NEED ADVICE NOW!!!

[smallfry]

Cut up the cards and pay at least the minimum when you get the bills in the mail. Keep a monthly log now of all the household bills with their due dates in a notebook. Check off the bills as you pay them. Stop watching those shopping channels or you will forever be a slave to debt. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

It looks like I am going to have to start a book with due dates and payments. It seems to be the only logical thing to do.

[Anonymous]

My friend is bipolar also and I know what you're going through. Knowing the right thing to do isn't always enough. Years ago when he was first diagnosed he would swing from manic to depression regularly. Honestly, he would rather be depressed. It's sad and hard to deal with but when he was manic the effects were more long term. He would spend like crazy, vacations, clothes, cars, you name it. You need to get on the right meds and get stabilized. You can have a normal life...he found it.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the advice. Unfortunately, I cannot take any meds. It seems I am in the 1% of people that have the very rare side effects. I have tried everything. I am seeing a therapist though and that does give me someone to talk to. I am happy for your friend for being able to get his life back. I am going to have some trouble doing so. I am doing the best I can and that should count for something. If you have any other advice, please feel free to post to this thread. I need all the advice I can get.

[MercyMe]

You poor dear.  We'll all do all we can to get you through this, one step at a time.  Assuming you have cable TV, of some sort,  I might suggest having someone  -- a friend or family member, or the cable company that provides the service,  block the Home Shopping Networks from your TV,  This can be done through the remote, I believe.  You don't need to know the code.  Also, you might set up online banking with bill pay and schedule payments to be made to your creditors every month.  Your creditors, as well, may have websites you can access to set up automatic recurring payments, from your bank account.  That way you'll never forget and you'll never be late.  You'll just have to make sure you have the funds in your account to cover the automatic deductions for your bills.

[Anonymous]

Good luck. I know what my friend went through before he got on the right combination of meds, it almost cost him his marriage. One thing he and his wife did was make sure everyone around him knew about the bipolar and the spending sprees. He could always find a way to spend money and the way he would justify it was unreal. But it was much harder on him when everyone knew he was not supposed to have a new expensive watch or stereo or leather jacket. Everytime he thought of buying something, he knew everyone would chastise him for it. Don't hide your disability, it's no worse than diabetes or high blood pressure. I've read up on it and it's a physical problem. Also, I agree with the other post...get a 2nd job. You're earning extra money to get you out of your problem and it gives you less shopping time. Just don't get a job at a retail store that sells anything you want. Bait shop or 7-11 might be best.

Message Edited by red on 05-05-2007 07:57 PM

[Anonymous]

Thanks to both of you for your advice. I think I will have my son lock out the channels so I won't know the code to unlock. I am unable to work because of my disability. I am trying though to find some kind of work I can do from home. I will keep seeing my doctors and talking to them about what is going on.

[Anonymous]

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susan6 wrote:
It looks like I am going to have to start a book with due dates and payments. It seems to be the only logical thing to do.

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Another possible solution:  Forget about the due dates.  Just pay your bills the day they arrive in the mail.

[Anonymous]

You may want to seek the help of consumer credit counseling if you cannot afford all of your minimum payments.

[Cory]

I couldn't seem to find the "Start a Topic" button so I'll just have to post here.

I would like some advice. I am in the process of repairing my credit back to normal, but I'm not sure where to start. I have an idea, so I think and I think my thinking is on the right track.

Anyway, my question is what would you guys do in this situation. Right now, I have nine thousand dollars in debt($9,000.00).

Right now, I'm making about $29,000.00 a year. And my debts are as follows.............

1. Four Thousand dollars (4,000.00) on one collection account that keeps reporting to the credit bureau.
2. Twenty Nine hundred ($2,900.00) which is a charge-off account. Should I pay this in full even though it's charge-off? I mean would it make any difference regarding my score?
3. Ninteen hundred dollars ($1,900.00) for a collection account that keeps reporting.
4. Four Hundred Fifty dollars ($450.00) to a collection account.
5. Three hundred Fifty dollars ($350.00) to an collection account.

And that's all of my negative debts. I am thinking about getting a personal loan from my CU for $23K to pay off these balances. $15K is for auto, and the rest will be to pay off collection accounts.

My intentions are to pay all of these accounts in full. Let me know what you think.

Thank you in advance for you help.

Cory Lee