I'm having problems with credit card debt I need Christian advice.

[Neostarwcc]

I honestly don't know what the right section is for this.

Okay so, over the course of the last 4-5 years or so I've been stuck in constant credit card debt. I am currently a little over $2,500 in debt. It's suffocating me and it seems like there's no way out. My wife and I live off of our SSI check of $733 every month and all we can afford to pay on our credit cards is about $100 a month. With all of the interest that's accumulating it would take us about 3-4 years to pay off our current debt. And even making the $100 payments, We can't eat, we can't go out, we can't have a life, we can't buy anything. We literally cannot afford to go out and get a $3 ice cream for my 30th birthday in a few weeks.

I mean, one day my wife and I would like children and if a child came, there would be nothing we could do. I mean, we pretty much JUST started having sex again after not having much sex over the course of the last few months due to this issue.

My parents advised me to stop paying my credit cards but, it seems and feels wrong. They want me to stop paying my credit cards and put $20-$50 away every month that I'm not allowed to have from SSI because SSI limits me to just $2000 in assets.

I'm disabled so I cannot work, and the SSI office said that my wife cannot work to help me out or they'll take away parts of my check. In the end I guess we end up coming out $20 ahead. But, why would my wife go against her religious beliefs and on top of that work 40 hours a week for $20 a month? Not to mention, $20 a month isn't going to resolve our debt issue. That doesn't pay for our food. Plus, we get food stamps and rental assistance too and, they might cut THOSE if my wife got a job so I wouldn't be ahead anyway! I'd probably end up with LESS than I had before! It's like the American Government wants to encourage disabled families to live off of the system and go against the rules!

It feels massively wrong to not pay my credit cards and at the same time, steal from the government (Which is basically what putting money away is. That money is supposed to be there to help disabled people survive). God wouldn't want that from me. But, it feels like I have no other choice and I'm just stuck in a box. I want to do the right thing, I want to do what I'm 99.9% sure God wants me to do but, I don't know how to get out of this. I really don't. I made many mistakes because I'm young and stupid and I have no clue how to be set free.

I mean, people on SSI do not have this problem. It's just because I'm on SSI that this problem is going on. And to me, that's SO unfair. It shouldn't matter that I've been disabled my ENTIRE LIFE and cannot work. Why should I be punished because I was born disabled? It isn't fair!

 

[Gabriel Anton]

A lot of people are in this situation of debt servitude. The whole world's financial system is based on debt.
Governments are in deep debt, corporations and companies aswell. Just manage the debt as well as you can. Debtors who default on their debts declare bankruptcy because they don't have the ability anymore to service their debts.

If you have the ability to service your debt, service it.

 

[Neostarwcc]

The thing is, eventually I wouldn't even be able to pay minimum payments on this debt so, I feel like I can't afford to keep making payments on it and the payments that I do make in the future would just be money wasted. And, I'm too young to know what servicing is, could you explain what it is?

I mean, God would never give me a trial I cannot handle but, as of this moment it feels like, I cannot handle this trial.

 

[Cernunnos]

It may very well be true that you can't afford ice cream. That isn't fair and it isn't pleasant. The right thing to do is to pay off your debts. You or your wife may need to do a little work "under the table" to best facilitate this. Without knowing or asking what your disability is, I am sure there is something you could do to make a little money on the side. Once you get out of debt, stay out.

 

[ValleyGal]

"I mean, God would never give me a trial I cannot handle but, as of this moment it feels like, I cannot handle this trial."
God didn't give you this trial. You did, by creating the debt.

Servicing the debt means paying it off. You should make every effort to pay it off - and don't ever use your credit card again. Call the credit card company and talk about repayment. There may be options for repayment that you are unaware of.

You are fortunate. $2500 is not a lot of money - although it seems like it is for you. But comparatively, it is not a lot of money. Some people are in debt by tens of thousands and are unable to pay them off. It comes along with the "buy now, pay later" mentality of this generation.

 

[vinsight4u]

/

 

[Goodbook]

Ok ok hold on is your wife a christian?
Why are you having different beliefs from your wife?
Being disabled...im not sure its a good idea to marry and start a family if you cannot provide for your household but you do reap what you sow.
But now you in this mess with credit card so the question is, what is the debt, what did you buy with the credit card exactly? Eg was it a holiday you couldnt afford, so you put it on the card, or what, why were you using the card in the first place?
You need to cancel the card because everytime you use it you owe more on interest if you cant pay it on time. You will need go find a way to pay the whole amount off before it charges anymore. Talk to the bank who gave you the card or your bank manager.

DO NOT GET ANOTHER CARD TO PAY OFF THE CREDIT CARD.

We serve a God whom we can ask to forgive our debts, as we forgive those who have debts against us. So maybe start with prayer. Forgive someone who owes you, and you may be forgiven.

Then live within your means and sin no more.

 

[Mudinyeri]

That isn't fair .... Without knowing or asking what your disability is, I am sure there is something you could do to make a little money on the side.

A. Life isn't fair. We have no reasonable expectation that it will be or should be.
B. In the OP's case, "a little money on the side" is called fraud.

Beyond that ...

I can't understand refusing to work (wife) for $733 a month. Even at minimum wage, pre-tax income would be about $1800 a month. The family would still receive some portion of the disability payment. And, unless the OP is 100% disabled, there is no reason that he couldn't also get some kind of job. Of course, this would mean that the disability payment would probably go away entirely. I know people who've lost limbs, eyesight, hearing, etc. who still work.

The long and the short of it is that you (OP) need to generate more income and reduce spending. One or the other will not solve your problem.

I was born dirt poor, got myself into debt and got back out again. It took sacrifice and LOTS of hard work. The answer to the OP's question isn't particularly complicated.

 

[ValleyGal]

What kind of religious beliefs don't allow a wife to work>>> In the Bible it talks about the ideal wife of noble character (Pr. 31). This ideal wife worked hard on a home based business, sold what she made, used the money to buy a piece of land, and ended up with all kinds of employees, servants, and different business ventures. Not only was she employed, but she was self employed! And it was accepted in the community because her husband was well-respected. He would not have respect from the community if his wife were doing anything untoward. As well, there were numerous other women in the Bible who worked - one was even appointed a judge over all Israel!

And your wife does not want to work.... so that means that the rest of America needs to pay for your wife to have her religious beliefs. Now whose life isn't fair>>>

 

[Boidae]

A. Life isn't fair. We have no reasonable expectation that it will be or should be.
B. In the OP's case, "a little money on the side" is called fraud.

Beyond that ...

I can't understand refusing to work (wife) for $733 a month. Even at minimum wage, pre-tax income would be about $1800 a month. The family would still receive some portion of the disability payment. And, unless the OP is 100% disabled, there is no reason that he couldn't also get some kind of job. Of course, this would mean that the disability payment would probably go away entirely. I know people who've lost limbs, eyesight, hearing, etc. who still work.

The long and the short of it is that you (OP) need to generate more income and reduce spending. One or the other will not solve your problem.

I was born dirt poor, got myself into debt and got back out again. It took sacrifice and LOTS of hard work. The answer to the OP's question isn't particularly complicated.

I'm curious as to where you live that minimum wage would give you $1800 before taxes?

I just did $8.00 an hour, which is 75 cents above federal minimum wage at 40 hour per week x4 and came up with $1280 per month before taxes.

As I said I am just curious.

 

[Mudinyeri]

I'm curious as to where you live that minimum wage would give you $1800 before taxes?

I just did $8.00 an hour, which is 75 cents above federal minimum wage at 40 hour per week x4 and came up with $1280 per month before taxes.

As I said I am just curious.

Most states and many municipalities have implemented minimum wage requirements in lieu of a federal increase. In Nebraska, where I live, the minimum wage is $9.00/hr. That equals $1560 per month working a 40 hour work week. In Washington D.C., the minimum wage is $10.50/hr. In California and Massachusetts, the minimum wage is $10.50/hr.

Your math is off because you only multiplied by four weeks per month. The correct way to calculate monthly income at an hourly rate is to multiply the hourly rate by 2080 hours per hear and then divide by twelve.

 

[Boidae]

Most states and many municipalities have implemented minimum wage requirements in lieu of a federal increase. In Nebraska, where I live, the minimum wage is $9.00/hr. That equals $1560 per month working a 40 hour work week. In Washington D.C., the minimum wage is $10.50/hr. In California and Massachusetts, the minimum wage is $10.50/hr.

Your math is off because you only multiplied by four weeks per month. The correct way to calculate monthly income at an hourly rate is to multiply the hourly rate by 2080 hours per hear and then divide by twelve.

Here in Florida it is only $8.05. I was only using the federal as it's the one I knew off-hand. If I use your calculations that still comes out to only $1,395.33.

With that said, I work at a Amazon Sort Center and make $11.50 an hour and only work 20 hour weeks if I am lucky. I am guaranteed 18 hours and if we don't make 18 hours, they pay the difference.

 

[Mudinyeri]

Here in Florida it is only $8.05. I was only using the federal as it's the one I knew off-hand. If I use your calculations that still comes out to only $1,395.33.

With that said, I work at a Amazon Sort Center and make $11.50 an hour and only work 20 hour weeks if I am lucky. I am guaranteed 18 hours and if we don't make 18 hours, they pay the difference.

I can't think of a single, entry-level job locally that only pays $9.00/hr. (Nebraska minimum wage). Even the fast food places are offering as much as $11.00/hr to get and keep workers.

So, let's use your number to (re)make my point. If you could make $1395.33 pre-tax (and probably not pay even the minimum tax) and also keep some portion of your $733 monthly disability payment, would you do so to get out of debt?

 

[Boidae]

I can't think of a single, entry-level job locally that only pays $9.00/hr. (Nebraska minimum wage). Even the fast food places are offering as much as $11.00/hr to get and keep workers.

So, let's use your number to (re)make my point. If you could make $1395.33 pre-tax (and probably not pay even the minimum tax) and also keep some portion of your $733 monthly disability payment, would you do so to get out of debt?

I never questioned that. I was just curious about your numbers.

BTW, here in Florida, there are entry-level jobs that absolutely pay less than $9.00. I worked at Legoland and they paid me $7.67 an hour, which was the minimum wage at that point. They have probably upped it to $8.05, but still, it's under $9.00. Florida is a whole 'nother ball game when it comes to pay rates it seems. I'm not saying that there aren't decent paying jobs out there (just look at my pay as a part-time employee), just that there are still jobs out there that do not pay their employees enough to live on.

 

[Mudinyeri]

... just that there are still jobs out there that do not pay their employees enough to live on.

That's not the intent. Entry-level (minimum wage) jobs provide someone the ability to build their work experience (in the absence of any real experience or skills) and move on to a job that does pay enough to live on.

 

[Cernunnos]

A. Life isn't fair. We have no reasonable expectation that it will be or should be.
B. In the OP's case, "a little money on the side" is called fraud.

A. Yeah, OP's situation isn't fair but it is life, which was my point.
B. Taxation is theft, semantics is a sport I am going to make a snack rather than play right now.

 

[Goodbook]

If you have debt the best idea is to pay it off as soon as you can and sometimes that involves finding a job that can pay it off as well as budgeting, check that you aren't spending on unnecessary items.
If you didn't realise that credit cards charge an insane amount of interest for the amount you borrow on it if you are late paying, well let that be a lesson.

Ask God to help you in your working life. The things is credit card debt is easily avoided, if you don't have a card in the first place or are diligent about paying it off each month. You can't live beyond your means it won't work.

 

[Goodbook]

just reading this again, I don't live in america so not sure about all the ins and outs of the system, but...If you are married and are disabled, why would that stop your wife from working. Unless your wife is looking after you, does she need to be a caregiver and thats how you both get SSI?

Was this debt something you got into before you got married or after. I think it would help to know what exactly the debt was for.

Also, it would seem a bit weird if you on SSI to have a bank offer you a credit card. Banks usually give those to people who have a certain amount in their accounts that they can be sure can afford to pay it off. But it could have been one of those random credit cards not given by your bank. If the two are from the same bank then def talk to your manager.

With God nothing is impossible, don't despair. You and your wife BOTH need to pray about this. If you seek his Kingdom and righteousness first, all things will be added unto you.

 

[Goodbook]

Another thing might be you have to sell one of your assets.

Jesus did say to sell all you have and go follow him, its not bad advice. Maybe you have something worth $2500. It could be broken jewellery - the gold can be sold. Do you have a car thats nobody's using - or something else. Maybe you could make something.

If you cannot work, explain that to the bank, sometimes a bank manager may be sympathetic to your situation. You don't know if you don't ask.

 

[Boidae]

just reading this again, I don't live in america so not sure about all the ins and outs of the system, but...If you are married and are disabled, why would that stop your wife from working. Unless your wife is looking after you, does she need to be a caregiver and thats how you both get SSI?

Was this debt something you got into before you got married or after. I think it would help to know what exactly the debt was for.

Also, it would seem a bit weird if you on SSI to have a bank offer you a credit card. Banks usually give those to people who have a certain amount in their accounts that they can be sure can afford to pay it off. But it could have been one of those random credit cards not given by your bank. If the two are from the same bank then def talk to your manager.

With God nothing is impossible, don't despair. You and your wife BOTH need to pray about this. If you seek his Kingdom and righteousness first, all things will be added unto you.

In the US, if someone is on SSI, the income that their household brings in beyond the SSI check can lower the amount of or eliminate the SSI check altogether. If it was an SSDI check, then the person would be in the clear as it doesn't matter how much your household makes, could be a trillion dollars, you still get the check as it's based off of your work credits. SSI checks can be gotten by a child that has never worked in their life, or an adult who has never worked in their life. SSDI checks however, you must have earned enough credits in a 10 year period to be eligible for SSDI benefits.

**Just as a FYI, SSI=Supplemental Security Income. Where as SSDI=Social Security Disability Insurance.