I'm totally having one of those moments where you ask yourself 'why the fuck did I do it?'
My problem is I'm too nice. Like sometimes, stupidly nice. Especially when it comes to my parents. For some reason, other than them giving me life, I feel like owe them something so I'm always eager to help where I can. Rusty's tried his best to stop me from always saying 'yes' to their favors but dude can only babysit me so many hours in a day.
Well now I'm dealing with the repercussions of being such a fucking nice person. Let me tell ya, it's not in the form of money or gifts.
Two years ago I was stupid enough to put my credit on the line for a truck my dad wanted to buy. Dude was ready to get it on his own when the bank said he needed a co-signer. They asked my brother, he's smart so he said 'fuck no', and that's when they came to me...the push-over.
Rusty begged me not to do it. We fought. I still did it. My thoughts were: he's my dad, he's got 2 jobs, the payments aren't that bad and he'll totally pay it on time.
Are you laughing yet? Yeah, I would be too.
As it turns out that second job was lost a few months after the purchase & the first one followed a few months ago. He's now been struggling to make the payments & has asked me what I'd think if he 'voluntarily repossessed' the car?
Yeeaah...not in a fucking million years old man.
Turns out a the word 'repossessed' being on your credit report doesn't do you any favors. Actually we're talking about that single world knocking your score down 80-100 points. Scary shit. So now I'm stuck having to deal with a truck that can't be paid & the possibility of my credit going down the toilet just because I couldn't say no.
My point? Listen to your spouse (they're usually right, even if you don't want to admit it), don't be a fucking push-over like me and definitely don't ever co-sign a goddamned thing for anyone...especially family.
Oh girl...I so feel ya. The ex-husbands car was in my name and was supposed to get the loan transferred over for the divorce. He didn't, so I flew to go get the car and drive it back. I get there, the car's been repossessed. Awesomesauce.
ReplyDeleteSilver lining? It'll go away in seven years if it happens. I know the folks need a vehicle, but maybe sell the car for what's owed and buy a cheap commuter car?
Oh man that sucks! Have you been making the payments for him then?
ReplyDeleteoh gosh, I'm sorry Lin! I feel your pain though. I fall into the Parent Guilt trap ALL the time! I know my parents asked to be removed from my College Loans - they cosigned - and they got it done. Not sure HOW that happened, but maybe you can look into it?
ReplyDeleteMy best friend asked me to co-sign and I said NO! I didn't want to mess up my credit.
ReplyDeleteI did however say yes to my parents too. (Its hard to say no since I live with them.) The only reason I said yes is because I knew I would pay the payments if they couldn't....and they can't so I am paying most of the payment now.
Yeah it really is never a good idea to co-sign for anyone.
As an incredibly stupid push-over myself, I feel ya.
ReplyDeleteOh no, that totally sucks! Well, I guess I can understand that it is really hard to say no to your parents, even if everyone tells you to - they're still your parents, so you feel some kind of obligation. Still, this situation totally sucks, and I just hope for you that it all turns out okay.
ReplyDeleteaww man thats brutal! no way of getting out of it?
ReplyDeletetoo hard to say no to anything parents ask!
I won't go into details, but I'm still in a battle with collection agencies over a credit card balance on a card I let a relative use. It seemed so innocent and a nice thing to do at the time. What could go wrong? They said they'd pay it. So, I know a little bit how you're feeling. You just have to learn from it, try to let it go, and never do it again.
ReplyDeleteOh man! I work as a loan officer myself, so I see all sorts of shit. The only suggestion I can make is to try to sell it for as much as you can, and then tell him to see if his bank will refinance the remaining balance as a personal loan (in his name only) with a lower monthly payment. I work at a really small credit union, which I know is different from bigger banks, but we would always rather work with someone in a situation like that than to repo a vehicle becuase when they get repo'd, they sell at auction for usually 50% of the value, and we're still out the money! I just suggest that you and your dad try to sit down with the bank and discuss options!
ReplyDeleteugh... that defies all laws of karma. When I was 19 I asked my millionaire gramma to co-sign a car loan for me and she said "no" - I remember being super pissed off right up until the bank said I didn't need one.
ReplyDeletebeing nice sucks. I recently stuck my neck out for some of my clients only to find out they've been lying to me all along - like they have 5 kids apprehended in another province kinda lie - you think that'd come up in one of the million conversations I had with them... #jeesh.
I have always been the daughter that was a push over. My mom did some pretty messed up things while I was growing up and she had a prob with paying bills. So when the stuff was shut off, she used my name. I hope you find a solution and can figure something out and remember....JUST SAY NO!!!!!!! mmmmkkkay?
ReplyDeleteOh man!! I did this once and I will never forget it. My credit TUMBLED and it took forever to bring it up. So much hard work. Now when someone needs something like this, I just say no. I hope y'all figure something out so your credit doesn't have to take a hit!
ReplyDeleteOh no, that sounds like a bad situation. I am so sorry. I don't know much about the American credit system but is there nothing you can do? I totally feel you because I can't say no either.
ReplyDelete