We are sick of struggling and barely keeping our heads above water. I'm afraid if something happens to either of us and we can't work we will be screwed!!!

I want to invest a tiny bit of each paycheck into something...but I am clueless about investments.

We have never even had a credit card or loan other than the car so I have no clue how they work(I got screwed on the car, too...I'm paying $300 a month for a used DOdge Neon :rolleyes but we have no credit so it's the best I could find). I wouldn't mind a credit card if it could get us by that extra $50 we seem to be missing each payday to eat and buy gas, but have been turned down each time I apply.

Someone knowledgeable care to tutor me? I'm at the end of my rope! TIA.

I don't know much about it, but my brother in law is into investing and all. If you'd like I can ask him what a good starter investment would be. My DH and I talk about investing all the time, but one thing or another always comes up. Let me know if you want me to talk to BIL.

How many times have you applied in the past 6 months?? that too can lower your credit score, each time you apply it goes on your credit report when people see you have applied too many times then they sometimes will deny you. First you should pull your credit report and your dh's you can each get one free at https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/index.jsp
you can access all three bureaus at one time, I highly recommend printing them out because that way you have a hard copy.

We have applied for three...one from each of the major card companies. We tried for low-limit cards for people with no credit.

Yeah I did that about a month ago. We have three things in collections right now....and all totalled they equal less than $500, we just don't have $ to pay it off.

Is there anything else I can do? I'd like to consolidate that into one payment and pay it off maybe $20 at a time. That will come out of our $50 per check food budget, but not much I can do about it.

TIA, once again!

I do not recommend getting a CC if you aren't financially stable because it can actually make your finances worse. :( If you absolutely want one though, I would go through HERE (http://www.orchardbank.com). They require you to put $200 down because it's a secured card. But that goes into an account and I believe it accrues interest? I don't remember. A lot of people use it to repair their credit.

I do not recommend getting a CC if you aren't financially stable because it can actually make your finances worse. :( If you absolutely want one though, I would go through HERE (http://www.orchardbank.com). They require you to put $200 down because it's a secured card. But that goes into an account and I believe it accrues interest? I don't remember. A lot of people use it to repair their credit.

I don't necessarily WANT one, but I need to have a way to pay off everything at once and pay back smaller amounts, and/or actually have food and gas....preferrable while building credit. If there is another way I'd be way more interested in that :yes

ETA-If i had $200 to put down, there wouldn't be a reason to have a card. I KNOW they aren't a great idea but I'm desperate and sick to death of peanut butter.:lol

We have applied for three...one from each of the major card companies. We tried for low-limit cards for people with no credit.

Yeah I did that about a month ago. We have three things in collections right now....and all totalled they equal less than $500, we just don't have $ to pay it off.

Is there anything else I can do? I'd like to consolidate that into one payment and pay it off maybe $20 at a time. That will come out of our $50 per check food budget, but not much I can do about it.

TIA, once again!

Care One Credit Counseling (http://www.careonecredit.com/)

We went through them a while back when we were needing help really badly. I used them until we were able to get back on our feet again (then I canceled it and paid it reg. payments). They negotiate payments with your creditors.

We have applied for three...one from each of the major card companies. We tried for low-limit cards for people with no credit.

Yeah I did that about a month ago. We have three things in collections right now....and all totalled they equal less than $500, we just don't have $ to pay it off.

Is there anything else I can do? I'd like to consolidate that into one payment and pay it off maybe $20 at a time. That will come out of our $50 per check food budget, but not much I can do about it.

TIA, once again!

what you can do is find out what the max you can pay each month on those bills, and you can either pick the one with the lowest balance and throw all the money at that one, or you can split them evenly. I wouldn't recommend a cc either since the second you can't pay you guys might get even more screwed.

I don't necessarily WANT one, but I need to have a way to pay off everything at once and pay back smaller amounts, and/or actually have food and gas....preferrable while building credit. If there is another way I'd be way more interested in that :yes

That's the card I recommend then if you can not get approved anywhere else. ;)

I've tried credit counseling places, they generally laugh at me because our debt is less than $1000. They don't even help people with debt less than $10,000 most of the time. Is Care One different?

Thanks for the info, ladies!!! :hugs

I've tried credit counseling places, they generally laugh at me because our debt is less than $1000. They don't even help people with debt less than $10,000 most of the time. Is Care One different?

Thanks for the info, ladies!!! :hugs

We had a low debt. :thinkin I have no idea how much it is.

Did you try calling the creditors directly and saying, "Our pay is messed up. I can't make the min. payments, but I can pay $XX until JanXX when they back-pay us the pay we are owed." Or send them a letter. I sent a letter to a creditor telling them I would pay $20/mo until it was paid in full and they accepted it. I did explain we are military on a fixed income and I had no other means of income at the present time. It's worth a shot.

I don't necessarily WANT one, but I need to have a way to pay off everything at once and pay back smaller amounts, and/or actually have food and gas....preferrable while building credit. If there is another way I'd be way more interested in that :yes

ETA-If i had $200 to put down, there wouldn't be a reason to have a card. I KNOW they aren't a great idea but I'm desperate and sick to death of peanut butter.:lol

I credit card is really not the thing for you then.If you don't have the money to pay it off each time you use it then over time you will just be worst off. A loan is the best why to built some credit. I think you need some more along the lines of a debt consolidation loan to lower your payments down. I would really change your banking to USAA, get the loan through them and what you owe on your car to it so you will have that paied off as well. Then if you wnat to invest get a mutual fund.

Writing letters, and refinancing auto loan through USAA...got it. :yes

I have just bene paying what I can each check...sometimes sending $5 to some places. Not sure how much I can afford to pay, but we'll find out!!

:tysign :hugehug

Writing letters, and refinancing auto loan through USAA...got it. :yes

I have just bene paying what I can each check...sometimes sending $5 to some places. Not sure how much I can afford to pay, but we'll find out!!

:tysign :hugehug

You have to give a definite amount you can pay when you write these companies and stick with it. ;)

You have to give a definite amount you can pay when you write these companies and stick with it. ;)

:yes and just let them know hey this is all i can afford for now, this is what is happening, nine times out of ten they work with you, they would rather get their money then deal with all the other bs that goes with collecting debt.

Are you able to work Loretta??

Are you able to work Loretta??

:sadeyes I believe she has posted about that a few times on here. Not bilingual so it rules out a lot of jobs, plus daycare for Liam I believe has been more than she would make at other jobs. :(

What about working AT a daycare......it's not alot of money, but it might help..

What about working AT a daycare......it's not alot of money, but it might help..

That's a good idea. :D I did that when Aiden was a baby and we got daycare REAL CHEAP.

I have applied all over, but even daycares prefer bilingual. I'm trying to learn, but at the same time, we'll be out of here in December....so it seems like a loss. There are applications with my name on them all over this city, though.

I sell Mark. with little results...I'm spending as much as I make on buying the magalogues, but the only sales I have ever gotten were from here-three total.

Still trying! I'm going to look through our stuff tonight and see if there is anything left to sell.

What about doing daycare in your home?

:goodluck Loretta sweety:hugehug

Look into TSP.

I can't tell you much about it- all I know is, it's with the military, you can draw it out but there is a little fee, but um- its got a good interest rate if memory serves me right.

All i know is- we have been contributing a little in each pay check- and we already have a nice lump there.

I know it's not investing but it's a great savings program.

Loretta, in your current situation I would not get a CC just yet. In the future maybe but not now. If you have those debts on collection already I don't think calling will make much difference since they are in collection already (I might be wrong) but I would highly sugest you trying to pay this 1st before you even begin investing. Do you guys have your auto insurance through USAA? Big savings there.

Thanks, Shaky and CoffeeGirl :hugs

Nah, our insurance is through SafeCo. They're only about $10 a month more than USAA< but we're switching when our six months is up, anyway (december!):D

Thanks, Shaky and CoffeeGirl :hugs

Nah, our insurance is through SafeCo. They're only about $10 a month more than USAA< but we're switching when our six months is up, anyway (december!):D
you don't have to wait for your current insurance to expire, you can switch any time. :yes

Now I really feel :arg

Seriously?? :thinking I'm calling them tomorrow...

I've been concentrating so hard on making the money streeeeeetch to each thing that I haven't even thought of switching before the time is up! I assumed it was a contract for that time period, and there would be fees for switching early :dunno

:hugehug Thanks!!!

I thought you said the other day in a post, you got a STAR card from the exchange to buy a coat when it turned cold? If you were able to get a STAR card, that is a credit card and it will start building credit for you guys.

I thought you said the other day in a post, you got a STAR card from the exchange to buy a coat when it turned cold? If you were able to get a STAR card, that is a credit card and it will start building credit for you guys.

Yup, I sure did :yes The limit is $200 :lol

I was meaning more along the lines of build credit while buying what we need(aka gas and food) and you can't buy food at the PX(this one has chips, cookies, and soda), and we don't live on base.

I'm glad to know it's building credit for us, though :yes

I'm pretty sure you can pay gas on base with your Star card. I thought I would let you know just in case. I have never done it but I'm pretty sure I heard it is possible :)

I'm pretty sure you can pay gas on base with your Star card. I thought I would let you know just in case. I have never done it but I'm pretty sure I heard it is possible :)

You can, but I live almost 45 min away from the base, which makes it silly to drive there and use all that gas...just to buy some. :giggle

Thanks again for all the suggestions!! It seems we are stuck atm, though. I'm selling Mark. as hard as I can and doing everything possible to scrimp, that will have to do for now! When DFAS gets us the backpay, life will be just peachy, but they're taking their sweet time :mumble

Now I really feel :arg

Seriously?? :thinking I'm calling them tomorrow...

I've been concentrating so hard on making the money streeeeeetch to each thing that I haven't even thought of switching before the time is up! I assumed it was a contract for that time period, and there would be fees for switching early :dunno

:hugehug Thanks!!!

yup i have switched in the middle, nope there is no contract so you can switch companies any time. Usually do it when we renew just because that is about the time I realize they raised my rate, or i found something cheaper.. but I have gotten new insurance in the middle of the period.

your exchange card is good for the px, gas on base, and no it's not good at the commissary, but you can buy food, little snacks at the larger stores where the gas station is (I guess like a little shoppette or something?) I don't know Hubs buys 1 or 2 in there all the time.