I am in deep poo. I feel like I have exhausted every option I’ve had to try and save myself from the debt I’m in, and I just can’t get away from it. Here’s why:
I’m a single, 22-year old college kid that has just moved into a new state (Arizona) and I’ve been struggling to live on my own for about a year. I am not getting support from family, and will not.
Last week, I made the decision to drop out of my classes to get a second job because I’m in real hot water as it is, but that means in six months my loans will go into payment mode.
Unfortunately, nobody is going to hire a 22-year-old skill-less girl who can only speak one language around here.
I make about 1200 a month (I apparently make a lot more, but Uncle Sam makes sure he takes out about 400 a month for taxes and Social Security, something I don’t even think I’ll get to enjoy) or a bit less. By the time my “essential” bills are paid — cell phone, rent, car note, car insurance, and the gas I require to get to work at my first job, I actually OWE the bank money in overages.
But it doesn’t stop there — that estimate doesn’t even include groceries, renter’s insurance (which I’ve been avoiding getting because of this), internet (essential for various reasons), vet care, car maintenance, or the 5 thousand dollars of credit card debt I have. Yes, I was a stupid college kid, and my dad told me to live off of them because he couldn’t support me and it took me that long to find a job. And the student loans are coming…. I need to be making TWICE what I’m making now just to break even.
I’ve tried refinancing my car. No one will touch me – again, 22 year old with no past history in the state. My bank will not offer help, and the credit card companies (even though I’ve called them and they’ve lied to me on multiple occasions) are refusing to lower my APR from 29.99% and won’t work with me to get the cards closed or put me on a payment plan. I can’t even afford the minimum payments with an APR like that, how can I ever even hope to get it paid off??? I don’t qualify for food stamps (I make too much money) or any federal aid that I know of. Going bankrupt will ruin me for the first seven years of my life, I’ll be 30 before I can twitch financially again.
If it were an option, I would break my lease and move further out where the rent is half as costly. I’m in my lease for another 10 months, but the owners announced the property was listed in bankruptcy only one month after I signed it and I have no idea what that means for me.
Anyway, I am really looking for serious advice… maybe there’s some programs I haven’t found out about, or something. This is just stupid.

A:                    How close are you to getting your degree?? If you are within a year, seems like you should continue, because when will you ever get the chance to go back?? Don’t most colleges have a student aid dept??
My brother went thru 5 yrs of college (all on student loans) – Univ of Nebr, so I don’t understand why you are unable to do the same. Have student loans been discontinued??
I wonder about some things here. Why are you at an out of state college, which is more expensive? Why aren’t you living at home & going to a local college?? Why wasn’t your student loans set up before you went to college??

A:           Maybe my advice might clash with the American way but perhaps as a student on a low budget it would make more sense to live with your parents, drive an old banger on your parents insurance, have no cellphone, pay no renters insurance, no bills and just concentrate fully on your education instead of dealing with bankrupcy issues when 22 year old.
Maybe your parents won’t/can’t help nevertheless choices and decisions would still need to be made and taken according to what you can/cannot do.
In your case you just have to redimension your expenditures as you are clearly trying to live beyond your means.

A:       Well first off bankruptcy won’t help because you only have 5k in credit card debt. Have you tried fast food or simple jobs like that. Or how about collections, or customer service you don’t have to have much if any experience in those fields. If you have a two bedroom get a roommate or see about getting in a smaller apartment at the same complex.

A:           and… I am a skilled 24 year old…with felonies…no work anytime soon…no license…quit complaining and figure it out (and u have college education?)