tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2339974062095553185.post8906476981935753771..comments2023-10-12T02:44:19.333-05:00Comments on My mentally ill life: Meeting today.Carolhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13675829827137657056noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2339974062095553185.post-33611125792775647762010-01-21T23:02:23.896-06:002010-01-21T23:02:23.896-06:00Understood. My livelihood was also offshored. Nece...Understood. My livelihood was also offshored. Necessity being the mother of invention, I've avoided bankruptcy thus-far but I have little discretionary income, the vast bulk of my income being devoted to fixed costs, all debt-related. I didn't live high on the hog. Life's misfortunes - related to offshoring and bipolar disorder in the main - required taking on revolving unsecured debt in order to purchase necessities. Bankruptcy reform has made it harder for the rank-and-file to dissolve revolving debt, further limiting the options for those of us who were dealt a raw hand. Re: your DH, I would suggest that you might look into a reputable brand of e-cig - they are cheaper in the long run than purchases of the real thing and are quite effective in giving up the death cylinders. A catastrophic physical illness in the family is the last thing you need. He should give up the sugary pop habit too, but the death cylinders are a higher priority.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2339974062095553185.post-73122307168531245682010-01-21T16:04:22.449-06:002010-01-21T16:04:22.449-06:00HaHa. That'd actually be funny (the DWP askin...HaHa. That'd actually be funny (the DWP asking me to lower my standard of living)!<br /><br />Except for having cell phones, I cannot think of anywhere I could lower. All my pay goes to debt. I only buy clothes at second hand stores. We eat a lot of pasta and ramen. DH has finally agreed to come to terms with generic pop. And generic cigs. Those are really the only places we could cut back. (if he could quit either one, which is doubtful). We have fewer dogs than we did last year at this time. And Zeppy (cat) is going downhill, so we'll probably have fewer cats, too. None of the animals are up to date on their vet visits--can't afford that--but if they're sick they go. I buy flea products very cheaply online, and I don't use them nearly as often as I should. And "getting rid of" my furry family members would only happen if I would die otherwise. (in other words, not a realistic option right now).<br /><br />Basically....if I were to file bankruptcy, have all the debt wiped out except the mortgage, living on minimum wage would not be too much of a stretch.Carolhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13675829827137657056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2339974062095553185.post-47109251217723324682010-01-21T13:05:56.140-06:002010-01-21T13:05:56.140-06:00Clearly not all jobs are created equal. It has bee...Clearly not all jobs are created equal. It has been my experience since the recent deleveraging of our debt-saturated economy that an $8/hour job is more often than not the replacement for a $16/hour or $22/hour job. If the counselor suggests that you adjust to a lower standard of living in order to make their 80% quota, I'd consider walking out. Unless the clear alternative is a job waiting for systemic deleveraging at $0/hour.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2339974062095553185.post-31524651439319300442010-01-19T17:52:51.787-06:002010-01-19T17:52:51.787-06:00Yes. It is overwhelming. Yes, you should see a cou...Yes. It is overwhelming. Yes, you should see a counselor. It's like you said, when you're in it you deal with it and when you explain it to someone else it hits you. Wow. I was doing all that? Take advantage of what you can. I wish someone to work with too. I hope she can help.perphilahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17191514151838436492noreply@blogger.com