subject: Settlement Debt Services And Debt Relief - Human Or Chicken? [print this page] If you're seeking debt relief, considered settlement deb services or other debt services, you've probably done many things to hide from the gross onslaught of "I want my money" notices and phone calls. We all have similar responses to this situation. Here's what I did when I found myself getting into a deep pot of boiling debt water - yuck:
Regarding Mail: I tossed the mail onto the stack without opening them. The bills literally just piled up. I figured I knew exactly what they were going to say anyway, and I didn't want to see their fees piling up because that would be more depressing (and they're nasty how they tack on their fees - it should be illegal, really!)
Regarding the Phone Calls: Of course I had an iPhone. I had all the gadgets - that's why I had all the debt. So my iPhone would tell me exactly who was calling. If I didn't know the name or the number, I didn't answer it - and there was this cool "ignore" button that made the phone stop ringing too. Only problem was I had to hit that button about 75 times per day.
Regarding the Credit Companies: I blamed them. And I still do, actually, partially at least. There really should be tighter laws. They have laws against gambling and against using drugs, they restrict who can drink beer and bet on horses, shoot they even force me to wear my seatbelt to protect me. Well, what about some financial protection?
Regarding Me: So I've learned. Cash is just best. And this is where things got tough for I had to recognize and admit to this huge mess. It was embarrassing, frustrating, angering, and depressing. So I moved out of the country for a while - which I actually recommend to be able to clear your head.
I had realized that I was in so deep that I needed to file for bankruptcy, and this is when things started to turn around. After talking to some folks about my situation, I realized I wasn't the only one in this spot and that even people who have and use credit cards appropriately still hate the damn companies with a passion. But talking to someone helped. The simple "It's not the end of the world" comment was one that jolted me back into reality. And the "You don't need those headaches anyways" was so true to the point that I've begun living my daily life by that tune.
In my situation, having lost pretty near everything but my kids, bankruptcy was the best option, but if you can stop the free-fall before it gets out of control (ie. you still have a job), a better option might be debt settlement. But one thing is for sure. In order to begin feeling better and begin your process of getting out of your mess, you need to contact a professional. Check out this site for more information: www.settlementdebtservices.org/consumercreditcounselors
