Personal Note from Clyrese
Proverbs 22:7 “Just as the rich rule the poor, so the borrower is servant to the lender.”
As struggled with poor money management I was a servant to the bill collectors. I constantly owed them money and they wanted it NOW! They didn't want it when I found a job. They didn't want it after I moved to improve my housing. They didn't care about any of that stuff. They darn didn't care that I wasn't managing my money good. All they cared about was when were they going to get their money. So they called me what seemed like 100 times per day. Filling my voice mailbox with messages after messages. Yes they were a constant pain in the rear end.
But I got clever. At least I thought I did. I learned how to block their phone calls and voice messages. Fooled myself. Dropped my credit score down to 514. Which is considered VERY POOR. When I decided I wanted to be a home owner, and I saw that score my heart dropped. I didn't know what to do.
Let's get real...
I was a slave to the bill collectors. I don't mean a slave in the sense that I was picking cotton in a sweaty hot field. I meant a mental slave. I was constantly worrying about how I was going to pay the bills. How was I going to get myself out of debt. I was a slave to the property managers, the electric company, the cable company, and the cell phone company. Who could file and take me to court on the 15th of any given month and can then put me out 30 days later. My son and I would be homeless. MORE STRESS! I was a slave to the electric company, who could shut my electric off after a certain amount was accumulated. MORE & MORE STRESS!!! The type of slavery I am talking about is Financial Slavery.
Avoiding Disconnection by Communicating
Communication when your behind is extremely important. It saved me from disconnections and and being charged re connection fees. When your call them that puts you in control of the situation and it builds trust for you with the companies.
The purpose in your call is to make a payment plan arrangements.
Here are the steps to developing and effect line of communication between you and the bill collectors.
Grab your bill and your calendar. You may be asking why do I need these. These two tools are the most important tools you will have. Why? Well, because, when you call them you can give them an exact date when you will be able to make a payment and how much.
I made arrangements that circled around my pay date and my child support payment dates. I made payment arrangements so many times and for so long I knew exactly what companies would allow me to make arrangements and what companies would not. I had ideas of how long it would take for a credit card payment to clear in my account.
Step 2: Speak with the Billing Department
Now that you have your calendar and your bill now your ready to call and talk to the billing department. At this point you will speak with a representative and begin to negotiate.
When you speak with the representative speak with confidence and assurance that they will grant your wish for an extension. However, you want to be humbled because you are asking them to extend a favor to you during your time of need. Tell them you wish to make a payment arrangement, the exact date you wish to make that payment, along with how much.
Normally they will grant you at least two weeks, depending on the company. What ever you do take the date that is the furthest out you can. This is the most important rule KEEP THAT DATE!!! If you don't you will be disconnected and you may or may not get another chance for an extension if you need it.
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