Mar
16
I have finally updated the Debt-O-Meter to reflect where I am as of today. I’ve done pretty well but not as well I would have liked. Over the course of the past months I must admit I used my credit cards twice to pay for trips to visit my daughter out of state. Do I regret that….absolutely not. By the end of April, I should be very close to having paid of nearly 10K in credit card debt, which is realistically about where I expected to be. Over the next 12 months, I am going to be making a very significant effort to pay down the debt as quickly as possible, while doing things like saving for retirement and building an emergency fund. Nearly all of my debt is at 0% interest so it doesn’t make much sense to me to divert money I would otherwise use for retirement or an emergency fund to paying off 0% credit card debt. Thoughts?
Feb
25
I’ve been meaning to put up this post for weeks now, so my apologies for giving people a late start. A few weeks ago I was contacted by the nice folks at Mint.com–a site which I highly recommend if you don’t like Quicken or Money–about a contest they are running which I know will be of interest to many of my readers.
The specifics of the contest can be found here, but the gist is that Mint.com will select the best video/best text submission from folks who detail their holiday overspending. The winner will get their credit card bills as of December 31st, 2007 (up to 5K) paid in full. The best part is that you DON’T have to be a user of Min in order to enter or win the contest. Since a majority of folks who answered my weekly poll used credit cards to pay for their holiday spending, surely there should be some entries coming from my readers.
The deadline for submitting an entry is March 15th so there is still plenty of time to try and win. In addition to winning the 5K, you will also get free, personalized credit counseling. It costs nothing to enter so I think I too will give it a try. I wonder if my holiday overspending from years past, which I am probably still paying for still qualifies for the contest 
Feb
24
Over the past few months I haven’t been nearly as enthusiastic about or inspired by my blog. This has been reflected in the lack of regular posting and somewhat more practical, dry posts. So I’ve been trying to revisit what initially inspired me to blog about my debt, particularly Tricia’s Blogging Away Debt.
In retrospect, my desire to blog came from my desire to feel a little bit better about my own situation. I hoped to find others in the same situation and try and gain some strength from knowing that it is possible to dig your way out of tremendous debt. In the months leading up to the start of my blog I felt very alone, having just gone through a divorce, struggling with bipolar and having to face a seemingly insurmountable amount of debt. For me the blog was a way to anonymously connect with others, at least that is what I had hoped.
I think I have strayed from my mission a bit. While I have had some very useful posts over the course of the past 6 months or so, there have been many posts that are more of a play-by-play of my daily struggles with creditors, particularly AMEX. To those readers who have found some of my advice and resources useful for your own situations, I thank you for that. I feel that I have become somewhat disconnected with my readers, however.
When I started reading other personal finance and debt blogs, one of the things I remember thinking was that the good ones had a nice conversational tone with the readers. These blogs give practical advice on some days, emotional reactions on others and reported the simple ‘meat & potatoes’ of life on others. This is exactly what drew me to these blogs in the first place.
Somewhere along the way, probably shortly after getting a lawyer involved to handle the AMEX negotiations, the tones of my posts became somewhat bitter, dry in tone, and in some cases simply a restatement of the facts, leaving nothing for my readers to actually connect with. I recognize this and for the few people who left me feedback on this, I’m here to tell you I hear you.
Being in debt isn’t fun and frankly blogging about the debt–at least specifically–ALL the time isn’t much fun either. I think again, this is why I haven’t been posting regularly to the blog. It simply hasn’t been fun.
Well, going forward I plan to take on a much more conversational tone with the readers. I won’t constantly offer up ways to negotiate with creditors, ask for payment plans or report on what I’m trying to offer AMEX in terms of a debt settlement. What I will do is tell you more about the day to day life or someone living in debt. What is it like to date while in debt? Save for retirement while in debt? Save my daughter’s college while in debt? What does debt do to me emotionally?
CALL TO READERS: What topics would you like to hear more about? Please make your suggestions by commenting here or contacting me through my feedback form. I really want some solid user input.
Feb
8
As I mentioned in an earlier post, the lawyer that had been handling my account was dropped my from legal plan and the case was closed. I decided not to go find another attorney and try and tackle things on my own; I will find an attorney again if I feel it is necessary.
In the meantime, I came across a site that I have found very useful for things ranging from disputing info on your credit report, negotiating with creditors and collection agencies and getting negative items removed from your credit report. The site is called CreditInfoCenter.com.
I should caution that why this site does have some useful information, it should not be construed as legal advice. If you find yourself in a debt situation that is very complicated you should probably try and find an attorney or consult with an accredited Consumer Credit Counseling organization. That said, if you are unable to afford an attorney this site provides some good self-help tools and letters.
Feb
6
I received an email from a reader who finds himself in the same situation with American Express as I found myself in several months ago. I had significant balances with American Express which I knew I wouldn’t be able to keep up with given they were charging me 30% interest each month. Like this loyal reader, I too tried to get American Express to work with me on a reasonable payment plan with reasonable interest. As I mentioned in prior posts about my negotiations with American Express, you cannot reason with the unreasonable.
I had three accounts that were officially charged-off by American Express in 2007:
- AMEX Blue ~12K Balance
- AMEX Gold ~8.7K Balance
- AMEX Green ~1.8K Balance
In early December, the negotiations with the collection agencies that had been handling the AMEX accounts had stopped. The lawyer that I had been using–a member of my group legal plan–was dropped from the plan and my case was closed. Since then I have continued to receive phone calls–albeit less frequently–and numerous letters from the collection agency than is handling the AMEX Gold and AMEX Green accounts. The AMEX Blue account actually went back to AMEX.
In mid January, I received an offer from American Express to settle the balance on the Blue Account for 55% of the original balance. The offer came with several important caveats:
- Should I ever apply for an personal AMEX card again, any amount that was ‘forgiven’ would have to be repaid for the application to be considered
- Should I ever apply for an corporate AMEX card again, any amount that was ‘forgiven’ would have to be repaid for the application to be considered
From my perspective the only possible problem would be getting an AMEX corporate card. I currently have one with my current employer, an employer which I frankly don’t see myself leaving anytime soon. That said, there is always the possibility I’d need to take another job and apply for an AMEX corporate card. There are other corporate card providers, but AMEX seems to dominate that marketplace.
The other problem, quite frankly is that I don’t have $6,500 sitting around to send to AMEX, so a lump sum debt settlement isn’t in the cards. From my perspective, I’m left with the following options:
1) Repay everything in full over time, with payments that fit my budget. The accounts have already charged off so frankly AMEX would be happy to collect something each month on these account. Should I decide to head down this route, I will ask that upon payment in full, AMEX remove the charge-off entry from my credit report. The removal of the charge-off would likely be a deal breaker for me in this scenario, particularly given how inflexible they have been to date.
2) Settle for an amount less that the amount owed. Again, I would ask that the charge-off entry be removed from my credit report. If they didn’t agree to this, I’d ask that the charge-off be reported as ‘Paid In Full’ when settled for a smaller amount. This is probably the more likely scenario and until confronted with having to repay any forgiven amount, I’d just be done with AMEX and never do business with them again from a personal perspective.
3) Do nothing. Given the accounts are already listed as charged-off, my credit score has likely taken a big hit already. In the State of Washington, the statute of limitations for creditors to pursue collection is 3 years. After that, they cannot come after you BUT the negative credit information will remain for a total of 7 years. This is an undesirable choice because the creditors could sue me, something that is feasible given the amount of the debt. I don’t recommend folks take this approach.
Ethically I would like to try Option #1 and given my tight budget, this may be the only possibility for now. That said, if I could get the charge-off entry removed using Option #2, I would figure out a way to make this happen. I’m willing to take a calculated risk that the next time I would need to apply for an AMEX Corporate Card, I will be in a financial position that would allow me to simply repay anything that was ‘forgiven’.
I’ll keep everyone posted as I determine the best course of action. Now that the account has charged-off, AMEX does indeed seem a lot more willing to work with me to get things resolved. Of course, of monumental importance to me, will be getting those charge-offs removed from my credit report. Charge-offs are about the worst mark, with the potential exception being bankruptcy, that you can have, particularly if the charge-offs are recent.
Feb
5
I’ve gotten a few emails over the past few months from loyal readers who were asking “Now that you are in all this debt, what is your credit score?” Well, my answer, at least for now is I don’t know and I don’t care, at least for now. At first blush this might seem like a somewhat reckless answer, but it frankly is the truth. Clearly–given my current level of debt–I will not be applying for a credit card anytime soon. I have two cards with $1000 limits that currently have a zero balance that I can use in the case of emergencies. Given I sold my car and have no plans in the near future to buy another one, I will not be applying for a car loan anytime soon. The only potential snag I may run into is if and when I decide to move out of my current apartment (something I am seriously considering). Luckily I have a well paying, stable job with one of the most stable and well-respected companies in the area, so I should be able to convince a potential landlord that I can pay my rent, particularly if that rent is less than what I am paying today.
In the meantime, I am doing all the things that should, in theory, improve my credit score, albeit over time. I am paying down my debts, most of which are at 0% interest as quickly as I can at the moment; yes I’m working to provide an accurate update on the Debt-O-Meter. I’m not taking on any additional debts or loans at the moment and I’m making sure that my payments are being made on-time.
Admittedly there is also a psychological element to not checking my credit score right now. Yes, I know my credit sucks. Yes, I know my credit score sucks. Pulling my score quite frankly would make me feel worse about everything that I have done over the past few years financially. I would much rather wait until some time has passed and my accounts are re-aged (something many creditors have agreed to do) and I have paid down a good chunk of debt; my credit score should be higher at the end of 2008.
That said, I will be checking my credit reports, now that things are settling down in terms of accounts being sent to collection and then back to the original creditor. In fact, I will have a lengthy update with regard to the AMEX situation as things have changed significantly on that front. Everyone is entitled to check their credit report for free, once per year. You can go to AnnualCreditReport.com to request your free copy of your TransUnion, Equifax and Experian credit reports. You can order and view your report online or you order your reports by mail. Mail requests typically take several weeks for processing and mail time. Each year I have compared all three reports I have found errors or inconsistencies between the different bureaus so it makes sense to check all three.
Stay tuned for a Debt-O-Meter update as well as an update on AMEX.
Feb
1
Last week, I was contacted by a documentary photographer named Kelly Shimoda asked if I were willing to post some information about an upcoming project she is working on related to debt. I agreed and without further ado, here is some more detail in Kelly’s own words:
I am a documentary photographer and am doing a project on debt in this country to try to shed light on the difficulties of living on today’s working and middle class salaries - as well as to shed light on some of the problems with the credit card/lending industry. I am looking to connect with middle class people and families who find it difficult to live without debt - whether they need the help of credit cards or whether they are in debt from medical bills, paying for school, etc.
I know from personal experience that debt isn’t always something you want to share with the world so anyone who participates in the project can remain anonymous. I am very sensitive to the privacy concerns that people may have when they talk to me about their debt situations. In fact, my idea is to photograph things that represent people’s debt - but not necessarily the people themselves (e.g. groceries, cars, medical bills, school loans, clothes, etc… anything you have gone into debt to pay for).As I am based in New York City, I am particularly looking to meet people in the NYC metro area; although I’d love to hear from you wherever you are. If you would like to see more of my work to get an idea of my style, you can look at my website: www.kellyshimoda.com If you think you might be interested in participating - or just hearing more about the project - please email me at: debtphotoproject “at” gmail “dot” com Thanks very much!
Given Kelly’s idea to focus more on the things that represent their debt, i.e. the purchases made on maxed out credit cards, I hope many of you in the NYC area will participate. I plan on telling Kelly I’m willing to participate, but given my location on the left coast, this may make things difficult.
Jan
28
First off, thanks to everyone who has been checking in, anxiously awaiting an update. I sincerely appreciate your loyalty to the blog, particularly your encouraging comments. The loyal readers of this blog are what keep me motivated to continue telling my story.
So as most folks are aware, in early December I made one of the more dramatic lifestyle changes I’ve made thus far: I got rid of my car. I described my motivation in detail in an earlier post, but I will summarize here:
- Reduce Expenses
- Reduce Expenses
- Reduce Expenses
- Do my part for the environment
During the first 45 days, I have done pretty well at reducing expenses as a result of turning in my leased car. I estimated that I was spending between $180-$225 on gas each month, so I realized an immediate savings once the car was gone. In addition, I am saving about $95 per month for auto insurance, which again was an immediate savings. Conversely, because the car was leased I still own Honda Finance 5 more months of payments. As such, I won’t see the stellar savings until the summer, when gas in my humble opinion is likely to reach $4/gallon.
So, how is life without a car you ask? I’ve found that living without a car in a city like Seattle–which has good but not great public transportation–is quite easy to do and frankly fairly enjoyable. Other than the obvious expense reduction there have been a number of noticeable things that have come about as a result of living car-free:
1) I Get More Exercise
I walk a lot of places now that I don’t have a car. My neighborhood, according to Walkscore.com (and I agree) is fairly walkable, meaning banks, grocery stores, drugstores, public transportation etc., is all within a reasonable walking distance. I read somewhere that in order to lose weight, in addition to regular aerobic exercise, you should take at least 10K steps per day. With all the walking I do at work, on the way to work and on the way to the bus each day, I’m hitting nearly 13K steps per day, which makes me happy.
2) Other Expenses are Down
One thing I have noticed since having to rely on public transportation or the occasional Flexcar is that I spend significantly less money on things like groceries and household items. The reason is quite simple: I can only buy what I carry, so I only buy what I NEED. I think walking to your local grocery store, if practical, will cause you to be a lot more deliberate about your purchases and I will guarantee that you will see the savings in your wallet.
3) Less Stressed and More Focused At Work
Traffic here in Seattle is absolutely horrible, particularly the route I was forced to take each day to work. I found that by the time I dealt with traffic, drivers who didn’t know how to merge and–incredibly given I live in Seattle–how to drive properly in the rain, I was very stressed out and angry by the time I got to work. It would often take me an hour or so to cool down and be able to focus on the events of the day (also quite stressful). Now I find myself able to read, listen to my iPod or simply zone out on the way to work. I have about a 10 minute walk from the bus stop to my office, and by the time I arrive I am nice and relaxed and ready to focus.
Some of you might be wondering–and I thought about this myself–if I will ever own a car again. The answer to that question is yes. For the time being and for the foreseeable future I will live without one. That said, when I do buy another car, it will be something much more practical, fuel efficient and affordable.
Dec
22
I apologize for disappearing the past few days. I have a bunch of family in town and trying to blog with a little one running around is proving very difficult, if not impossible. So, I’ll be honest with myself and say that I will be back to the blog on December 26th, once all the family visitors have departed.
In the meantime, I wish you and yours a very healthy, happy and safe Christmas holiday. 2008 is right around the corner!
Dec
17
As I announced last week, I am officially living car free loving every moment of it. Living without a car is a major lifestyle change and may or may not fit with your particular lifestyle, family situation or living situation. There were a few key considerations for me, all of which pointed in the direction of living without a car.
Public Transportation to Work
First and foremost, I needed to have reliable and accessible public transportation to work. Luckily I have several bus lines literally steps from my apartment, two of which connect to a bus that takes me directly to my place of employment; the other provide connections that could also get me to work in a jam.
So, from a work perspective, living without a car was an absolute possibility.
Access to Car Sharing and Other Alternatives
Although the ultimate goal is to live without a car, I knew there would be those occasions where I would absolutely need a car. Family visits, emergency trips to the veterinarian, doctor visits to areas not served by public transport would all require access to a car. To solve that problem, I decided I would use a combination of car sharing and rental cars as these situations come up.
Luckily Seattle has a very extensive car sharing network through Flexcar, several of which are within walking distance of my apartment. In addition, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, which offers 50% of weekend rentals, has several locations nearby; they even pick you up.
Access to Parks, Grocery Stores, Restaurants, Banks Etc.
Fortunately, I live in a neighborhood that is very walkable in that most of what I need in terms of services is within walking distance of my apartment. If you are curious about the ‘walkability‘ of the neighborhood you live in, you can check out Walkscore.com. It is a great site and I used my own walk score to determine whether or not I could live without a car. My neighborhood scored an 85 out of 100, which according to Walkscore’s scoring definitions, indicates I could absolutely live without a car; I would agree with their assessment.
These aren’t the only considerations when contemplating a life without a car but they were the most important factors in my decision to go car-free, other than the obvious savings each month.
Regardless of whether or not living without a car is the right choice for you, I would encourage everyone to make better use of public transportation. Since using the bus as my primary transport, I have found myself to be A LOT less stressed out and my days are clearly more structured.
