I am always curious about those people who read statistics about how people’s dept are at an all time high and stuff but never really bother to learn from personal experience and/or talk to those the statistics speak of. Well get ready cause I’m gonna give it to you the way it is, for me anyways. Chances are this is a very common scenario amongst people in similar situations as mine.
My credit began to spiral downward the day I got my first credit cards when I was 18 years old. One was a JC Pennys card, a Sears card and an electronic store card (can’t remember the name). You would think a smart kid would use the cards only when necessary for necessities and maybe a few wants so long as he/she can make the monthly payments. Not me, I went on a shopping spree and not just necessities. I also got myself a lot of unnecessary wants such as a leather jacket, a tent and several other goodies. But this was just the beginning. Not only was I maxing out my cards with unnecessary, expensive stuff, I was not sending in payments. First I sent a few on time, then I began to fall behind. Eventually I just didn’t send any at all. It eventually made it to the collection agencies and then began the calls and letters. Keep in mind that up till now I have completely responsible for the chaos I had created and the ripple effect it would have in my future.
As time when by I just got another card from somewhere else, but then eventually I couldn’t get anymore. Then I started with bills such as electrical, phone, cable and even the rent. Time and time again I would connect and disconnect services that I knew I couldn’t afford but would get them anyways and would then just continue to fill my bad credit list. Always asking for money from family members to keep up cause I did not learn to balance my budget and control my spending. When it wasn’t Burger King, it was KFC or Chinese food. Keep in mind I have a family by this time and they are suffering my ignorance at this point. Blockbuster’s profits were probably my doing due to the constant super late late-fee’s they would charge for the several days I was late. This trend continued year after year. I eventually found myself over drafting my bank account every week to keep up with bills, food for the house and our constant need for entertainment (I know, shame on me). During most of this time I had great jobs with great pays but even then it just wasn’t enough. My terrible waste of money was out of control and I was just too ignorant to the consequences of my actions in the future. I eventually lost my highest paying job where I worked with my brother. He was the President of the company. I had a really serious problem with him and ended up having to leave (or fired, we never really figured it out).
After a month of loathing over myself I made the decision to move to Puerto Rico hoping to give myself and my family a new start. That was not the best idea I had had. Puerto Rico was much harder to survive than the states and for 2 years I learned to deal with even less of the luxuries we take for granted here in the States such as a car, big supermarkets, variety of food, theaters, Blockbusters. Most of this stuff was either to expensive for my wage or were too far away since I lived in a small town no less than 30 minutes away from the city scene. I couldn’t take it anymore and decided to return back to the States where I could deal with life better. I had changed a bit and decided that this time around I would do better.
While I am no where near the opposite of my past life, I am heading in the right direction. I am learning to deal with bills, rent and everyday things. I have a great job with decent pay for a guy with no college under his belt. I plan to go to school to study computers which my job will pay for. Another new thing is my wife is working, something I chose to not let her do before because of the kids. Now it’s different and I just can’t do it alone anymore. I had a part time as well (first time doing 2 jobs, 15 hours a day) I don’t have it anymore but if I need it I can always get it again. I needed to spend more time with my kids who were beginning to lose focus in school due to my constant absence in their life because of my 2 jobs.
My bad credit still haunts me till this day but am working to fix it. I won’t give up till I have more money than I owe. Till I have the house of my dreams. My point? I am completely responsible for my bad decisions that lead me to where I am today. I could have gone to college, I could have worked 2 jobs, I could have learned to balance my budget, all in all I could have made a better effort to become a better person. I should have been more careful having 2 kids during a time I was acting the fool. In no way I blame the Gov’t for my mistakes, I only have myself to blame. By the same token every citizen in this country that is capable of making a better life for themselves but find themselves in situations similar or worse than mine are responsible for their own lives. There are enough Gov’t programs out there to give you a new start, to point you in the right direction, to help you stand up and try again. There are several charities that due the same. Things are expensive? Learn to manage your money better, learn to conserve, learn to make your own food if necessary. What ever it takes it about learning to survive on your own.
As bad as things may have seemed to me, they were not as bad as I thought and could have been avoided by simply trying or trying harder. It could be said the same for many others. Not only am I proof of it, but having been in it for so many years one usually ends up relating to those in similar situations and become witnesses of each other.