We had so much credit card debt before our bankruptcy it wasn't even funny. It was a culmination of years of poverty and living above our means. Add in the car loan, medical bills from having so many kids, my husband being off work for awhile (getting only disability which wasn't his full pay) and then my husband had a sort of early mid-life crisis (that's how I describe it when a grown man suddenly leaves his family, opens 4 new credit cards and maxes them all out in a matter of weeks). I was so embarrassed when we finally went to the lawyer but there was no way we could do it any more. I had tried so hard for almost 10 years to pay stuff off and it was never going to happen. So much of our income went straight to pay the minimums on the credit cards that there wasn't enough left over to buy food so we used the credit cards. It was a cycle we couldn't break out of and it was making depression worse and destroying our marriage.
Bankruptcy was the best decision we ever made. We only wish we had done it three years earlier before things got so bad (and much worse with the mid-life crisis). Now we just have the 1 car which I was dead set against getting. We had been CC free for 3 years but they sent him one of those pre-approved card things. It's only a $500 limit, thankfully but I hate it. I tolerate it because it does help us build our credit back up. Our truck will be paid off in February or March and that just leaves the medical bills to pay (from Jack's birth and his shots he got at 12 months). Then we can start saving for a house. YAY!
I wasn't planning on worrying about my weight during the holidays. I love to bake so I knew I'd be stuffing my face with cookies for a full month (homemade kolackies anyone?). I've seemed to have struck a balance my body can handle to maintain my weight around 235lbs which is the smallest I've been since I had Brenna back in 2002. I think if I get down to the weight I was before I started having kids (195lbs) I'll be much happier. That's what I was all through high school and college and could still buy clothes in the misses department. Plus my knee won't hurt so much (I hope). Then I'll focus on getting down to 145lbs which is where I want to be in the long run. Still I've lost 30lbs since the summer and so far have kept it off.
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Date: 21 Nov 2011 11:43 pm (UTC)Bankruptcy was the best decision we ever made. We only wish we had done it three years earlier before things got so bad (and much worse with the mid-life crisis). Now we just have the 1 car which I was dead set against getting. We had been CC free for 3 years but they sent him one of those pre-approved card things. It's only a $500 limit, thankfully but I hate it. I tolerate it because it does help us build our credit back up. Our truck will be paid off in February or March and that just leaves the medical bills to pay (from Jack's birth and his shots he got at 12 months). Then we can start saving for a house. YAY!
I wasn't planning on worrying about my weight during the holidays. I love to bake so I knew I'd be stuffing my face with cookies for a full month (homemade kolackies anyone?). I've seemed to have struck a balance my body can handle to maintain my weight around 235lbs which is the smallest I've been since I had Brenna back in 2002. I think if I get down to the weight I was before I started having kids (195lbs) I'll be much happier. That's what I was all through high school and college and could still buy clothes in the misses department. Plus my knee won't hurt so much (I hope). Then I'll focus on getting down to 145lbs which is where I want to be in the long run. Still I've lost 30lbs since the summer and so far have kept it off.