very good, it’s very useful to me, thank you very much!

I hate to say that I’ve been worrying about this for over a year now, and I have tried to get my huabnsd to start thinking about our finances and all that for some time now. (I was letting him lead , but he is a procrastinator. And I fear this will catch up with us somehow because I waited on him. I’ve told him recently that if we didn’t do an updated budget by the end of two weeks from now, I would be taking over the finances and doing it all myself. Of course, this is offensive to him and many others, I know. But I have 5 small mouths to feed, and I cannot sit and wait.)I know we’re not supposed to worry as Christians. The worry is a result of not pro-actively doing something larger to prevent major financial problems in our family. I have been proactive as far as living with less and trying to be more economical in supplying the house with food, basics, clothing, etc. I believe God wants us to be proactive and prepared. My huabnsd has not made it a priority to think about these things.Outside of that, my huabnsd did get a raise this past week. How weird is that? He works for a large product manufacturer. With gas and product prices rising, that will help out for basics and diapers for our youngest three.We are eating out less (once a week at a cheap to moderate expense restaurant), buying used and on sale clothing if we can’t find hand-me-downs. I do not worry about if my clothes are trendy or new never have anyway. I only run errands once a week and drive nowhere except to the school down the street and back. Christmas gift budget is smaller. And we may not do a Fall/Winter family vacation. I did not donate a dime to the school fundraiser preferring instead to continue focusing on church tithing and missions. That’s the sort of thing we’re doing.We do have some debt we are paying off along with the house payments and one vehicle. I use only cash, and we sock away $$$ for educations , retirement and investments (been doing that since we were first married). I’d feel better if we had 0 debt and owned that 2nd car with no payments.Ten years ago, we bought our first house. We easily made our payments, and loved that little house and neighborhood. . . it was about a year after we moved in that we observed something odd in that neighborhood. Lots of questionable families began to move in around us. One home was occupied by at least three families (never could tell people coming and going). Another seemed to have nighttime activities going on. . . etc. Foreclosures started. And we kept wondering how these folks could afford housing in our neighborhood we were two income (engineer and architect). Honestly, I think it’s a sin what the individuals taking advantage of the system did/are doing to the honest, hardworking folks. My debt is a sin, and I’m trying to get it gone. . . so I can help better take care of those who truly need our aid, for God’s ministry. I am angry at the lazy and greedy people in our society, and I have to fight bitterness when I think my children may have to increasingly shoulder these burdens of their peers brought up to take and not give.Jesus didn’t promise things would get better before He returned. I try to cling to the peace He gives us.But I’m determined to become more self-sufficient and prepared so I can help myself and others.

As the old saying goes: “What goes around, comes around.” Fate can be very nasty if you don’t take care of your fellow human beings and now Sallie Mae will have to suffer just like the rest of us. I am happy to hear that Sallie Mae is being sued and I hope that they lose BIG (time, money, and any possible anguish that should be given to them). I have been harassed by them over my loans, ignoring the fact that I have used up all the money in my bank account to appease their greedy requests, still haven’t found work, and was forced to declare bankruptcy so that I can focus on them. Sallie Mae could have been the hero in all of our stories if only they worked with us and not AGAINST us.

I hope they lose in court. I wish there were a legal course of action for person who borrowed money from these thieves! Harassing phone calls, rude demanding employees, never once calling the borrower but going straight to the co-signer (myself) and demanding payments. Phone calls come to agreement and then the next week, we start all over again with another new set of charges and late fees. Late fees and calculations that make no sense. They won’t consolidate loans in a conventional sense, which keeps people even more confused and pressures into payment (over-payments). It appears that there are no laws applicable to how they conduct business or fleece people. I would be the FIRST in line to push a lawsuit against them from a consumer point or view. What is wrong with our system when a company like this can prey upon young people and students? I co-signed thinking they were a government entity, which I believe they used to be. Fraud? I think their whole business model is fraudulent! I hope they lose, and lose BIG!

Sallie Mae acts in bad faith. They misrepresent themselves to their customers as well. Sallie Mae acts in student loans the same way other companies acted in Sub-Prime Mortgages. They’ll approve anyone for a loan, but unlike a car loan or mortgage there’s no collateral. So if you can’t make their unreasonable payments they threaten to sue you. They don’t make these consequences clear to their customers in the beginning and conspire with schools to perpetrate these actions. I don’t know if my story would at all help this lawsuit against them, but I would gladly offer it if it would help.

My daughter and I have been hurt, and hurt a lot, by Sallie Mae so its wonderful they’re being sued! I wish they would be put out of business! – they certainly desrve it!