Pay CC off without filing ch13? Maybe make too much for chapter 7? Kids activites?

[racheltx]

I am in Texas. We are drowning in about 60,000 of Credit Card debt from a few years ago that kept adding up over the years. We stopped using credit cards a few months ago, but with the house, cars, food, bills we do not have enough to even make minimum payments on all the cards anymore. We have started having to make less than the minimum just to eat. I think a lot may be we don't budget as we should. My husband makes good money $120,000, without the CC debt we wouldn't have any problems making the mortgage and bills. I am a stay at home mom with three kids 2y, 5y, 9y. We just can't get out from under the credit card debt and interest. At first we thought we would file a chapter 7, take the hit on our credit and start fresh. But after researching I think we won't qualify due to his salary. So now I am looking at chapter 13. It seems you end up paying most of it back anyways with a monthly payment. I am most concerned about the kids extracurricular. Cheer and Karate. I worry if we file we will be forced to take the kids out of those things and I don't want our bad choices to affect them like that. So now I wonder if I should just try to pay it off ourselves somehow with a strict budget so if we need to pay something extra for the kids we will have the choice to. Anyone else file in Texas and have some advice? We really want to keep our house and cars and be able to still allow the kids their activities. File or not to file?

[brokehmowner]

Have you done the means test to see if you qualify for a 7?

[dmc-2008]

They dont care about activities! I just have always used my grocery money for it! Think 99 cent and Dollar Tree!

[racheltx]

Have you done the means test to see if you qualify for a 7?

Where can i find that? Is it something i can do online or do i need to meet with an attorney?

[racheltx]

After really looking at our spending I can't see how we will possibly qualify for chapter 7. They will just say less on groceries, get rid of cable/phone and take your kids out of their activities. We make more than the average median looking at the chart as well