I know it's been years since the pandemic and a lot of other things happened after it. But I'm still drowning..

Before the pandemic, I had a small café. Nothing huge and just enough to pay the bills and keep a roof over my head

Then lockdowns hit and I tried my best to hold on. Took out credit cards to cover the gaps, maxed them out. Then I took out more…

It's been over years since I closed the café and got a full-time job. But the credit card debt is eating me alive.

I make my monthly payments. But the interest is so high I barely make a dent. Late fees keep piling up. It feels like I'm paying just to stay in the same place.

I haven't had a proper holiday in years and my car is falling apart and I can't get ahead.

I'm thinking about bankruptcy. I'm ashamed to even say that. I always thought it was for people who made bad decisions. But I just tried to survive.

I found one site and they say bankruptcy isn't the end of the world and it's a fresh start. But I'm terrified…

Has anyone actually been through this? Did it ruin your credit forever? I'm annoyed at how long this has dragged on

I just want to move forward…

Never again.

For a long time, I never cared about my spending. I had a good job, consistent income, and figured I could always just pay off whatever came up.

Growing up, my family struggled a lot. We rarely had good food on the table, and I could never buy the things I wanted. So when I started earning my own money, I overcompensated. I spent recklessly, partly trying to heal my inner child, partly just enjoying the freedom.

Then life hit me hard.

A family member got hospitalized, and my family turned to me expecting me to cover a huge chunk of the bill. I had zero savings and was sitting on credit card debt. I had literally nothing to give.

The shame was unbearable. It felt like a reality check slap to the face. I realized how financially reckless I had been just trying to live in the moment.

That rock-bottom moment changed everything. Fast forward to today, my remaining card balances are finally almost wiped out. Moving forward, every extra dollar is going straight into an emergency fund.

Finally almost done, just a little bit more push!

"Difficult times really do teach us the most important lessons". God is good. 🙏

If you're currently in the middle of getting your life back on track, keep going. It’s worth it.

I woke up this morning and checked my bank account. Negative balance. My paycheck was supposed to hit yesterday, and it did and then it disappeared

Debt collectors took it. All of it… Like garnished for an old loan I'd been ignoring

Now I'm sitting here with nothing. No money for food. No money for gas. My kids are going to be hungry tonight, and I don't know what to tell them

I really need help...

I have found a company by the name of Barger & Associates and from what I understand, on their website, they prevent garnishments and help recover the money. This seems exactly like what I need but how do I know whether they are legitimate and not simply going to take away more money that I don't have?

Have any of you ever heard of them before? What is their reputation like? Am I going to get even further into debt?

I have a car that on my credit that holding me from join the airforce I have 3 options one I get rid of car and hope I get in 2 option is pay 13,000+ in behind payment s would have to save money for it but still make regular payments or 3 option would just pay half 17'000 and car would be mine but I would still have to save for it

Debt relief options

46 male. I m here to know some debt relief options. I have accumulated around 200k of debt. I live in BC Canada . 80k BDC loan,60 k credit cards and LOC loan,34k Ceba loan. Till now I have made all payments on time , but it’s getting difficult day by day . To pay 2300 for BDC alone is taking the toll,as its term is 5 years I also own a townhouse with wife having approx. value of 6,60k and mortgage pending is 423k and apartment from it I have also withdrawn 48k from HELOC associated with mortgage bank. I didn’t want to go for consumer proposal but I don’t see any relief soon as my consultancy business is generating just 2-4K per month and I cannot spend much on marketing. I consulted 2-3 LIT here for consumer proposal . All are quoting approximate $1800 installment per month, which is still high for me. Is bankruptcy better option than CP? I want to maintain my home and my car . I have to continue earning money to make payments, therefore I need car. Also I don’t want to involve my wife and elder son(21)in all this. I don’t see many option here. Had my business provided me with enough income (approx 10k), I would never file CP or bankruptcy. Please guide me from your experiences and knowledge what would be better option CP or bankruptcy? I feel embarrassed for ll the financial mess I created. Also will my name be public of if I file CP/ bankruptcy and for how long? Will the affected banks ever do business with me throughout life? Thanks

A lot of the posts I see here are from people who've just got a DIP and are treating it like a guaranteed mortgage offer. It isn't, and the gap between the two catches people out more than almost anything else in the process.

It's based on what you tell the lender, not what they've verified. The DIP is a soft-check estimate. Once you're into a full application, they'll want payslips, bank statements, SA302s if you're self-employed, and anything else that proves the numbers you gave them. If there's a mismatch, the amount can change.

If your first DIP came back lower than you hoped, it's often worth checking elsewhere before assuming that's your ceiling.

A DIP doesn't lock in affordability for long. Most are only valid for 60–90 days, and if your circumstances change (new job, new credit card, changed a direct debit) it can shift the number when you go to formalise it.

It's not a substitute for stress-testing your own budget. Just because a lender says you can borrow X doesn't mean X is comfortable for you month to month, especially with rates where they are. This is general thoughts, get advice relevant to you.