Letters to the Editor
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I was in her shoes myself
Reading her article was like seeing myself 8 years ago. I got into my own credit card mess not through overspending, but through sheer poverty- using credit cards to fill in the gaps from my shrinking commissions at a well-known big box electronics retailer. I was working as hard as ever, but earning less and less for my effort, and I had to use the cards for necessities- like food, gas, and even rent. (I am really glad that payday lenders did not yet have a toehold in my community, or else I would have been in even worse trouble.)
I managed to get a better job, but the huge debt hung around my neck like a millstone, and while my new income was steady, it was still not quite sufficient to cover my bills, and I had to play skip-the-payment to make my paycheck stretch to cover them. It finally got to be too much for me, and in exploring the possibility of bankruptcy, I found the Community Credit Counseling Service (CCCS) in my area. CCCS is a non-profit, consumer oriented service meant to help people with credit problems.
I got with them, and we set up a budget, I destroyed my credit cards, and we created a payment plan. They negotiated with my creditors, and the phone calls stopped immediately. It took me five years and tightening my belt considerably, but I paid off the debt and repaired my credit in the meantime. In fact, I was able to get a loan from my credit union at a fanstastic rate when my old car died on me.
I still have some debt, but it is within reason. I also have savings, which I did not have before, because I have a job with a realistic salary. I live within my means, and save up for stuff. While I am not yet wealthy enough to buy a home, it's actually looking like a possibility in a few years, especially with the prices dropping like they are. And while the lenders will take a much harder look at my credit picture (like they're doing with everyone today), they'll see that I have overcome a really awful problem.