This is a great thread, Mike.
There have been so many of these times in my life ... I hope that I have seen the last of them.
Here is one that might give others some encouragement that it really
can all work out.
I had two years of college left when we bought This D*mn House. (We had to sell the family "homestead" which was paid for. It was in a rapidly deteriorating neighborhood and while it was a nice house, and worth more than many others there, if we didn't get out soon, it would be worth nothing.) We had to take on a house payment. Gulp!
Things were good -- for a year. Then my mom lost her job. She had a hard time trying to find a new one. (Reaganomics.) It looked like I was going to have to drop out of school and work full time. (I was already working multiple jobs, but to pay for school and help out a little at home.)
I guess it was good that I knew about penny-pinching. It came in handy then! At one point, I had to take EVERY cent we had to the power company. They would not work with me on the bill. The phone company did. Even the bank did, adding a few house payments to the end of our mortgage so we wouldn't be in arrears. I took on more hours at my jobs, and stayed in school. We spent as little as possible on groceries. We went nowhere. Did nothing ... for months. I admit, I really was ready to walk away from everything. Quit.
The same week that my mom would have gotten some unemployment, she got a job. (Murphy's Law at its finest.) Fast forward to 2008 ...
There have been a few speedbumps between then and now. Bad financial choices. Serious health issues. And I had a sh*t job for 12 years after college but got a great job almost 8 years ago. Mom and I were just talking about it the other night. I'm proud to say I have almost doubled my income during that time. And just a few weeks ago, I ...
sent in the
last payment on the house! We own it. (Well, along with Uncle Sam. You have to still pay taxes.
) The house we almost didn't have.
Sorry this is so long ... Hope it's encouraging to someone!