Donna,

I understand exactly where you are coming from. I have been in a financial nightmare since I was laid off last Spring. Between the struggle to pay bills, keep my kids in college - they think they should quit and go to work to help out - and not lose everything to creditors, I sometimes feel like just giving up. We face a winter with no heat since I can't afford to have my old system fixed, and a very tight christmas. I can't sleep at night because that is when the night and the worries really close in on me. I pray and look for God's guidence, but so far, I haven't found any real relief.

I keep hearing about all of these government programs that are supposed to be helping displaced workers, but so far, all I can find are scams. I wish I could find a legit place to get some help. I don't want a handout, just a hand up out of this nightmare. I wish you luck. I pray that God will look after you as I pray for my children and myself.

Karen

Donna,

I pray every day for strength and guidance and for help hoping that someone will be able to help me but it seems as if that help only will come from me working. Everything was fine until my husband became sick and couldn't work. My check is not enough to cover all the bills, sometimes we don't have food to eat. Winter is almost here our gas bill usually run in the 500.00 mark, we are still paying gas bill from last winter. Things happen that we don't plan for because we think nothing would happen to either of us since we are healthy but we were wrong. Bill collectors start calling at 8:00 am all day until 9:00 pm. Each time I asked for help from the government I am told I make too much money even with my husband disable and not getting a check Social Security is taking there good old time to hear our case. I have also signed up for Oprah's debt sweepstake but I can never win anything. You are not along in this mess Donna, I always say if I should ever come up with enough money I would help people like you who needs help. All we can do is hang in there and hope there is a light at the tunnel.

You can't blame it all on yourself.....! I'm waiting for a date for bankruptcy court when I would prefer a firing squad. I've been out of work for over a year. (it's no comfort that a good part of my debt came from paying my mothers assisted living expenses during her last years...I'll never regret that) I spend hours each day tracking down job leads, applying and interviewing. Nothing happens. I've got the experience and credentials and think I present myself pretty dang good at an interview. But, something is wrong. Sometimes I think it's because I'm 60, but I truly hate to think that.

Some mornings it's difficult to get out of bed. I tire myself just trying to keep a brave front to others, yet knowing I will soon be literally out on the street. Everything I've every worked for is slipping through my fingers and I can't stop it. My house is worth half what I owe on it and it's been for sale for a year with not bites. I'm in desperate need of a dermotologist and a dentist, but have no insurance and can't afford either one. Is there a break out there, somewhere?

The fear, doubt, guilt, helplessness gets overbearing. How many nights can you cry?

I am in the same position sometimes i dont know how i am going to make it throuth the week i get terrible pains in my chest and i know its stress i have pain in the back of my neck i get so fustrated i just dont know what to do anymore. Thank god i still have a job but all my paycheck just goes to overdraft i have nothing left. All the bill collectors are calling i have to plug my phone out all day because i cant take it anymore i think i am going crazy sometimes but i put the best outside for everyone but they dont know what i am going through. I am a good person but just got over my head in bills and it is driving me crazy i cant sleep at night i dont know what to do anymore. I pray to god something will change for me soon.. We just have to pray and ask god to give us strength at leat i feel better that i can talk to someone about this and i dont feel like i am the onlly one out there lets just keep the faith. god bless you.

Hi Donna,

I will be sending off that self addressed envelope to you today I am intrested in anything that will help me through this situation i am going through. I really dont know how i really make it through the week. Monday mornings are always my worst because i have to face another week again with the stress. I just pray everyday that God will help me and others throough this. When i think that things are going to be a little bit better that i might even have a $10.00 extra it never works . God bless you all and have a good week.

I wish I could help but my husband and I have recently entered a financial nightmare as well. We are nearing 60 and are semi-retired. My husband took a retirement incentive after 33 years and now works part time earning $500 per month +/- while I find intermittent day care work. In late October of 2008 after the market downturn we decided to move our retirement income funds, which supply us with 90% of our income, from stocks to another firm which they said was safer than the stock market and promised 12% per year returns. They said it was how the wealthy invested their money and we were made aware by friends of many established clients who had been with this firm for several years and were pleased with their service and performance.They left us funds to draw from through most of '09 and set us up for disbursements in August or September after the larger balance had a chance to grow for as long as possible. We received one disbursement in early August and then learned that the FBI and IRS launched an investigation of the firm and it's fund. All accounts are frozen and no disbursements are being made (see www.woodtv.com & search " Govt: McQueen" for our story). The actions have put us into probable foreclosure as we simply can't replace the needed income to meet our commitments. Social Security eligibility is over two years away and the Michigan economy is proving to make finding employment a long shot. We just learned that we might not be eligible for mortgage modification through the HAMP program because our current income is insufficient. We seriously need to find work but haven't had any luck as yet. It would be a life saver if someone could pay off our mortgage ( with a note due at sale or after we die) but that may be far to much to hope for. Meanwhile we are much in prayer and trust that God will open doors for us or be at our side through a life event that we still can't fully comprehend. Prayers and advice would be appreciated.

I am responding to all of you feeling like it's the end of the world. It feels that way because there is no agency out there who can possibly help. My husband and I built our home in 2005 and were at the peak of our lives. All was running well and no doubts as to where we needed to go with things. I accepted a job offer to work for an Ethanol Firm run by a local scientist and his co-founding assistant out of San Antonio, Tx. I resigned from my steady job to accept this job with wonderful promisseed pay and that is where our lives became chaotic. We went to the bank for help but this bank refused. We started to run late on our morgtage with a payment of $ 1,500 monthly . We were up for foreclosure when we talked with a program called Project Hope. They promised us they would helpand we would not have to file for bankruptcy. Well, our bank is privately owned and does not accept others telling them how to help their customers so they deciced to call our help Project Dream Home - Where our payment went from $ 1,500 up to $ 2,400 monthly. If we could not afford the $ 1,500 how could we po0ssibly afford the $2400? Well, we didn't have a choice this gave us 30 days to figure time and for me to try and search for a job. Nothing came through and we had to file for bankruptcy. It has been the most humiliating thing. My husband is the only one with income and they take everything from his check. Sometimes we get $46.00 deposited into the account after the bankruptcy deducts directly from his pay. If you can avoid bankruptcy avoid it. All secure debts are payable 100% so if you couldn't afford it then - it gets worse. Donna - if you can write to your creditors and send them what you can leaving you enough for food, water - utility bills then do it. This will help you as they do document this on the credit report. I have a daughter who will turn 18 this Friday and I have nothing for her but the love and comfort of our home and hearts. Our baby will be 12 years old in December. We have raised them well and they do not pressure us at all. Life is hard and it can really cause tension in marriages and your self peace. I have no peace and worry constantly. I pray everyday for a better tomorrow and this helps me most of the time. I received my first issue of the O magazine and decided to go the website. I will add all of you to my prayers and hope for a better tomorrow for all of you. Blessings, Becca down in Texas....

For a long time I thought I was the only one going through some difficult times however, I have discovered that someone else may be dealing with issues that are similar. For instance, last April I had a good job with benefits and after returning from a vacation out of town where I did take my resume and issue them out because; I was born in that town and had always planned on returning back there one day. Once I returned back to work a few days later I received a job offer which; I was so excited about I eventually ended up moving because; I wanted to start over where I could envision myself purchasing my first home for me and my son all by my lonesome after at least putting in a good year of work on the job. Anyway, the job offer was fraudulent and in hindsight I could have done somethings differently and this is why I am presently seeking a full time job and have been for the last year, it also didn't help matters that I later while trying to get hired at another job I discovered my old supervisor who always claimed to be a Christian has been bad mouthing me but, the person who told me did not want to go on record of giving me a heads up otherwise I feel I would have been hired long ago and I have since, updated my resume to keep this from happening again. I did file for unemployment upon returning to town after I found out that my old position had been filled and I needed some income coming in. The unemployment benefits were denied and I did appeal which, that was also denied the reason I was given was they didn't think I had a job offer to begin with. Now I ask you what single mother do you know would just up and move without a job offer when I discovered that wasn't going to work out I had no choice but to apply for welfare which; I no longer receive because, I was told I make too much money I received a two dollar raise after a month of working part time which took me from $8.00 to $10.00 I don't see a big difference financially anyway, once taxes are taken out that leaves me barely able to cover rent. I do get some food stamps but, they don't last the entire month I have an eating machine as a son so, I need a full time job because, there is so much I need at the present like a apartment size refrigerator mine broke down a month ago while I was cleaning it out I must have punctured something and it started leaking fluid so, it is completely dead. I need a sofa bed so, I won't have to sleep on the floor anymore and can wake up feeling good instead of having a crook in my neck. I am in a one bedroom so, of course like any parent would I let my son who is a teenager sleep in the bed because, he needs his rest to have a productive day at school. And yes this ordeal has affected him as well he has been doing bad in school and he is worried about me which; I keeping telling him not to worry everything will be okay and that's what I must keep believing. I also need a car which, will make it easier for me to get around and look for another job part or full time to make ends meet and I need a lot of prayer to keep me going cause if I didn't have my son to take care of I think I would have given up a long time ago. If you are wondering the other parent has been incarcerated for awhile now and has no way of paying the court ordered child support which would be a big help and although he is married states he can not make his wife pay the child support which, really is not her responsibility it is his even though before he was incarcerated. I just want to work and make my own way in this life, I am not a bad person I am a hardworking honest person who also happens to be a twelve and a half year Veteran of the United States Army. I can't believe that I am in this situation and although I do have a reinstatement letter from my old job there is a hiring freeze on and if I was such a bad worker why would I get a reinstatement letter. Anyway, during the one year hiatus I missed one car payment on my Toyota which, I was a loyal customer I had four in previous years in August 2008 my credit union sent two huge body guard look alikes to come to my door at 4:00 A.M. to repossess the car which; I was so sick to my stomach at that point with everything else going on all I could do is give them the keys so, I have had to catch the bus which; I am still presently doing. My landlord has been nice enough to work with me as far as the rent since, prior to me moving out of town I had lived in the building since 2003. My wages don't cover everything so, I am currently a month behind on rent and have to pay a late fee of $75.00 each month but, I have no choice I have to keep the roof over our heads and I am a single parent so, I only have my income to work with. I never liked borrowing money and since, I have been doing bad I notice I don't have as many friends as I thought I had when I was doing great but, that's fine too. Seems like my whole life has been a nightmare I don't have any family support and that's not surprising since I moved out of the house at 13 years of age that's an entirely different nightmare anyway, I pray to GOD everyday that I can soon be out of this nightmare and although my life is not perfect nor will it ever be I do try to encourage others by telling them my story and hopefully they realize that they are not alone in what I am sure we all feel is our personal madness. Please whatever you all do don't go home and hurt yourself or your kids they deserve better and so do you. Keep me in your prayers and I will do the same.

BB

Good Morning everyone I wish you all the best for you today hope you will have a good day. I am off to work now I am so tired and fustrated but I have to go I have $68.00 in my checking account this morning when I checked and I have a turn off notice for my water bill that has to be paid tomorrow by 5.00pm for $70.00. but I did good this week because I didnt have an overdraft fee at the bank and its Thursday I cant believe it this never happens. God bless you all.

Hi Everyone, will we every see the light at the end of the tunnel? How much more do we have to suffer before we can get some help! especially for the ones who have children, Lord help us! I am so stress. I checked my bank statement I am overdrawn by 2.17 the bank charged be 39.00 for overdraft fee, I am getting disconnection notice on all my utilities. foreclosure notice for the house, and all the creditors are calling none stop, sometimes I don't even want to go home. I feel like leaving my husband, but what kind of person would I be! He is sick, don't have any income coming in since 2007, so would I be a bad person leaving him? He sees how much I am struggling, but act's like everything is fine. Some times I wonder if God is listening to our cries. I believe we will all get through these trying times. BB, good luck on your job hunting, and better days are coming for you and your son. Take care all, and let's keep praying for one another.

Hello There I do hope we will see the light at the end of the tunnel someday. We just have to keep the faith I think it might be long but it wont be forwever. We will all look back at this time i n our lives and say I cant believe I went through all that. I am so sorry to hear that you are getting foreclosure notice on your housen I am praying for you that something will work out just keep the faith God always have a plan for all of us. The creditors are calling for me non stop too I just dont answer the phone anymore they start calling from 8.00 am in the mornig until 9.00 at night. They even call on Sundays too. I do the same thing like you do sometimes i just hate to come home I sit in the car for 1 hour before i go in the house just to be by myself I cant believe my life is so consumed by bills its such an awful feeling. Please dont leave your husband hang in ther I know he see how much you are struggling but i know he feels bad that he cant help thats why i thing he is acting like everything is fine he is just putting up a front but he is probably feel so bad inside dont let him feel any worst.

Well Donna your preaching to the choir.I hope you have luck getting your loan. I look at like this if I am already struggling why and how could or should we borrow money .That nine times out of ten that want get paid back.In my life I pray for better paying job. Heck I would like to just have a raise.I will pray for you

Hi Everyone., Hope you all have agood weekend enjoy your family and dont think about the bill collectors for 2 days. They will be calling but dont pick up your phone. Just chill out for the weekend and give your mind a rest. Monday will be here soon enough. God bless you all.

We all have are burdens to carry, Me and my husband have a home with 27 acers , we have let four families move onto our land. One family is a single mother with three boys living in a one room camp trailer, another family is a mother, father and two kids the mother is disabled and the father must care for her, the home is a very old Mobil home and the roof is ready to fall in , next rain I think. the other people living on the land is one disabled lady 67 years old in a23ft camp trailer and her sister and a friend 61 and 62 disabled living in a very old 23ft camp trailer. Life is tuff for all of us but together we can make it with sharing the cost.

The big problem we have now is: we bought this land 7 years ago, it had a 5 year old manufactured home on it and we was given a loan with a low percentage rate with a 7 year balloon payment, now they tell us the will not refi no one will refi and we have paid 70,000 interest on the loan in 7 years and only 10,000 went off our loan, so we have to come up with 127,000 before Dec.31, 2009 or we lose this land.

I have call loan companies until I was blue in the face, no one want to help ...our credit is to low or land acers are to much,or we have a manufactured home not a real home ...funny that didn't matter when we was given the loan 7 years ago.

If we don't get help it will not only be us, it will be all the families in need of a new home , we feel bad ..we can rent else where but the others can not come up with first last and deposit . If we could just get some one to give us a loan for the 127,000 to pay off Chase we would not have a problem paying the loan ...we did not have one late payment on the loan in 7 years! But because of other cost hospital bills and credit cards, small bills our credit is bad. Please pray for us and the others, God is good and will find a way for all of us! Melodi

Wow! I signed up on Oprah.com this morning. My main objective was I just knew that Oprah seems to be ALL KNOWING....and I just knew she could help me locate help. Looks like everyone out there needs help. I was a single mother for years taking care of myself and daughter on $10 an hour. Due to a car accident I can no longer do the job that I've done for most my life. Restuarant management. People who work in this profession do not get insurance benefits, 401k, dental, eye care all of that. Those who do offer it have employees that don't make enough to buy it. Rock and a hard place. Believe it or not $10 an hr is too much to get food stamps and other help. Anyway, I have become unable to work, my daughter is now 19, needs a better car(hers breaks down daily), and a college education. She has worked since she was 14, got a hardship license so she could drive ato and from work without me having to miss work to take her. She was on honors roll from 8th thru 12th grades. She never gave me problems she is the perfect child in my eyes. How many 16 year old girls will hand you their paycheck "Cuz you need help mom." That makes me cry to this day. My nightmare now is...she needs a car I can't help her...she wants to take classes for pharmacy tech,which is only $2000 and I can't help. I have spent hours trying to figure out how to pay for this schooling but with no luck. I have a car that i'm paying for that has been broke down since Feb. don't know how to pay to fix it. If it was running I could give it to her. It's a better car than the one she has. She has also lived on her own for the past year and has not one time asked for help. She has done ok for herself. She is moving back home this wkend. That makes me feel horrible. I feel as though I have failed her. She is supposed to be going to school and planning for her future and I can't give her what she needs to succeed! Anyone out there have any suggestions on how to raise money so she can at least go to parm tech school would be greatly welcomed. Most grants and things we have checked into don't help with school like this. And there is no way we can afford traditional college.