QUOTE
Hi all,
I was going to wait to share this but something tells me I need to post this for my kindred spirits who are lost and confused as I once was. Who go to bed crying every night as I once did. Who turned off the ringer on the telephone because the bill collectors keep calling, for those who wonder what the hell did I do and for those who pray, “Lord, please help me!”
2000 – we had our home built.
In 2001 I landed what I thought to be my dream job. It was all perfect and wonderful. Then 9/11 happened. Like so many things that turn our lives upside down, we were about to deal with the good and the bad. Dec 2001 I found out I was pregnant. We’d been trying hard so we were happy. However, it seemed like as soon as they said "pregnant", I got sick. Not a normal sick, the kind of sick that makes you vomit ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING you eat or drink all day and all night. I could not even look at food commercials on television. This lasted for 9 months and during that time I had an I.V. surgically implanted into my arm (called a PIC line), I had dilated 4 inches when I was 20 weeks pregnant, put on bed rest and lost my job. It was a new job remember?
My DH lost his job too. He was working for MCI so he thought he could easily get another. Problem was – he was making a lot of money at MCI and no one wanted to pay that much. He took a job paying half of what he was making because he wanted to and needed to take care of me. We had a baby on the way, a mortgage to pay, car notes, credit cards and other items.
After the baby was born and after my bought with depression, I’d finally gone back to work temping - but that pay wasn’t good either. We were afloat for a while and with prospects for a higher paying job not looking up for DH, he started his own company from home. He was earning more (but not a lot more) but we didn’t have to worry about daycare for our son. But by 2004 we’d emptied the checking, then on to the savings, then cashed out our 401k, some stocks and bonds. Towards the end, we’d stop paying other bills and was trying to hold on to the house. I remember one day the letter coming in the mail telling us when and where our home would be put up for sale. I remember crying and crying. My DH called his Dad and dad bailed us out.
Fast forward March 2005. We’re making it and holding on by the straps on our chiny chin chins. When on one Stormy Monday, the Sheriff drops by with not one but two documents by the same Attorney’s office. They are suing me in court for two accounts!! It was then that I started researching everything I could about bankruptcy. I’d had liens on my person so I talked with several attorneys who told me because we had so much equity in the house the BK courts would make us sell the house to pay off the liens if we filed jointly. I got a loan from my Mom and paid off my lien, then read everything I could on AOC and CB about filing Pro Se’. On May 20th I filed my BK. May 31st I pulled my first FICO ever. My lowest score was Equifax (the only one they ever pull in Maryland) and my score was 392. I was and felt like a failure. My DH had always told me to lien on him because his shoulders were bigger than mine. But when I got that FICO I simply could not burden him with that. This problem was mine to shoulder and I would deal with it.
When I was in my 314 meeting the trustee went over my paperwork and said to me, you don’t have anything here for entertainment or extras. Then she looked at my allotted amount for food/groceries and said, “how do you all eat”. You can’t feed a family of 3 off this. I remember having a knot in my throat and tears in my eyes. Saying to myself, she thinks we are poor.
While awaiting my discharge, I read everything I could. I read about the BK friendly creditors. I was reading about how to dispute. I read about the 1-2 punch. I read about debt validation, I read about how IIB accounts should be coded. I opted-out, I read EVERYTHING! I read over and over and over and over again. I was a newbie and I was embarrassed. For God’s sake, I’d filed BK and I was a failure. At least that was the stigmatism associated with it and with me! But as I said earlier, that was BEFORE I found CB. ….And then I started sending my letters. I used everything in that arsenal called CREDIT BOARDS. I yelled out “PRYAN, WHYCHAT, CREDIT PROS …HELP ME!!!” I would read the new posts and see people typing things like, “welcome” or “you are not alone” or my favorite, “welcome to the family”.
It hasn’t been a year since my BK7. I’ve had all of my accounts deleted except one and it is reporting IIB, only the public record is showing and it does not show on Experian. Remember when I was late on the mortgage, well all those lates were recently deleted from all 4 CRAs (Innovus included) and I now have a perfect paying history with my mortgage company. We are in the process of refinancing our home at a great rate and in the last 3 days, I’ve been approved for over $13000 (THIRTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS) in credit cards.
I’ve learned my lesson, but most importantly, I learned that I am not a failure. I honestly feel like GOD directed me to CB. I don’t think me finding this board was an “accident”.
So while I’ve come a long way, I’m not going anywhere. CBer’s gave to me when I didn’t know if I were coming or going and I plan to be here, to give back. My journey isn’t over but I’m definitely not StormyMondy anymore. I wonder if the Admins will let me change my name to Sunshyne!!!
--------------------
****************************************
Scores at time of BK7 discharge 8/05:
TU - 410
EQ - 392
EX - 408
Scores effective 6/06
TU - 685
EQ - 680
EX - 652
POST BK CREDIT
11/05 - Orchard Unsecured/$600 - Annual fee waived and $300 increase (07/06)
02/06 - WFS/Autoloan/13.9% (Converted 06/06 to NRL FCU/4.9%)
03/06 - Direct Merchants Bank/$3600 (was 2400, got auto CLI 06/06)
03/06 - Crown Jewelers/$1500
06/06 - Juniper/US Airways/$5k
06/06 - NRL FCU/$3500
06/06 - Juniper/Carnival Sea Miles/$2300
06/06 - Sam's Club/$1200
06/06 - Lowes/$1000
06/06 - JC Penney/$750
06/06 - Walmart/$500
07/06 - Home refi (from 5.65% Arm to 6.125% Fixed)
Stormy
I was going to wait to share this but something tells me I need to post this for my kindred spirits who are lost and confused as I once was. Who go to bed crying every night as I once did. Who turned off the ringer on the telephone because the bill collectors keep calling, for those who wonder what the hell did I do and for those who pray, “Lord, please help me!”
2000 – we had our home built.
In 2001 I landed what I thought to be my dream job. It was all perfect and wonderful. Then 9/11 happened. Like so many things that turn our lives upside down, we were about to deal with the good and the bad. Dec 2001 I found out I was pregnant. We’d been trying hard so we were happy. However, it seemed like as soon as they said "pregnant", I got sick. Not a normal sick, the kind of sick that makes you vomit ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING you eat or drink all day and all night. I could not even look at food commercials on television. This lasted for 9 months and during that time I had an I.V. surgically implanted into my arm (called a PIC line), I had dilated 4 inches when I was 20 weeks pregnant, put on bed rest and lost my job. It was a new job remember?
My DH lost his job too. He was working for MCI so he thought he could easily get another. Problem was – he was making a lot of money at MCI and no one wanted to pay that much. He took a job paying half of what he was making because he wanted to and needed to take care of me. We had a baby on the way, a mortgage to pay, car notes, credit cards and other items.
After the baby was born and after my bought with depression, I’d finally gone back to work temping - but that pay wasn’t good either. We were afloat for a while and with prospects for a higher paying job not looking up for DH, he started his own company from home. He was earning more (but not a lot more) but we didn’t have to worry about daycare for our son. But by 2004 we’d emptied the checking, then on to the savings, then cashed out our 401k, some stocks and bonds. Towards the end, we’d stop paying other bills and was trying to hold on to the house. I remember one day the letter coming in the mail telling us when and where our home would be put up for sale. I remember crying and crying. My DH called his Dad and dad bailed us out.
Fast forward March 2005. We’re making it and holding on by the straps on our chiny chin chins. When on one Stormy Monday, the Sheriff drops by with not one but two documents by the same Attorney’s office. They are suing me in court for two accounts!! It was then that I started researching everything I could about bankruptcy. I’d had liens on my person so I talked with several attorneys who told me because we had so much equity in the house the BK courts would make us sell the house to pay off the liens if we filed jointly. I got a loan from my Mom and paid off my lien, then read everything I could on AOC and CB about filing Pro Se’. On May 20th I filed my BK. May 31st I pulled my first FICO ever. My lowest score was Equifax (the only one they ever pull in Maryland) and my score was 392. I was and felt like a failure. My DH had always told me to lien on him because his shoulders were bigger than mine. But when I got that FICO I simply could not burden him with that. This problem was mine to shoulder and I would deal with it.
When I was in my 314 meeting the trustee went over my paperwork and said to me, you don’t have anything here for entertainment or extras. Then she looked at my allotted amount for food/groceries and said, “how do you all eat”. You can’t feed a family of 3 off this. I remember having a knot in my throat and tears in my eyes. Saying to myself, she thinks we are poor.
While awaiting my discharge, I read everything I could. I read about the BK friendly creditors. I was reading about how to dispute. I read about the 1-2 punch. I read about debt validation, I read about how IIB accounts should be coded. I opted-out, I read EVERYTHING! I read over and over and over and over again. I was a newbie and I was embarrassed. For God’s sake, I’d filed BK and I was a failure. At least that was the stigmatism associated with it and with me! But as I said earlier, that was BEFORE I found CB. ….And then I started sending my letters. I used everything in that arsenal called CREDIT BOARDS. I yelled out “PRYAN, WHYCHAT, CREDIT PROS …HELP ME!!!” I would read the new posts and see people typing things like, “welcome” or “you are not alone” or my favorite, “welcome to the family”.
It hasn’t been a year since my BK7. I’ve had all of my accounts deleted except one and it is reporting IIB, only the public record is showing and it does not show on Experian. Remember when I was late on the mortgage, well all those lates were recently deleted from all 4 CRAs (Innovus included) and I now have a perfect paying history with my mortgage company. We are in the process of refinancing our home at a great rate and in the last 3 days, I’ve been approved for over $13000 (THIRTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS) in credit cards.
I’ve learned my lesson, but most importantly, I learned that I am not a failure. I honestly feel like GOD directed me to CB. I don’t think me finding this board was an “accident”.
So while I’ve come a long way, I’m not going anywhere. CBer’s gave to me when I didn’t know if I were coming or going and I plan to be here, to give back. My journey isn’t over but I’m definitely not StormyMondy anymore. I wonder if the Admins will let me change my name to Sunshyne!!!
--------------------
****************************************
Scores at time of BK7 discharge 8/05:
TU - 410
EQ - 392
EX - 408
Scores effective 6/06
TU - 685
EQ - 680
EX - 652
POST BK CREDIT
11/05 - Orchard Unsecured/$600 - Annual fee waived and $300 increase (07/06)
02/06 - WFS/Autoloan/13.9% (Converted 06/06 to NRL FCU/4.9%)
03/06 - Direct Merchants Bank/$3600 (was 2400, got auto CLI 06/06)
03/06 - Crown Jewelers/$1500
06/06 - Juniper/US Airways/$5k
06/06 - NRL FCU/$3500
06/06 - Juniper/Carnival Sea Miles/$2300
06/06 - Sam's Club/$1200
06/06 - Lowes/$1000
06/06 - JC Penney/$75006/06 - Walmart/$500
07/06 - Home refi (from 5.65% Arm to 6.125% Fixed)
Stormy
I just started on the creditboards, I mean just in the past month. I want to be very careful before I make a move. I research a little bit as much as I can. I'm still in school, I'm a single mother of two and my three nephews live with us--so, you might as well say a single mother of five! I want a house so bad because I know more children are in my future for me to help. I'm up for that challenge, with GOD's help, of course. 
