Bad news comes in droves instead of 3's for me apparently.
Long story short (long story can be viewed down the page if you are really that curious),due to some unexpected bad news and expenses I am broke and asked my mom for $ and now she wants me to "cut costs"...meaning get rid of all my animals...and possibly my horse.
No. Way.
Thats like asking a mother to put her children up for adoption, right now.
I can't possibly imagine losing my wonderful animals that give me so much joy and love in my house let alone fathom losing my courageous, beautiful, sweet, strong ponyface.
I feel like it can't get any worse right now. But I know it can, still though.
I love my mom and appreciate her help...but man, I just can't :(
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Ok for the LONG STORY if anyone wants to know.
Bad news #1
I am in college, most know this. I pay for college with financial aid through the VA, benefits from my mother serving in Iraq. She gives me the benefits graciously, since she has no need for the money. Thank you mom!
Anyways, the benefits expired in June. We were not aware of this and I continued living like normal. Now, 2 weeks from Fall semester, I find out that I have a hold on my account due and no stipend to past due tuition. WHAT?
I owe over $12, 000...tuition the VA usually pays. Since it is automatic payments, I never think anything of it. Usually, there is a delay in payments, since there are so many cases to handle, but my University withdraws holds from VA students automatically since they know the payments from the VA take longer. I saw the hold, and assumed it would go away in 3 days, per usual, since this always happens. However, EXPIRED benefits are different from WAITING on benefits. I had to re-apply for another year, and that can take months....
The biggest, worst part of that is I depend on is my living stipend, whihc is substantial. I did not come through August 1st like it should have. I know I could not have pets, or my horse, but they are my life. Always have been. Since I am in college, when class is in session, I cannot work full time like I do in summer (and even then, I make minimum wage), so I depend on that stipend.
I budgeted my $ for that (the stipend to come through) to happen....I am now FLAT broke. Like, $90 in my account.
Bad news #2
Since I overdrafted, I now owe over $400 to my bank...
Bad news #3
Cheryl kicking me out...that took care of $400 worth of expenses, me being able to work that off...now that adds $400 worth of expenses a month.
Bad news#4-6
We got raped on our electric bill, no thanks to my management here at my appartments. I have been telling them, SOMETHING IS FREAKING WRONG with my AC unit and is running my electric bill up to massive amounts. Last month it was $193. We turned the AC up to 75 deg instead of 65 deg and keep all our lights off (my apartment is like a cave, haha). Apparently, this did not help since our bill this month was...$298!!!!!! WTF!!!! For a 600sq/ft apartment. My mom has a 3 story, 14 bedroom house and keeps her house at 60 and she doesn't even top $150. FML.
Also, our manangement is redoing the parking lots. They gave us diagrams and dates of work, so that we could move our vehicles accordingly. I stuck strictly to it, since I could not afford a tow. WELLLLL, they did an area early, and didn't tell anyone and lo-and-behold my truck got towed. Awesome, guys. Real excellent.
ON TOP OF ALLLL THAT, our lease expires in October and we have to renew it. Our apartment complex got bought out by a different company. This company is a bunch of bigot racist money whores and I am quite upset with the whole business. They are in the process of kicking out all the people they don't like, even if they are approved (aka families on welfare) and only accepting young, white college aged students. OUR ISSUE arises with the lease renewal. They are making us RE_effing_APPLY and charging us $520 in expenses, app fees and whatnot...thats not even counting the new lease price or the new parking fee...what the fuuuuh!? We've lived here a YEAR and never once been late on rent...some months we even paid extra so the next month we would have a step up...
Bad news #7
Schoolbooks are expensive.
FML.
Oh no...I'm so sorry:( This will pass, but there's nothing like life kicking the shit out of you to do you in. Hang in there lady!
ReplyDelete:-( That sucks big time.
ReplyDeleteWay big time. I'm sorry. Hugs.
Ok...time to break these things down lady. I know right now everything seems unmanageable and out of control and you are probably sick from thinking about it, but...
ReplyDelete*Overdraft: call the bank and ask them to take off the fees. Often if you are usually in good standing with them they can do this. If the person you talk to says no, ask for a manager. They may still charge for the original overdraft, but not all the compounded fees (Yes, I am speaking from experience)
*Talk to your utility company about two things... one, if they will put you on a payment plan due to financial hardship, or two, if they can set you up for a flat rate for the year (they base this on an average from 12 months worth of service) -- you'll have no more surprises. You'd be surprised how reasonable they can be about working out a deal.
*Can you talk to your school about getting a loan or some other sort of financial aid in the meantime?
*Lastly, it sounds like what the new owners of your complex are doing is VERY illegal. Look up tenant law for your area and see where you stand.
Point is, take one thing at a time and see where you stand. Write everything down and start checking things off. Also, don't be afraid or embarrassed to reach out to your community (blog/horse/otherwise) for some financial support. Seriously.
**All of this coming from the girl who gave up horses for the year to have her teeth fixed. My Savings account keeps draining and my teeth are slowly getting better (as I type this I have gauze in my mouth from an extraction and this morning I had a crown done -- booooo).
Totally sucks. I definitely made some lifestyle changes to be able to keep my horse (and dog and cats) while attending vet school - one of which was to give up lessons and showing indefintiely - problably until I'm out of school a couple of years. I went thorugh my undergrad without pets, and I vowed I would do vet school with pets - they just make a huge difference.
ReplyDeleteIt gives me the willies to think about something happening to my finacial aid and the bills not being paid for the fall semester. No way I could come up with the 26K needed.....
apartment managers suck. It sounds like they are being blatant enough you might ahve recourse. it takes time and (sometimes) money - something you may or may not have the luxury of. Have you started your term yet? Mine starts Monday, but I know a lot of other people are later.
So sorry!
Ugh. Too much stress!!!
ReplyDeleteOMG, that is a lot on your plate.
ReplyDeleteAnd yeah, text books.. that's why I didn't buy any, unless I REALLY needed them. Still passed school without them.
Wow that totally sucks! Can you apply for financial aid through school? I don't have any experience with any of the things you're going through so I'm not much help, but I'm here to encourage you and offer suggestions when I can. Hang in there and remember it will always get better. That's the only thing that got me through the beginning of this year. Think positive and take deep breaths. Please keep us updated.
ReplyDeleteWill it completely mess with your curriculum if you were to take the semester off? I only say that because time is running out before the semester is to begin and it sounds like you have a lot to work through.
ReplyDeleteMaybe you can take the time to find a full time position and stock some money away for future bumps in the road. Just a thought.
I know many people in similar situations that took time off during school. It is not ideal...but it is better then killing yourself trying to make things hurry along.