Owing in public

September 29, 2009Jon Brooks 2 Comments »

CreditCards3Here’s a site we really like. Blogging Away Debt autobiographically chronicles the financial trials, tribulations, and triumphs of Beks, who started out in May with $38,495.86 in debt and has since whittled that down to $21,768.53. Along the way, she has documented in consistently honest, thoughtful, and entertaining posts the situations that many Americans — carrying an average $8,329 in credit card debt alone — will relate to.

Take, for example, the False Alarm post:

Yesterday we received a call I thought we’d never get. A call from…

A COLLECTIONS AGENCY!

‘This message is for XXX, we have an urgent matter to discuss with you. We’re calling from Blankety Blank Collections, please call us immediately!’

I called my husband in a panic. ‘Honey, you’ve got something in COLLECTIONS! Can you call them the second you get home!!??’

I dialed again.

*ring*

‘Hon, don’t give them your Social Security Number!’

*ring*

‘Hon, don’t give them your credit card number!’

*ring*

‘Tell them we want something in writing or an office address!’

To which he finally said, ‘Sweetheart, I can’t call them unless you stop calling me.’

Oh. Oops.

A few minutes later, he called me back and said…

‘Same name, wrong person.’

Hey Collections folks, thanks for making not only people with who can’t pay their bills miserable but also everyone else who shares their name.

I can only hope they won’t be calling back.

And the Keeping Up With the Jones’s (High School Edition) post:

Yesterday, my husband notified me we would have guests…Then, he casually mentioned (they) were old high school buddies and this was really important to him.

On the inside, our home is nice. On the outside… well, let’s just say we usually wait until the sun has set and our guests have had a glass or two (preferably three) of Chardonnay. We can’t afford landscaping so our yard is a grouping of well-mowed weeds and raked dirt piles.

Before we went on this recovery from debt diet, we had planned to landscape our backyard and remodel our 50-year-old kitchen. Take out another loan – it would have been so easy. But now, we’re living within our means and paying off debt. It will likely be another 5 years before we can pay cash.

It’s hard to deal with the pressures of keeping up with our peers. It’s hard to not feel a little embarrassed at our less than presentable yard…

Then there’s the Sarcastic Venting post

Dear State of California College,

First off, I’d like to thank you for cashing my husband’s tuition check within 12 hours of receiving it. Who knew that was even possible? Though to be honest, I’m not quite sure why we pay two months in advance and are later reimbursed. It kinda sounds like a man I heard about… what’s his name? Ponzi?

Second, I recently received your request for an additional $150 per semester – as if the two thousand I just paid you was completely insufficient for a whopping six units… and let’s not discuss your $200 parking pass shall we? I was amused at the complete ambiguity as for the reasons why the additional funds were needed from all 30,000 or so students but I was NOT amused when I actually had to pay it. But hey, thanks for allowing me to defer this unexpected payment for three weeks. I guess that’s supposed to help me be happy about paying more and getting less? I have approximately $26 in my checking account. Clearly, I cannot spend $150 when I only have $26. Who do you think I am? The state of California?

Also, I want to thank you for delaying the receipt of my husband’s tuition funds for two months. Perhaps you are trying to help the business students perfect the art of living off ramen noodles and tuna and hone their negotiating skills with creditors?

When we called to check the status on the cash flow, you said the check was ‘in the mail’. 3 weeks have passed. Are the checks being personally delivered by a three legged dog on a skateboard? In short, in response to your request for additional funds…

The check is in the mail.

Sincerely,

The broke wife of a California college student

And the Humane Concerns Trumping Financial Concerns post:

One of my dogs passed away…He actually passed away about a month ago, I just couldn’t talk about it before now.

Financially, the smart thing would have been to keep my family a one-dog family but every time I came home and saw my remaining dog mope around the house, I knew I couldn’t leave things the way they were. When he stopped eating and whined constantly, I was reduced to tears on a daily basis.

I spent a week searching shelters but couldn’t seem to find a dog that fit our dynamic. I don’t believe in buying dogs for short term commitments and knew bringing home anything but a perfect fit would be a bad idea. I decided to stop at one more, knowing if I didn’t find the right dog, I’d simply give up.

Then I met Hutch.

I was still in the habit at crying at the sight of dogs and sat on the floor thinking I’d never find another I could love at much as my last. Hutch took one look at me, crawled into my lap, and promptly fell asleep.

Needless to say, he came home with me.

Financially, I made a mistake. A dog is a financial responsibility – even if he is replacing another. Physically and emotionally, I did what my heart (any my other dog) needed.

If you see a redhead jogging down the street with two wagging tailed dogs and a grin the size of Texas… that’s probably me.

Finally, there are the moments when all the hard work pays off:

Shhh. If I say this too loudly, I may jinx it.

OUR CREDIT CARD IS PAID OFF!!!!

And of course, sometimes a little home-team rooting in the comments section can help:

Way to go girl. Watching this transformation take place, (budgeting, biking, running, etc.) has been rather exciting. Maybe dad and I should try something like that? or maybe not.

Love you, mom

As a bonus, Beks’ predecessor on the blog, Tricia, who has already blogged her way out of debt, periodically returns with updates, reminding us that life after red ink is not all roses:

… (we received) a wonderful surprise from our health insurance company. They decided to raise our rates 28%. Oh, and the first payment with the new rate was due today. That’s an extra $115/month we have to pay – and we didn’t even get a 30 day notice. If we didn’t need (it), I would have cancelled right then and there. I understand that rates sometimes need to be increased. We’ve dealt with many companies that have raised rates recently. But giving less than 30 day’s notice is dirty in my book. We are fortunate – we had a little bit of wiggle room to be able to cover it this month. I know that there are many families that didn’t.

With everything going on, I am still very grateful. We are still credit card debt free and we are still holding our head above water. We’ll keep plugging away with increasing our emergency savings and paying off the rest of our debt, even if sometimes it feels like we are spinning our wheels. Eventually we’ll get some traction.

So if you’re in search of a model for reducing your debt or would just enjoy observing the slow-but-sure getting-out-from-under of another, you’ll find this blog of interest.

And for the next step up in under water financial blogging, check out Drowning in $166,356.75 in debt. That’s hardcore, and merits its own entry, which we’ll write up soon.