>Dennis:
>>Look, buddy, I'm an academic who is unemployed, with *zero* job prospects
>>despite tons of skills, a bunch of credit card bills staring me in the
>>face and $86,000 of student loan debt accumulating at 8% rates of
>>interest, so I really don't need a lecture about how I'm a member of some
>>kind of privileged class.
>
>Just ignore the lectures, that's what I do even though I'm not an
>academic. As for the credit card bills, try watching Fight
>Club.
Or file for bankruptcy, before it's too late!
I generally never give financial advice, but in this case I'll make an exception: anyone who has big credit card debts should seriously consider filing for bankruptcy - today. Even if there were no change in the code impending, that'd be a sensible option, but now that they're about to tighten the process substantially, it's more sensible than ever.
Years ago, I interviewed Charles Juntikka, then the #2 bankruptcy lawyer in Manhattan after Jacoby & Meyers. He described people coming to his office at the end of their ropes, in tears. He said he'd tell them something like: "Fuck 'em. They're leeches. They're bleeding you. Don't torture yourself over them. File!" Immense relief would fill their minds and bodies, the tears would stop, and deserving creditors would soon get stiffed.
Doug