Just a quick whine here over financial problems

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There isn't much advice that can be given I don't think, because we don't qualify for a loan and any relative that would lend us money doesn't have any to lend and those who do don't lend it to anyone, so a loan doesn't work. The problem is that we don't have savings. If anyone reading this wants to take anything away from this post, please let it be that you need savings if possible, because this kind of thing can happen.

We have been living right on the edge financially for months. When we got out taxes back in Feb I caught us up, but catching us up took all the money so we never had any to put in savings. DH found steady work shortly after that but by the time he did we were in the hole again. There is absolutely nothing here in town for me except this one store job that I may be able to get soon when the other guy quits, but I'd take any job that came along.

So, here is what is all due next week. Remember that idiot retired deputy that lives next door to my MIL who ignored the leash law and let his little POS dog lay in the middle of the road and then wrote up a fake ticket about my husband "speeding" when my husband hit the dog several months ago? Well, he's been to court, twice and now a third time and he was given two weeks to pay the fine of $280. This is due Tuesday. Of course that's nothing compared to what the "restitution" for the vet bills will be but that's way on down the line and not calculated yet. The power bill is $530 (on budget billing no less!) and due Friday. The van insurance is due $54, the title pawn on the van is due $225. DH gets paid next Friday for this week. He was off sick for 3 days with a bad bug and so he only gets paid for 3 days. He makes $11 an hour now with this company. 24 hours, minus taxes. You do the math. I have $40 now. I just paid a $301 water bill (2 months, the toilet in the back bathroom leaks)

I have a last ditch effort to call the courthouse and see if I can't get him a few more weeks to pay that stupid dog fine but if they won't put it off, DH goes to jail and everything goes to hell because we will have no income at all. Plus, they will cancel the insurance next week and send a notice to the state, which will suspend the tag and DH's license, the title people will repo the van, and the power will go off.

With this $40 I have to get dog food, bunny food, three white mice, toilet paper, paper towels, dish soap, washing powder, shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste. I have about $200 left on the Food Stamp card to feed us the rest of the month till the 5th of July.

We are going under. There is nothing, absolutely nothing, that can be done. When DH goes to jail over that POS dog and the drunk, pillhead deputy and his BS, he will lose his job. This means that when he does get out after 60 days or however the f**k long it will be, not only won't he have a van to drive to go to work, there won't be work to go to. Plus, he won't have a license to drive anything anyway cause of the insurance that will be cancelled. Then, the house will not only have no power but there will be no water either. The dogs, rabbit and snake will have been given to people who can feed them. My 16yo will be living with my mother, my 18yo will have moved either to the lake or to live with his best friend. My oldest daughter and her fiancé will have moved out and living with his mother. I will be on the street or probably in jail because we don't allow homelessness in this county because my mother's apt manager might let my daughter stay with her for a while, but not an adult (the manager lives two houses up from me and her daughter used to be best friends with my daughter).

I was stupid years ago, and so was DH. When we had "extra money" we spent it on things. Sometimes we blew it, other times we bought things that didn't last long like crappy cars and electronics that broke. I have absolutely nothing of value to sell and that used furniture place that I was going to sell everything but the kids beds to doesn't come out here and would only give me $500 for the whole lot of it anyway. I'd have to get a truck and bring it all to him. Neither of us ever really listened to his parents when they said we should save. My FIL had trust funds for his kids but we have recently found out that my MIL liquidated all that s**t years ago and everything but her investments is gone. Meanwhile, she's sitting on a 2.8 mil lakefront property that isn't just 2 lots like I thought, but 3. My no good BIL and his pothead son live with her and all her money goes to buying the pothead grandson video games and weed, so no help there.

I'll be 50 next year, and this is not the life for someone my age. Our life looks fine no the outside but nobody who looks at us can tell how close to the edge we have been playing it. We have been in situations like these before, when we were younger and I always managed to pull something out of my hat to get it fixed but this time, even I can't fix this. So please, if you are reading this and if you possibly can do so, put some money back. Put it in the bank, give it to your parents or a trusted relative to hold for you. Don't spend it no matter what. I don't care if it's only $25 a week or a month, put it back and forget you have it for now. Keep putting some back, don't spend it. Even if you only end up with a grand or two after years of saving, it will help you when you find yourself in a situation like this, and one day you can. Don't use it until you have to, until it's do or die, balls to the wall type stuff like this. Forget you have it, but keep it in the back of your mind so you know you can have it if you ever get to a time when you have nothing and need a whole lot more than nothing. Don't trade your car in until you have to, keep driving the piece of crap as long as it runs and put that car payment back instead. Stick it in something you can get to, but something that earns interest if possible. No stock market, no mutual fund, no IRA, something easily liquid. If nothing else, a safe deposit box so you can stick cash in and not have to claim it. Don't leave it in your house where something can happen to it. But, that's enough of me preaching about this, since I can't seem to follow my own advice here.

I'm gonna lose my mind, I really am. I don't know how I'm gonna get us out of this or even if I am. So, wish me luck, read the above advice and follow it as well as you can so you don't end up like me.

I'll post Monday and let ya'll know what the county says.

Sorry about your issues, OOM. I wish I could help but I'm between jobs myself. My years of homelessness has shown me not to take money for granted. Easy come, easy go. I wish you all the luck in the world.

Oh, thank you Redrobin! I wasn't asking anyone here for money and wouldn't take it if it were offered. But I will take emotional support, good wishes, prayers, candles lit, happy thoughts, etc. And I would DEFINATELY want anyone who was like me a decade or two ago and thought "Oh well, that won't happen to me" to please put themselves some savings back for tough times ahead.

((hugs)) if you accept them, and if not then just consider them incorrect punctuation

Just wondering -
Here in Australia there are debt mediator companies who arrange to negotiate with creditors on your behalf.
Try looking in your area, sorry its the only thing I could think of.

Your shopping list -
Desperation can narrow it down. A big cheap dish detergent will do for dishes, laundry, and shampoo. Not ideal but clean.
Feed the rabbit from fruit& veg throwouts at supermarkets etc.
Mix the dog food with veg peelings, rice and or pasta and add gravy made from a stock cube.
Use tea towels or old newspaper instead of paper towels.
Water down the conditioner.
Baking powder whitens teeth, or simply go without.
(Can't help you on the mice or toilet paper)

OOM, I'm very sad to hear this.
You say there is nothing you can do for work, what about writing? Ok, I know that probably sounds really indulgent, especially in your current situation, but you have a gift for telling a story. Your posts make me smile, not this one obviously, but in general... You tell such an entertaining yarn. I'd pay for an e book or something of your stories, I reckon others would too.
I hope the powers that be are considerate of your situation and give you some extra time to pay everything. Good luck!

We are in nearly the same boat, even with me having worked full-time at my job for 15 years. We are just a traffic ticket or car repair away from disaster. I look good on paper, but I am supporting almost 4 people and DH has huge student loan debts for an excellent education that he hasn't had a chance to use. We are nearing 50 ourselves.