It shouldn't be an easy decision, but it really is. Turn in the forbearance paperwork, and put off student loans. If I just don't pay student loans, they garnish wages, and can do any number of bad things to me. By not paying my credit cards, I (really) just trash my credit.
So, as I said. Responsibility or Common sense.
I have no great or immediate need for a good credit score. I don't see me wanting to buy a house any time soon, so there's no need to keep squeaky clean for mortgages. The only thing (other than my incoming calls) that might be effected by forking up my credit by paying credit cards last is my car insurance rate.
It still isn't something I want to do. I don't see me declaring bankruptcy. I can't afford to, it's not at all responsible, and honestly? It'd get rid of less than 1/5th my total debt.
Note to people out there- don't move halfway around the world, take on huge debt, then fork it up and drop out- it's forking expensive and damned near impossible to fix or pay for.
So... Right now I'm focusing on making enough to pay the rent, utilities, and pretty basic life expenses. Srsly. If I think about having to pay the rest of it, my brain tries to explode.
So I need to earn...
- $350 a month for rent
- $20 a month for internet
- $30 a month for food
- $50 a month for gas
- $40 a month for soda
- $20 a month for entertainment
- $40 a month for car insurance
- $50 a month for car fixing
So $600 will keep me fed and indoors. In an ideal world I'd also have $50 for personal random stuff, and $100 for paying back dad.
So my ideal is $750 a month. It shouldn't be this tough to find a $12,000 a year job, but somehow it is.
Anyway- I'm concentrating on surviving for now. I'll fix my credit when I can afford to, sad tho that idea is.
And you have no idea how crappy that makes me feel. Or how freeing it is.
Not sure if I am the only one that sees something odd with spending more on soda than on food per month. But people's needs vary a lot, so I'll respect that. You can really hit soda specials and get them in bulk during huge sales. Sodas are often loss-leaders and can go for extremely cheap.
ReplyDeleteNot sure if you have tried calling the credit card companies and ask them to work with you in whatever way they can. Simply letting them go to a collection is not a good idea at all, so I would look into either consolidating your credit card debt (and possibly consolidating your student loans).
But I agree, getting it all written down and acknowledged does give you a better insight, so good job on getting that done.
Have you tried looking for jobs in places that dont have any openings advertised? Maybe like local pastry shops (either by helping in the kitchen, counter, or with their website/advertisement) or libraries (same--front desk, organizing, websites). Since you are looking for such a... modest paying job, it may work for you to look in places like that. Also, non profits and not-for-profits may be a good bet.
Best of luck. Keep us posted.
The soda thing's really only shocking because I break it out, and my food budget is so small. I track every deal and sale on the stuff, but at a 2L bottle a day, it still adds up. Since it's my only real addiction, I figure I can deal with it- it's less expensive than coffee and cigarettes, or booze... I am trying to cut back, though.
ReplyDeleteas for applying at places that aren't advertising, I'm doing that. I can cover my living expenses with minimum wage, and those jobs don't usually advertise. I'd rather pay all my bills, but... it works how it works.