When I first came on the boards and started blogging here, I felt like I was drowning. With a debt load rapidly approaching $250,000 I could not see a way out. Not a way that didn't involve bankruptcy anyway. But then one night I was suffering with a horrible bout of food poisoning following my neice's wedding and I was googling money and debt reduction and savings and I stumbled across this site.
And I started to read the blogs. And read, and read, and read, between runs to the bathroom. Not like I could sleep with those stomach cramps. I think I read blogs for 16 hours straight until I finally fell asleep exhausted and woke up thinking there was a way. I continued reading for about 5 days and then I started my own blog. And something miraculous happened.
I was drowning. But the people here threw me a life jacket. And then...then they taught me how to swim. And how to climb up onto the dock and walk away from the edge. Oh, I'm a far cry from the shore yet. But I'll get there. I know I will. Because I have you guys, you are my lifeline, you gave me back hope, you have been there since my very first blog entry and those who joined later as well, with welcoming arms and helpful advice and encouragement when I needed it and even when I didn't. So thank you to everyone. I can't even express what this place means to me or what it has done for me. But I am grateful every single day that I found it that day back in April. And that I found all of you.
What Saving Advice Means to Me
December 30th, 2006 at 05:56 am
December 30th, 2006 at 06:44 am 1167461050
December 30th, 2006 at 06:50 am 1167461424
I have gotten rid of my debt burden and it was not easy and there were many bumps in the road! I got rid of my debt with the advice and support of all the wonderful people on this site.
LuckyRobin you will be debt free and financially secure. There are a whole bunch of folks in your corner! You will succeed!
I am really glad you found us here because we are better for your being here!
December 30th, 2006 at 04:11 pm 1167495063
You have also been a source of inspiration here...so THANK YOU back for providing the same support that you recognized in others!!!
December 30th, 2006 at 07:02 pm 1167505322
December 31st, 2006 at 01:10 am 1167527434
January 1st, 2007 at 03:11 am 1167621095
As for the debt, my ex and I exceeded 300k together. Our mortgage was around 170k, but our combined student loan was 160k! Fortunately, only 40k was mine, and when we broke up, I wasn't responsible for hers because we've always kept our finances separate.
In any case, I know EXACTLY what it means to feel like you're drowning in debt. I tried so desperately to dig out, and... I confess that in the end, that's what caused our marriage to fail.
And yet, my ex never understood why I was always so worked up about it, and I in turn couldn't understand why she can't see how in a bad predicament we were in.
But I digress. Thanks to you guys, and you Robin, for making me feel like, even though the world around me has collapsed, I may still have a chance to build a new one.