Finances -

[Guest guest]

, I don't know if you are aware of this or not. When you use a credit

counseling service, it goes on your credit record, and creditors will look at it

just like a bankruptcy. My DH and I tried credit counseling and found that out

the hard way. We have had money troubles since before we were married. In 2001

or so, we made a terrible mistake on our mortgage refinancing with a company

that had made promises over the phone that they did not keep at the time of

signing. We were trying to consolidate a car payment as well as get some extra

cash, plus combine a home equity with very high interest rate all into the one

payment. But they were not able to include the car payment, so when it came

time to sign, well, we had pretty much already spent that " extra cash " and

didn't feel we could back out on the loan. We knew about the 3 day window to

cancel the loan, but like I said, we felt stuck. So we really learned that

lesson the hard way.

Anyway, I got off on a ramble.

Jeanne in WI

Darlene, I finally started using one of those organizations that help you get

out of debt. Unfortunately, just as I was finishing making my payments, they

were absorbed by an other group --- but I did that bit about paying minimum on

the biggies and paying the most on the smallest and I really did dig myself out

of a very big hole. Only problem was once my mother's estate was settled, I

opened first one

and then an other visa card. I could pay both of easily but I did go

overboard. On the other hand, both vehicles are paid off --- paid cash for mine

and then got tired of dh not writing a payment for his new truck so I called and

got the pay-off balance on that,