Too little - too late

[nazstar]

I love it!!!!! Would it be okay if I revised that and used it tonight when I get my 1200 phone calls? Makes me want to turn the ringer on for a night!!! LOL

Go for it. I'm on a roll today. I just had another call from a card that we were staying current on, but let lapse 2 months ago. This was for AT&T Universal Card. I was just about to hop on a conference call for work (I'm working from home today so scheduling these calls around my daughter's naptime is key) and I didn't have time to have a discussion. My husband is also home today (we just moved so we each got a moving day to organize). he just about peed himself.

Caller (C): Hi there. Is this *states my full name*?

Me: No, she's not here. Sorry.

C: Well, ma'am are you authorized to act on this account?

Me: Not until the State of Florida recognizes same sex marriages. I mean, honestly, just because I don't have a Mr. Winky or whatever those guys call it, doesn't mean I'm not in a commited relationship. I'm yelling. Sorry. I'm not mad at you, please don't get me wrong. It just gets me all sorts of upset that our love doesn't get the same recognition as "normal" couples. Anyway, I've gone off on a tangent. I'm sorry. Did you need me to take a message for her?

C: Ummm. Nah. That's okay. I'll call back another time. Thank you. Have a great holiday.

Me: Thanks! You too!


BWAHAHAHAHA! Oh Man! I may be broke and they might be able to take all I have, but they can't get my sense of humor!

[rilbrianne]

Trust me. Not paying my debts is something that bothers me - and I'm not being sarcastic - it really does. But, I tried for years and years to make ends meet. Recently, it has just gotten really hard, but that doesn't make me the bad person that these callers would like me to believe I am. In fact, because I am such a good and trusting person, is the reason why I am in alot of this mess now.

I have a 6 month old baby and another one on the way. My OB is monitoring my blood pressure and depression/anxiety. Money is money and I can go out and earn it again, rebuild my credit and survive. But, I need to stay sane for my own health as well as my children's health. I am taking responsibility and cleaning up the situation, but I refuse to be belittled and made to feel like a criminal. I won't let them get the best of me by getting all riled up and furious. When I would hang up, I would be so angry that I would sit by my daughter's playpen and cry. After this call, I smiled to myself and took her to the park for a walk. They have no qualms about making you miserable and calling all your friends and relatives to make them uncomfortable, so I see no problem in giving a little back. I''m never nasty, I just try to approach it differently.

Oh, I know how that is. I hope you didn't take my post offensively, I just know someone out there will start something. I agree, you know... when I had to get my old account numbers and debt amounts before I filed, I called all my creditors and told them politely that I was going to see what could be done and that I needed the account number and amount owed. I got them all. I wrote down all the information they gave me and used it to fill out my paperwork. I didn't do anything wrong but I finally got the guts to even speak to them after they had harassed me for so long. Kind of made me feel good that I pulled one over on them.

[woohoogirl]

I love it!!!!! Would it be okay if I revised that and used it tonight when I get my 1200 phone calls? Makes me want to turn the ringer on for a night!!! LOL

[chpxiii]

They have no qualms about making you miserable and calling all your friends and relatives to make them uncomfortable, so I see no problem in giving a little back.

Yep.

And so "payback" is a *****, isn't it? Many think they can intimidate debtors. Fine. Just go bankrupt. Besides, they don't lose all that much money. It gets "written off."

And if businesses have no problems with laying off their workers as a "business decision" or declaring bankruptcy, the same can be said for the average person. What's good for the gander, is good for the goose. (is that even correct? )

It's "just" business.

[nazstar]

Trust me. Not paying my debts is something that bothers me - and I'm not being sarcastic - it really does. But, I tried for years and years to make ends meet. Recently, it has just gotten really hard, but that doesn't make me the bad person that these callers would like me to believe I am. In fact, because I am such a good and trusting person, is the reason why I am in alot of this mess now.

I have a 6 month old baby and another one on the way. My OB is monitoring my blood pressure and depression/anxiety. Money is money and I can go out and earn it again, rebuild my credit and survive. But, I need to stay sane for my own health as well as my children's health. I am taking responsibility and cleaning up the situation, but I refuse to be belittled and made to feel like a criminal. I won't let them get the best of me by getting all riled up and furious. When I would hang up, I would be so angry that I would sit by my daughter's playpen and cry. After this call, I smiled to myself and took her to the park for a walk. They have no qualms about making you miserable and calling all your friends and relatives to make them uncomfortable, so I see no problem in giving a little back. I''m never nasty, I just try to approach it differently.

[chpxiii]

Now I have to file for bankruptcy and they are getting nothing. If only they worked with me when I had the means to scrape everything together. I tried my best and just couldn't get any help.

Love the story! FABULOUS!

And as for this, this is why I feel NO ONE should have any problems with filing bankruptcy. If a creditor doesn't want to work with their debtors, fine. They get jack and sh!t.

Truly. This is all of their own (creditors) making. And then throw in "Universal Default?" Uhm. No. Here's a finger for you, and it's not a "thumbs up."

[rilbrianne]

That's BEAUTIFUL! Good job. And for anyone who wants to pop in and say we are "congratulating" not paying your debts... that's not what we are doing. We are simply finding a better way to respond to the constant calls and harassment, without dropping our heads in shame.

[nazstar]

I've decided this approach works for me. It keeps me sane. I'll be sure to post any good replies I get.

[Minnymouth]

After a year of haggling with creditors, trying to reach a new plan, and butting heads with them........ its a pleasure to be able to tell them SOL............................

[BassBoy]

Mark Twain said, "A banker is a fellow who lends you his umbrella when the sun is shining, but wants it back the minute it begins to rain."

[desperate&broke]

Perfection!!!!

[nazstar]

So, my lawyer advised me to just tell creditors I cannot pay. Don't make excuses and don't try to engage. Just say that you will do your best. I'm so tired of apologizing and dealing with nasty people so I came up with a different approach. Soooooo, my mortgage company calls me today and it goes something like this:

Mortgage Dude (MD): Hi ma'am. I'm calling on your mortgage. I'm showing a past due amount for November and December. Can I take a payment today?

Me: No.

MD: Ummmm. Ok. How much can you pay today, ma'am?

Me: Nothing.

MD: Ma'am. May I ask why you can't make a payment today?

Me: Yes.

MD: Ummmm. Okaaay. What is the reason?

Me: There is no money in my checking account.

MD: Ma'am. When do you think you can make this payment so I can make a record on your account.

Me: That's an excellent question! I'm gonna go with, "no sure. don't know." By the way, I did make all efforts for 8 months to warn you guys I was having problems and asked you on multiple ocassions to try to adjust my payments BEFORE I got behind. Your response was, "Sorry, wish there was something I could do, but we can't" and then you hung up on me.

MD: Oh, ma'am. We do have a payment plan we can discuss. Let's go ahead and do that now.

Me: Let's not. It's too late now. Don't worry too much. I'm sure your firm has written off at least $4 billion in mortgages. Mine is just a drop in the bucket. But good luck stopping the hemorraging. Betcha year end bonuses are gonna SUCK for you guys. That blows. Sorry, wish there was something I could do. Have a WONDERFUL holiday season. Thank you for calling. I really appreciate it!
bye-bye now.

Ok. Things are bad. But that really picked me up. I've been groveling with creditors to get on payment plans for over a year and no one wanted to help me. I actually had AMEX tell me, "yes, the payment plan is you pay everything you owe in back payments and continue to make all scheduled payments on time from here on". idiots. Now I have to file for bankruptcy and they are getting nothing. If only they worked with me when I had the means to scrape everything together. I tried my best and just couldn't get any help.