I feel like I have used all my lifelines!

First off, are these payday loans internet or storefront loans?

Hi srow-Reading what you posted, we have all been there or are there now working hard to manage debt and gain freedom.

As Anthony posted, tell us more about your payday loans. Also, take a deep breath....one thing at a time. :)

I want to thank you guys for such compassion. I have previously posted all my loans and payments, under the name Payday trouble--I had trouble logging in so that was a guest name--but now I finally can log in alright. I just wanted to know what kind of a plan you have for "life after pay day loans" in case of a financial emergency?

Look at how much you were sending them every two weeks?? Use some of that money to put back. In my case I was spending some $300 a week keeping up with my loans, I think I can save some money so I don't get myself back into this situation.

srown, it's hard. I know exactly what you're talking about. But do you see what's happened? You considered pdl's your "lifeline". You even posted that. The only thing that can help your "mind frame" is to think back about how much money they were sucking out of you. You do not want that to happen again. Think about how scared you were once you realized how deep you were in. Think about all the money that went towards these companies that you could have been putting in the bank. Add it up. You'll be surprised at how much the "fees" add up to that you paid them that you could have actually spent or put into savings. It sucks. I know what you're saying though. If an emergency arises, what to do? Pray to God that someone will come through for you. A family member? A friend? Someone who can help you with a loan (without debiting your checking account for $1000) that you can pay them back in payments? Beg someone to help you. Believe me. I've had a friend pay my rent for me one month. I'm still paying her back. I've had my family pay some of my bills. I've still got to pay them back. But what I'm paying back is what I borrowed and no one is sucking my bank account dry. As I said above, it sucks.

Don't push all your other debts aside. I got behind on almost all my monthly bills because of the pdls I had. Now that I have found this site I have gotten rid of 4 of them and I am paying the last 3 just what I borrowed and nothing more because they are illegal.
They can harass me all they want but if I don't have the money after I pay my bills then they will have to wait till my next payday. I am not going to let these pdls rule my life anymore! Just stick in there and as you get things paid down at a payment you can afford, you will start to see that extra money and then you can start that emergency fund. I have been at this for almost 2 months and things keep getting better! Remember one thing- Don't Let Them Get To You! Take one day at a time and we are here if you need us

Thank you, stanner. You're post was wonderful. There is always hope. I have to admit, I have down moments and the "mind frame" sneaks back to pdl's. However, it takes strength to fight the urge. It takes strength not get the "quick fix". And, I'm telling everyone right now, this site is the place to find that strength. If you feel as though you're falling into the "hole of dispair", come here. Ask for help. Ask for support. Post what your feeling. There is so much support and care here that it's unbelievable. If you have a weak moment, come here. We are all together and we will all stand together to help.

It is hard. Start setting a little aside for emergencies. Even if at first it is only $5 a paycheck. Don't touch it unless it is an emergency. As you pay catch back up on your bills you can start pulling more out to go into the emergency funds. What I did was I sat down and figured my bills and my weekly expenses. I cut my expenses down to the bare minimum. I pulled out in cash for my expenses like gas and groceries and such. When I had no cash That was it. It is so easy to use your debit card and overspend. It was tight but three paychecks later I am caught up on bills, I have a little in savings, and now I can start paying off my PDLs. It is a tough road, but you have to stick to the path that you choose. PDLS are the "easy way out" but like all other "easy way outs" it ends up backfiring on you. I would rather eat peanut butter sandwiches a couple of nights than fall into the trap again.

Good plan, pyb! Too true about the debit card usage. Way to easy to overspend. I hope others read your words on how you handled your situation. And only three paychecks later you were caught up on your bills. That's doing a great job!

I totally agree I would rather eat Ramen Noodles then get another PDL....actually my cat's canned food smells pretty good, if I get hunry enough I might eat his food (LOL). Hang in there it will get better with time.

ladybug

I have had 2 full paychecks so far since closing my account and becoming a regular on this site. I was FINALLY able to catch my car payment up with the last check and this one. And for once in a long while, it felt good knowing that the $$ went to acutal bills and not PDL fees! I left myself a little allowance, take my lunch to work and cook more meals at home. We empty our spare change into a jar every day. It adds up!!

Soon we will be able to save more...if i only have a few bucks in my pocket because I paid my "real bills", then I feel totally okay with that!

volley, congratulations to you. To have two full paychecks. To be able to pay "real" bills. How awesome is that?
P.S. Going to change your avatar today? :wink:

I could not agree more. It is a wonerdful feeling to have your full paycheck. I also try to save where ever I can. Rather than buy lunch (its so expensive in NYC) I do bring it to work with me. Because I am alone , it is easy to cook dinner for myself. I harrdly ever order dinner in. It is a good feeling to have a bit of money.
I think we are all doing very well . The climb uphill is long and tiring but one step at a time we will reach the top.

Even if you eat checken for a week. :lol: I have learned to read all the ads and price match at the grocery store. I generally wind up saving quite a few $$. I also got heavy into coupons before the stores started getting stupid and not taking the ones off the computer...I have an old stein that is about three feet tall that all change goes into and we cash it in before christmas. everyone donates and we buy a family gift with it...but it is there for emergencies.

I'm going to roxy's for Christmas.............

We can all donate for the family gift.

Don't get me crying, pyb. It's never ending. If I hear the word "donate", I burst into tears!

Then don't check your messages.

You are all welcome to come. Some of you know, I grew up in a big Italian family...we always have room for more!!! :lol: Bring your appetites...my mom and husband spend days in the kitchen.

Cannr- I have a spare t-shirt if you need it!! :lol:

What do Italians serve for Christmas? It don't matter I eat anything with gusto that I don't have to cook. If I cook you would probably die from food poisoning.

I like it. A loud italian lady with a husband cooking in the kitchen. I'm all over that! :D

We usually have fish, shrimp, calamari, spaghetti and clam sauce and salad for Christmas Eve...with lots of wine and for Christmas day...OMG...we used to rent a hall to have Christmas in becuase the family is so large...all the tratiditional stuff, turkey, ham all the trimmings, ziti, manicotti, stuffed shell, italian herbed pork roast, lasagana and leftovers from Christmas eve. In our house we usually do the ham, turkey and lasagana...with all the trimmings and wine...of course

I want to spend Christmas with you. SOunds divine!!!

I wish you all could. It would mke the day even better :D I have said it before..the pople here are the kindest, most generous souls I have ever known.

I just realized we had a whole conversation about food without Volley!!! :lol:

Amen. :rose:

You know she will be along. But christmas at your house won't be the same if volley isn't there too. She already got me started this morning wanting a sundae.

I ate icecream with magis shell for lunch and finally finished that damn magic shell!! It has been calling out to me every day and I had to give in. OH..and I would never froget about Volley!! Of course she is invited too! :D

You guys are all wonderful. You truly sound like one big family. The ideas and suggestions on this post are so great. When I think that I have let ALL my bills get behind the last few months while the ACHs for PDLs were taken out of my account, I could cry. I am getting them caught up, and I am going to save some money for an emergency fund.

Don't worry scrowan, we have all been there. And yes, it was a true blessing the day I found these forums. I consider all my friends on here my family.

Don't cry, it just gives you a headache. :lol: But seriously as Jen said we have all been there and it is very depressing. It is always "if I had known then what I know now". The important thing is to learn from the past and look to the future. Getting caught up is a slow process, but one that is very rewarding when you are caught up and you are back in control. Any questions or if you need any help please post and we will be delighted to help you.

It is a very slow process, like pybasj said, and I am still recovering. I had fallen behind on my utility bills because of these loans, and I'm still catching up. It's really crazy. I know it just feels so great to have my FULL paycheck again. I had forgotten what that felt like. I don't know what I was thinking when I took out these loans, but I would rather live on the street or have my electric turn off then take out another one!

Ditto!! :lol: It is easy for us to be so open with each other becuase we have all been in the others shoes. It was not that long ago I put my first post on here and these peole have been with me every step of the way and if you need us we will be here for you too!

sr, I swear, when I figured out how much money I had paid pdl's, I went numb. And it was this sight that pointed it out to me. They listed the ones that were already paid, the ones that were overpaid, the ones that still had a principle balance on them. I was amazed at the results I got when I screamed for help. And then to find all that money was sucked out of my account. Oh, how depressing. And I probably would have let it go on forever and not know a damn thing except for the fact that I found this site. It's really, really sad how we all came to this site (because of pdl's), but I will never, ever leave now. It's actually a blessing in disguise, you might say. Everything happens for a reason. My life sucked and it brought me here. This is where I can be me. This is where I have no secrets. This is where my support group is. This is where my best friends are.

AMEN

Well said Cann, as always.

Your guys are soo right, we were experiencing financial problems,when my husbands work got slow, so we said ok lets see about a payday loan to pay the electric and ins. so I got couple of them and I have every every intention of paying those off, and I had no idea that a couple weeks later, he would be out of a job. Then my bank account got hacked by a company claiming I had owed them for a payday loan from over 4+yrs ago.... It has been and up and down rollercoaster since.
BUT finding this website was a GODsend! I found I was not alone, there were other like me in the same boat. I am still dealing with harrassing calls and when I am able I will pay them what I borrowed, (though since I found out that Payday loans were illegal in NC, I have been told not to even worry about it) but I guess I will deal with that bridge once I cross it or able to cross it.

Thanks everyone for your support... I learn something new everyday I check the site!!!!!!! :wink:

oops and one day maybe I will learn how to login too LOL!!!
sorry that was me.. aka the Paydayloanidiot.....

That's funny Cannr, I was just thinking about the same thing - How if I hadn't gotten myself into a mess with the pdl's I would never have found this site and would be really missing out on some great people. I met my best friend on this site!

:wink:

I see we are all in agreement here! Everything happens for a reason. Okay, this is the first time I'm attempting this..... Hang on......

:hug:




There we go! :D

LOVE THAT!

Here I am (waving my hands)!! Did I miss the food conversations?? :(

I have to say, I will never leave this site! You all are incredible, brave and caring...all of you! (well except for those Guests that we get ever once in awile that try to flame us)

I devote my avatar to you all today!!

Here I am (waving my hands)!! Did I miss the food conversations?? :(

I have to say, I will never leave this site! You all are incredible, brave and caring...all of you! (well except for those Guests that we get ever once in awile that try to flame us)

I devote my avatar to you all today!!

But we thought of you. and you are invited to Roxys for christmas feast.

That was awesome cannr!! I feel the same way...I may not say much on here..but I read as much as I can all day long. I feel like I know each & everyone of you personally. I'm sure I'll be having my share of screams for help as soon as the letters & phone calls start pouring in. I sent me emails, complaints & certified letters today. I got the bank account out of the negative & is at a zero balance. It should be able to close tomorrow. I'm sure when many of the payday loans are returned I'll start getting the phone calls...hope you all are ready for me!!! Love ya guys & I hope to one day be able to help & share the incredible knowledge that you have passed on to me!

I need the address to the hall for the Christmas dinner that Roxy is having for us!

8 debt care family lane
USA

awww pyb, thats sweet!
:D