I think you have gotten some good advice, although I dont' see exercise on that list. Exercise actually helps the immune system, directly, by speeding up the movement of lymph throughout the body, which is pumped like blood through movement, rather than through a central pump. If you feel a cold coming on, treat it with liquids, and not so much "real food." Drink a load of water, at least the requirement, and keep going when ill. This actually helps with my allergies. So, when a cold is coming on, in addition to water, drink hot and/or salty drinks. Most bacteria cannot survive 5% salt, and heat denatures virus proteins. Denatured proteins can "survive" though. Sugar also helps, like salt, because it's not the salt that kills, but osmosis. Acid can help, as well. Now, excuse me, as I need to follow my own advice for my sinus/ear infection. :glare:

I see I'm not alone in my thinking.

This is harrassment, and I wouldn't stand for it, a moment longer! Tell them to stop calling you, and if they don't, you will either not drive their daughter again, or you will contact a lawyer. Um...:glare:...yeah! The other thing you can do is to turn off the phone for a bit.

I think that the fact that it doesn't look like anything you can find to fit the symptoms and that it is bothering her, that is reason enough to take her to the doctor. I hate to be so short, but I honestly can't think of anything else to tell you. I hope it is nothing serious, but better to be safe...

:lol: I was thinking the same. Actually, I was still hoping she was here, as the hurricanes hit and we haven't had contact in ages. Amy, I hope all is well. For those who remember, I am ReginaG.

I thought of this. In fact, I have an Excel budget set up from last semester. It's in Excel 2007, but I can save as 2003 if needed, if you'd like that Joanne.

The computer programs are great for my husband, but not for me. I like to get hands-on with my money. This involves me so that I can do what the founder of Kinko's does: write out your budget on the back of an envelope. In a pinch, you know exactly how much money you have this way. Nothing beats it, and no one will take money from you if you do this. However, I know that money is overwhelming for some, but if there is any way you can do without a program to do much of it for you, I suggest it. I even prefer to send checks by mail to automatic withdrawals. Does this do for a philosophy? :lol: Whatever method you choose, I hope that the crises subside long enough for you to get a little tucked away so that you don't feel quite so out of control.

I've always thought that Suze Orman made a lot of sense. Perhaps your $1500 is a little impractical for the time being. Could you do half? I know you've been through survival, from your post, and you developed skills then that can help you now. Do without some things. However, if your family never does without, either, that will tank you, like being on a diet. Everyone needs to pitch in to help save the money. Save coinage from cash purchases, balance books down to the penny (without obsessing). I would offer my other practical tips, but I have a feeling you know most of them. Employ as many tricks as you can, cut anything and find alternatives. For instance, it's cheaper to buy a $5 DVD than to have Blockbuster Online, for us. We don't do cable, though, so I would like to have BbO in place of that. Cut some items/services, temporarily. Internet is very difficult to give up, but if you've been eyeing Dish Network instead of cable, for example, cut cable until Dish has a really great deal where you get everything in the package. I suspect that you know all this, but just need a little encouragement and a memory jog. :grouphug:

Sounds like stir-fry to me. :D I had tofu-eggplant something-or-other at Panda Express. It was yummy!

Merry, Tenacity is key to this endeavor. When you call, you may get a stick-in-the-mud to talk to. No worries, either call back or ask to speak to a supervisor. Tell them you have gotten overwhelmed and behind and really want to work it out. If this is the first debt, tell them that they are your priority and you really want to get back in good faith with them--don't tell them you're going to cancel the card, if you haven't. If you have canceled the card (hooray!), they seem to be a little more helpful. In fact, if I remember correctly, there are efforts the card companies use, especially if they are a large company. For instance, Citi closed our account already, and we paid so much, then they allowed us to go into forebearance. Be careful with forebearance, though. It's easy to become dependent on it. If you ask, they will tell you their own plan for helping you out in times of difficulty. If they don't, I would consider some way to get out of paying them a dime more, even if it's the bad idea of opening a new card with another company and paying that one off. Yes, you can do this, especially if your DH is really willing to work on it. However, I had more success with the calls than my husband did, so perhaps you should be the one to make the calls.

Don't dispair. He could decide he's ready, because you've shown him the proverbial door. I didn't teach my younger dd, my oldest did, and my younger one took my son to the bathroom. My MIL bribed with M&M's. :glare: But, hey, it worked for her.

I used to post here as ReginaG, but haven't reintroduced myself. I battled debt a few years ago, so I just have some practical tips to offer. Don't spend more money to get out of debt. Credit counseling is an awful robber if you have one of the two of you who is decent with money. I caught a tidbit from a book at a bookstore where I worked that gave this advice: Pay off the smallest amount first. If you have 5 cards and the smallest amount you owe is $300, pay that one off first. Pay the minimum on all the others. If you can't even pay the minimum, see about going into forebearance on one or two. Try to free up two to three times the minimum payment of the smallest debt. Once you pay the smallest off (and try to do a pay-off before the final payment comes due, because they sometimes will reduce the amount left to pay), take the amount you were paying on this one, add it to the next smallest debt's minimum payment and pay that every month until it is gone. Keep going through these until you are able to pay off the final card. Say all the cards are $25 minimum, you're paying $50 until it's gone. The second card, you will be sending $75, third $100, fourth $125...you get the idea. If you send $75 a month on the first one, it will benefit you more, of course, and you'll only be paying for four months. Then, if your next lowest debt is $500, say, you'll pay 100/month and that will only be a nother 5 months. If the last card is still in forebearance, save the money and send a lump sum. Call before you do and see if the amount will be reduced because of "early pay-off" or whatever. I had that benefit on a couple of our debts. Call any creditor before you get behind on your plan. Tell them exactly what you need and, if they see that you are acting in good faith, they will work with you. Don't be afraid to call. Usually, they are very patient and willing to work, even the utility company has been for us, though to a lesser degree. Next, plan your budget for the next few weeks. Know exactly what you will send and where you will send it. Then, send it, on time. I like to plan about four paychecks into the future. However, there usually would occur some bump in the road. At those times, I would just need to reevaluate on new paper. Nice to meet you, and I hope all this will work out. The main thing is not to get overwhelmed. RegidG PS. We did the credit counseling route, too. As soon as we could get out of it, we did. It didn't help at all! It ate up $30 that we could have been sending to a creditor, and I don't recall that it reduced our debt any, which is sad because we also paid a huge amount, up front.