(((((((((((((Sleeps)))))))))))))))),

I can so relate to you. The bill collectors can be so horrible to speak to.....I know I am in dept up to my eyes. I have had medical bills since 1994 that haven't been paid......then during that time, my husband would put things on the credit cards that we had when we were both working engineers with an income over $100,000/year. We are now both without our engineering careers never to go back to it either.

They are all so mean, rude, & plane nasty. I have gotten to the point where the bills come in & I just put them into a pile. Luckily the only phone # they have is our home phone. I have gotten to the point where I have disconnected my home phone (only used for my husbands internet connection now). When it is connected, all I get are calls from bill collectors. I won't even answer that phone anymore......& would delete every call from my answer machine.

I know for me that everytime I would actually answer their calls, I would be so stressed after it I couldn't function......even listening to them on the answer machine stresses me....but the feeling of being able to delete them helps in a very strange way. Listening to the person you talked to would have really set my anxiety & stress off really bad too.

I agree with twisted soul to stop the payment on that check.....no need to have a charge for insufficient funds from your bank when you know the money won't be there. I have been lucky in that the only bills I have been able to keep up with are my first & second on my home, the utilities, & insurance payments on my cars & above all, my $900/month on my migraine med. Eating takes last place just above the not paying any medical or credit card bills (which are years past due).

If we didn't feel stress, anxiety, or depression before this, there is no way we could avoid those feelings when dealing with the jerks that are trying to collect. For some reason, they just don't understand the words......"there is no money!!!!!!!". Our survival is the most important thing & paying for the things we need to survive even cost more than the money that comes in for 1 month.

Your post really hit home when I read it.......realizing how similar you sound to what I am going through too.

I hope that things can go more smoothly for you....you don't need this stress on top of everything else. If it is possible to refinance to lower the payment....might be a possible help, but I am guessing if you are like me, the money just isn't there.......lower payment or not.

Take care,
Debbie