Is it normal....?

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Is it normal....?
5
Wed, 01-14-2009 - 7:50pm

For things to get worse before they get better? Back in November we realized that we were headed for serious trouble and we needed to make some changes. Due to past mistakes our CC interest rates are through the roof, our HELOC was suspended because we had a 30 day late payment (which I'm not even sure was a full 30 days late, but I need to go back and check my records), and our Citibank card cut our available credit in half. We have no savings and due to a stupid mistake a few weeks ago we were slammed with 8 overdraft charges. We have about $30 to last us until DH gets paid again on the 23rd. We have enough groceries, except for milk and a couple of other items, nothing major.

Since we've been trying to turn things around it seems like we're constantly juggling just to get by. I keep thinking things will get better soon, but it hasn't happened yet. It just feels like we're struggling more and more. I don't know how we'll turn things around when we're barely making it with the minimums now. It's just so frustrating to be working so hard at it and seeing no progress.

Is this normal?


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iVillage Member
Registered: 09-22-1999
Wed, 01-14-2009 - 8:01pm

Hi, Fire Bug,


I'm going to say it probably is normal, just not desireable.

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-10-2003
Wed, 01-14-2009 - 8:19pm
This might sound sort of strange BUT
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-05-2006
Thu, 01-15-2009 - 9:00am
Every month I have those weeks where I feel like nothing is going to get better. This same thing happened to me back on October. We were doing so well, I had sent out a bunch of bills and was really happy that I had finally been able to pay them. We had my 1 year olds 1st birthday party and I thought I had budgeted everything out. Well - it turns out that I hadn't done the math right and I checked my bank balance after buying the helium tank and a bunch of decorations for the party and I had a negative 200 dollar balance. I had bounced 7 checks. I cried, I called the bank, I was just devestated. That put us back so far. We struggled that whole month and got behind on our mortgage and I was just so mad! Mad at the bank for their practice of taking the largest item out first and then bouncing all the little things, mad at myself for not being more careful. It was a horrible month. We don't have credit cards so we rely on our cash. We had nothing for food that week. I live week by week. Some weeks are great and everything goes my way and other weeks are not. I really hope that things get better for you. I think these bad weeks just reinforce to us that we have to be extra diligent.

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-07-2003
Thu, 01-15-2009 - 10:08am

Yes.

Teresa
http://www.affordingpickles.blogspot.com

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-02-2008
Thu, 01-15-2009 - 10:46am

Think of it this way (this is the way I try to see things) if you didn't have the grip you have on your finances like you do (be it as dismal as you may THINK it is) it would be 10x worse.


If I hadn't gotten a grip on my c/c issues when I did in July I would be SO much worse now in January. I started when I did and I had a lot of stumbles along the way. It's frustrating. Exhausting. Discouraging.


BUT, each time you mess up and get an overdraft or realize a bill is late is one time that you learn a lesson to make every effort to not let that happen again. Betcha next b-day party you plan plan plan and budget budget budget. Life happens. We aren't perfect people. If it was that easy to get out of debt this board wouldn't exist.


Chin up. Start over and be proud of where you are. You are doing great.