Thought for today:

What good is a credit score?  It depends on what our needs are.  Sometimes it’s important, and other times not so much.

A member shares:

“When I came to DA, my credit score was tanking and it terrified me.  I had so many late and inconsistent payments that I was spending more on late fees and interest than I did on principle.

“My sponsor told me ‘your credit score is my last concern on my mind for you.  You have small children that aren’t getting fed properly because of credit card debt.  You are using credit cards to pay for diapers.  And what if you got sick and had no medical insurance coverage?  You are risking everything for your creditors.  Does that sound sane to you?’

“At first what my sponsor said shocked me, because I had never heard anyone talk like that before.  Everyone I knew in the ‘outside world’ was frantically pleasing creditors at all costs.

“But I began to see the wisdom of my sponsor’s words.  Working the DA program became paramount.  I realized that my ‘almighty credit score’ was my Higher Power.   I had neglected every other area of my life in order to pay my creditors.  I risked health insurance, and working multiple jobs made me exhausted and miserable all the time.  All of the signs of compulsive debting were glaring at me.

“I started to take care of my family first, and over time the debts fell into place, sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly.  By putting ‘First Things First’, I was able to get my spending and my life back on track.”

How important is it?

The world will not end if we have a bad credit score.  With the help of DA, our sponsor and our Pressure Relief Groups, we can arrive at payment arrangements that put our needs first.  Doing this and sticking to it may involve saying no to a creditor’s demands, facing threatening legal action, and occasionally allowing a card to charge off.  But again, the world doesn’t end.

The credit score can be important if we need to own a secured asset such as a car or a home.  If a landlord uses a credit score, it could affect a rental arrangement.  So we make these things clear to our pressure group and sponsor, and so we can balance them out with our arrangement.  Even with a low score, we can still negotiate for the best possible deal, or walk away if necessary.  And life goes on.

In other cases it isn’t important.  Since we don’t use credit cards any more, the score’s effect on credit card approvals makes no difference to us.  Finding a good rental through friends is often more important than the credit score.

Most of the time we don’t need a “good credit score”.  If we work the DA program, we learn how to stay solvent one day at a time, not using unsecured credit “no matter what”.

Ask:

As this year comes to an end, can I appreciate how far I’ve come?  And have I  accepted where my recovery is at today?  Am I allowing our Higher Power to work miracles by letting go of yesterday and tomorrow, and living this day?

Meditation for today:

We can ask our Higher Power to make us grateful today, and in the year ahead.  As we go forth, we find strength when we share this gratitude with those who need to hear it.

Affirmation for today:

When I look for it, I can find love and understanding.

Recommended Reading: 

“How to Get Out Of Debt, Stay Out of Debt, and Live Prosperously”, by Jerrold Mundis, is a comprehensive guide to getting “Back to the Black”, using the concepts of debtors anonymous.  Many have benefited from Jerrold’s thoughtful encouragement, especially in dealing with creditors, increasing income and reversing under earning.

Is seasonal depression a problem?

The Feel Bright Light Portable Light Therapy is a visor that shines 10,000 lumens of blue/green light clinically designed to improve brain chemistry.   Gazing into the light once a minute for twenty minutes helps restore serotonin to the brain to help mood disorders.  Especially helpful during the short winter days.  

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