Wednesday, August 08, 2007

Paying for the Past

We have some very old bills from hubby's past (as in 1982) that are biting us in the proverbial rear. We are paying two of them in full this week along with a down payment on a third. In a week we will have two more to pay off. The largest one will be there for years and there is little that we can do about it. At least we are doing something to eliminate the problem.

We learn in life and I hope that hubby has learned a major lesson here so that we can move on and move forward.

5 comments:

Kim C. said...

Hi,
I didn't see an email address, so hope you don't mind me leaving a comment about this: would you mind doing a small update to the code for the Frugal Blogroll?
The Blogroll has been moved to a new site, Frugal Hacks, so the "Join Here" link needs to point there as well. The new url is http://frugalhacks.com/?page_id=65.
If you have any frugal tips or creative money-saving ideas you'd like to share, just click on Submit Your Hack
Thanks!
Kim

Unknown said...

Those bills are 25 years old!! Unless they are tax bills, they are WAY beyond the statue of limitations for collections, and should NOT be on your credit report! Paying them only makes them stick around for ANOTHER 7 years!!!

Kali said...

Thank you for your comments Maureen, however, from what I've learned, in the state of Virginia, they can put a hold on your driver's license until the old items are paid. Without a driver's license, hubby cannot work. They also charged us interest for those 25 years. It is crazy but the alternative is expensive attorney's fees and travels to other states.

Anonymous said...

Kali:
Email me please before you pay anymore of those old bills.

yep.its.buff@gmail.com

Lynne said...

Hi Kali!
Came across your web site through "Like Merchant Ships"
The word "Pixie" got me curious so I checked you out! You see one of my favorite Christmas ornaments is an anqiue gold pixie that sits on the tree branch. I was my beloved grandmother's and I cherish everything I have of hers. Anyway...I read through all of your posts and said "WOW". I have been through the very same stuff!
1. the husband's old bills ( I met him in 1982, married in 1983, paid off old hospital bill from near-fatal car wreck and hospitalization(he was hit head on by a drunk driver, laws are better now, he didn't get anything)in 1984. And the wreck was in 1976!
2. always suffered wierd bouts of aches, pains and exhaustion off and on for years. was told by dr. it was fibromiagia. no treatment, just lots and lots of rest.
3. I worked a corporate-type job also for three years. My co-workers spend most of their time playing on the computer and taking smoking breaks outside. I don't smoke, therefor, no tons of breaks outside, didn't drink alot, so I could make it in to work on Monday mornings, not in bed with a weekend hangover like my co-workers, didn't cuss like a sailor so I didn't scream foul words when my computer would mess up or use f--- twelve times in a sentence. I didn't much care for the times that people(I forgot to tell you that my office was only women) would yell to inform you when they had some type of body function and make louder burps than most guys I know. I didn't spend foolishly on lunches out everyday, expensive clothes( mine were fashionable on a budget. I always looked nice), booze and cigarettes. I, too only went out when the corporation paid.
They thought I was wierd because I put my family first, I didn't cheat on my husband and I didn't neglect my children. I did'nt voice my disgust in these women because I needed to be pleasant and quiet to keep peace at my workplace. Needless to say, I didn't fit in.
4. I got sicker...got Parvovirus( Fifth Disease)at 41. This disease imitated Rheumatoid Arthitis. So there were most days I was in alot of pain and had trouble moving. But I kept on working. My rheumatologist said I picked it up from a child who had the red cheeks that threw up in front of me at Walgreens, plus I was under a ton of stress at work because my boss was going into her manic depressive "no talking" to me for weeks at a time...and I was her assistant! When I would ask a question about a claim, she'd act as if she was going to kill me. And when I would ask her what was wrong or was she ok, she would say to me "I don't know what you mean"
(try to think of the Meryl Streep's character in "The Devil Wears Prada"...that was my crazy
boss) I kept on working hard. So hard in fact that I lifted a heavy bankers box and felt a bad pain in my ribs on my right side. With my body wierdness, I was in so much pain in those ribs I thought I'd broken one. My boss sent me to the emergency room because it was very painful to breathe. X-ray showed no break, dr. said I probably bruised a rib. They wrapped me so I could breathe alittle better and sent me home with pain meds. Went to work next day, boss said to file a workmen's comp claim to pay for emergency room, xray etc. So I did. Bills were paid. Same crap at work.
One day I couldn't find a file ( the one and only time). The next day I worked all morning on getting all the files perfect and plus my other work. At noon I was called into her office and told I was fired because my illness was causing problems(were they worried I would have another work comp?)
I was told in a very mean way to give her my key and get my things and get out. Felt like a criminal. I had worked my a-- off for that woman for three years! Unemployment--yes.
5. I am presently not working and my health has improved alot. The kids (16 and 21) and the dog like that I am home. The husband, not so sure. He has become somewhat of a little slob too. The fact I'm not working, does that mean I have to follow him around and pick up his mess? No way.
6. I am on a frugal quest. I would like to be able to stay at home so I do what I can to follow the frugal lifestyle ( I am an Aldi Queen too!) But I will probably have to get a job when unemployment runs out.

Sorry this comment is sooooo long but since we can't do lunch, I felt I had to tell you that we are all in the same boat. Yes, we get depressed sometimes but times get better. I am on a good medication and I am mostly pain-free. I've gained some weight(not happy) but I feel great! So, Kali, I will be checking your site daily because I feel as if we are old friends with so many experiences in common. Hope you are feeling good and have a great day.
Thanks!
Lynne