If you've filed C13, what are you doing to start over?

[GoingUnderInNV]

I'm curious what those of you that are making your C13 payments are doing to actively recover. I've noted that a couple folks have re-done their W4's, claiming a couple more exemptions to increase their paychecks after filing. How about an occassional second job? Consulting for those that have marketable skills? Selling on eBay to make more money?

I'd like to hear what you're all doing to get over the 5-year hump that C13 puts you in. Thanks for your thoughts!

[lrprn]

What folks in Ch 13 do depends a lot on their trustee and the local customs around extra income in their bk court. For example, some trustees want to know about every little bit of extra income, and others don't want to hear about it until your income increases 8-10% over the amount you filed with. Also some trustees want your tax refunds and others don't unless they are over $1000. There is a lot of variability between trustees, even in the same state. That means there is a lot of variability between what Ch 13ers can do to survive for three to five years.

At a minimum, I think all successful 13ers become experts at keeping within our monthly income to the best of our ability. We don't eat out much if at all, no nights out on the town, no vacations, few clothes, using coupons at the grocery store....you get the picture. We do whatever we have to to save money and stay within our income every month. Job losses, divorce, car breakdowns/accidents, and health breakdowns are the enemies of 13ers - they wreak havoc with the very tight budget required to survive Ch 13. When those happen, often our lawyers have to file a request to amend our plans or get permission from the trustee to skip payments to accomodate handling the unexpected costs that must be paid but aren't a part of your plan on the day you file.

There just aren't any easy "do this and everything will be fine" for Ch 13 filers. According to the last study on Ch 13 done in 1999, only 30% of Ch 13 cases actually reach a successful conclusion - http://www.usdoj.gov/ust/eo/public_a...unnumbers.html . That's a depressing statistic if you are a 13er because it makes you realize how much the odds are stacked against your success from the very start. That's why you'll find most of us are envious of Ch 7 filers because for them it's typically 6 difficult months, but then discharge comes and you can start rebuilding. For 13ers, it's 36-60 difficult months before we get to do the same. But that's how the cookie crumbles...best to get on with it because we had no choice but to file.

[aa06a47]

Good advice from lrprn. I have found major belt tightening is required to make it from one month to the other. Save whatever you can each month for the emergency situations. Face it, in a 5 year period of time, something is bound to happen that can screw the whole thing up.

[$$only4ever]

Plan and budget is the best advice that I can give you if you are currently in a chapter 13. Try to put away a few dollars each month for unexpected emergencies. Gone are the days when you could purchase items on a whim. Now, because you are living on a "cash only" existence you really have to plan ahead. Sometimes, it comes down to putting gas in my vehicle instead of something trival like going out to eat. Is it hard, sometimes, but not as hard as it was trying to pay monthly payments on all of the debt I had before I filed. Good Luck.

[Jman30]

If you learn anything in a Chapter 13, it is how to budget. Nothing will teach you live within a budget and nothing will teach you make hard choices about your limited income like a Chapter 13.

Like all 13er's, my wife and I struggled for extra money. Especially around the Holidays, when we wanted to do things for the kids. I mean, it got to the point where buying our son a Halloween Costume was going to be a burden. Halloween costume for my son or diapers for my daughter? These are the decisions that break your heart.

So, I did get a couple of part time jobs, especially around the Holidays. Nothing major....grocery stores mostly. Since I worked in a Deli all during college, I had that background. Just working 20-25 hours a week, making $150 extra a week. Made a HUGE difference financially, but I never saw my family. Went from one job to the next.
My wife did the same, she would get a part time job or sell things on EBay.

You do what you have to do. I don't think most Trustees care if you are working a little part time job. I wouldn't announce it to the Trustee, but if it is only a little extra spending money, I don't think most of them care.

[CATCHMEIFYOUCAN]

Stressing

Hmmm, right now I'm waiting for my plan to be confirmed, right now I'm stressing, eating less, losing wait (thank goodness - although I don't consider myself overweight to begin with), everything I eat I get sick, so sometimes I don't eat. I just got a 3% raise from both my full time jobs but I up-ed my tax payments, I don't want the trustee to take it, he already wants my refund (but I only get a small amount from the state), I always owe on my federal. Stressing, stressing, stressing ...

catchemifyoucan