Everwhere is walking distance if you have the time

[ClingingToHope]

Chapter 7.

Originally, Barb challenged me to get a second job.

Let's see. I have my full-time job.

I write blog posts for my sister.

I run the scoreboard in the winter for a high school.

I used to -- there's an issue this year -- to work eight weekends a summer at running races.

The running race gig is in peril so today I've been calling around to see if I could umpire little league games. Doing the math, I need an extra $400 to $600 over the summer to bridge the gap until the high school scorekeeping starts again in the fall.

I don't think lack of effort is the issue.

Look, I write about personal finance and bankruptcy so this is a huge embarrassment. It's going to follow me forever. I wouldn't have done it if there was any other way to climb out before the girls are off to college.

I track everything and there was no way. My XW makes $10k more a year than I do and now I give her an additional $11k. It's frustrating that the debt she ran up sank me. I'm trying not to dwell.

And Barb now that I've made the decision, if it upsets you that I plan to put money away towards my girls' college education and take them on vacation, I can't help that and I won't apologize.

Your kids are only kids once and my XW chose to take half their childhood from me. I wasn't going to eat ramen noodles for 10 years and sit home every summer because of debt she compiled.

I did not write off my car loan or legal bills even though I could have. Those were my debts. I wrote off the ones she ran up and stuck me with.

The main problem with bankruptcy is that people don't change their habits after they file. They just continue to wrack up debt again.

That's not the case with me. I hate debt and borrowing. I married someone who has to have things now and I caved the last three years we were married hoping she'd snap out of her funk.

I don't plan on ever having a car payment again. I don't plan on paying a cent of credit card interest again. I need a new couch and computer. I'll buy them after I've saved enough to pay cash.

The accident settlement will be divvied up into the various savings funds, college accounts and quite a bit set aside for emergencies.

It's a done issue anyway. Filed and finished.