There is Hope for a New Beginning

[$$only4ever]

I thought I would share my experience so everyone going through Chapter 13 knows that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

About 6 weeks ago, a major telecommunications company installed their fiber optic lines in our community. Two days ago, they began offering their "special" sign up rates to the community. A great deal, by the way. With this new plan, I get phone service with free long distance, cable and internet for $76.00 less than what I am paying for today with their competitor. So, of course, I called to set up an appointment.

My appointment was last night. We set up the order and then the salesman calls into the company. After he provides some information, he then hands the phone to me to verify some information. I thought, oh oh, here comes the credit check and my big fat active bankruptcy is sticking out like a sore thumb. I know that she ran a credit check because she asked some questions and then there was a pause. I kept thinking how embarrassed I was going to be, etc...After the pause which felt like forever, she comes back on the line and said, "You are all set. What date would you like to schedule for installation?" I almost wet my self!!!!

I do already have a relationship with them.(My house phone) which I have never paid late. In fact, I have always paid 3 weeks before the due date and maybe that is all they looked at, but it is the first positive financial thing that has happened since I filed 2 1/2 years ago.

There is light at the end of the tunnel. Maybe only a little light, but a light.

[lrprn]

Thanks for sharing, $$ - fantastic that such a good financial thing can happen during an active 13!

I had my own wonderful moment a few days ago. I have a company credit card that is not guaranteed by my company - it's issued to me personally but has my company's name on it. It survived our filing because my lawyer advised me to call and speak to their poor credit/bankruptcy division. I laid out my tale and was told that because I had a sterling payment record, as long as the balance was zero and I did not list the card when we filed, they would allow me to keep it. He did say that the instant they saw any personal charges of any kind, they would cancel it.

My card renewal was coming up next month. In 18 months I made no personal charges and the payments continued to be prompt and in full. Still I was very anxious about whether it would survive the renewal process. I travel more than 50% of the time for my job, so doing that without a corporate card on our limited Ch 13 funds would be extremely difficult.

I received a letter from the card owners a few days ago. I opened it thinking, "Well, here it comes. Bye bye card." But instead tucked inside the letter is a brand new renewed card! I literally cried with relief! I was so happy....just how you must have felt, $$!! Yay for us!

[Flamingo]

I thought I would share my experience so everyone going through Chapter 13 knows that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

About 6 weeks ago, a major telecommunications company installed their fiber optic lines in our community. Two days ago, they began offering their "special" sign up rates to the community. A great deal, by the way. With this new plan, I get phone service with free long distance, cable and internet for $76.00 less than what I am paying for today with their competitor. So, of course, I called to set up an appointment.

My appointment was last night. We set up the order and then the salesman calls into the company. After he provides some information, he then hands the phone to me to verify some information. I thought, oh oh, here comes the credit check and my big fat active bankruptcy is sticking out like a sore thumb. I know that she ran a credit check because she asked some questions and then there was a pause. I kept thinking how embarrassed I was going to be, etc...After the pause which felt like forever, she comes back on the line and said, "You are all set. What date would you like to schedule for installation?" I almost wet my self!!!!

I do already have a relationship with them.(My house phone) which I have never paid late. In fact, I have always paid 3 weeks before the due date and maybe that is all they looked at, but it is the first positive financial thing that has happened since I filed 2 1/2 years ago.

There is light at the end of the tunnel. Maybe only a little light, but a light.

You can bet that your relationshp with them had almost everything to do with it and no late payments with them. They want to keep a good customer and that will help when the credit report is pulled. We went through the same thing as to obtaining cell phones. We cancelled our cell phones just prior to filing. However, in today's world and with my long work commute and late night driving, a cell phone was becoming more of a necessity rather than a convenience. I was terrified to apply for one; my employer offered an employee discount via the service that we had for our home phone. We had a rep visit our office to sign up employees but I was too scared to go sign up and be embarrassed by getting turne down in front of other employees or someone related to my company. To make a long story short, I went to the website given by my company to sign up, sent in all the information, sat on eggs for several hours and got a notification back that my new cell phone plan was open and the phones were being overnighted (family plan). I almost laid the golden egg right there. I could not believe it. After speaking to a rep, it was our long-term relationship with the phone service provider that did the trick. So having a BK on your credit report is not always a bad thing if you have a good reputation with a lender or service. Keep those payments on time and never be late unless it is an absolute necessity. That is the best policy to keep during and after a bankruptcy.

This was done about 3 years into our 5 year Plan. The phones were free and the service cost was very low with my employee discount and we could afford it. As we did not have to report annual raises to our Trustee during our Plan, we had the funds to cover the bill. But the point is that it was obtained during our Chapter 13 as was your cable service. Some people may have to get permission from their Trustee to take on the bill if it increases their debt during a 13.