vacation. Assuming you've already got tents your primary cost is beer.
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Old 06-22-2010, 03:08 PM
 
Location: Land of Free Johnson-Weld-2016
6,470 posts, read 16,336,737 times
Reputation: 6518
That's why I love City Data. Such great advice, and given in a really helpful way. I understand how the OP feels, that's EXACTLY how I felt when my property taxes quadrupled because of the housing boom. I'm still angry. Sometimes it does feel like you can't get ahead.

But, the other posters are right:
1. Don't cash out your 401K.
2. Try to get the CC companies to lower the interest rate - Truthfully, CC companies have been saying NO to this lately because so many people have defaulted or they lost money with their other investments.
3. Cancel your vacations - It sounds like Hotels and airfare are involved.
4. Sell your stuff - If you have old furniture, Craigslist is good and you get cash!
5. Don't Worry - I found out that lots of people are in WAY more debt that I am, and probably you too, but they just don't care! So, try to relax. You will pay off the debt someday, and if not, just consider yourself an aristocrat. Have you ever read Tolstoy?

There's a part in Anna Karenina where Stiva (Prince Oblonsky) is complaining to his friend that he needs to get a new job so he can pay all of his bills(ballerinas, champagne etc.). His friends says something like "How much do you owe?" After Stiva replies, he says "That's nothing! I owe like MILLIONS, and I still manage to live."

Anyway, I'm paraphrasing. So, best of luck to you and pls relax. I think the kids will love camping.
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Old 06-22-2010, 03:09 PM
 
9,846 posts, read 22,601,841 times
Reputation: 7738
Quote:
Originally Posted by cl723 View Post
The debt will still be there, inspit of the vacation. I`m not advocating spending $1000 on a vacation but a few hundered dollars will not make a difference to what the op owes.
Sure it does. A few hundred here, there, and all around and next thing you know your credit card is spontaneously combusting into flames.

The thread title is "Cannot take Debt ANYMORE!" which adding more debt doesn't help.

Take a vacation after you pay off some stuff and get out from under some the debt load. IRC the OP said they were short every month, so this aint gonna help.
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Old 06-22-2010, 04:10 PM
 
Location: Denver, CO
1,921 posts, read 4,759,421 times
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If you are breaking even, I suggest looking into Lending Club. I and thousands of others lend money to folks like you who have steady income but just can't get ahead because of the insane APRs of some of their cards. If the CC companies are not willing to help you since they are greedy, there are plenty of fellow Americans out there willing to do so. It's a win-win for both parties.
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Old 06-26-2010, 03:14 PM
 
Location: Land of Free Johnson-Weld-2016
6,470 posts, read 16,336,737 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Moonwalkr View Post
If you are breaking even, I suggest looking into Lending Club. I and thousands of others lend money to folks like you who have steady income but just can't get ahead because of the insane APRs of some of their cards. If the CC companies are not willing to help you since they are greedy, there are plenty of fellow Americans out there willing to do so. It's a win-win for both parties.
We do that in the caribbean, but we call it "throwing a box" It's an interest free loan. For instance I want to get solar for my house, and it costs 30K. I can find 30 other people and for 30 months we all contribute $1000.

The first month one person gets 30K, then the next person and so on.

I thought that wouldn't work in the US because it's hard to get people you can trust... No offense, if people won't even pay back the banks, why would they pay back the members of a "lending club."

On the islands I think the "shame" factor and the fact that people can harm you if you owe them money and not go to jail (justified IMO) gives more of an incentive to pay back. Also, they're usually done for smaller amounts of money like 1K to 10K.

I heard Koreans do it, too if they want to start a business. A lot of them go to church, so maybe you can trust churchmembers more. I'm not sure if this would work for the OP, unless she got some people to agree to let her be first or second or something...

I would TOTALLY love to do that in MD, but I'm not a churchgoer and I don't know enough people... But maybe if the OP knows people she can trust with money (hrumph) then she can try to do a small one for a few K and save some interest...
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