You Can Kiss My HASP!!!

Today's title is directed at Countrywide/Bank of America. It's now been over two months since we applied. During that time, as you know, I've called them regularly to check on things, only to be told it's going to take longer. The kicker? They've deleted my application and I have to start all over. I'm beyond upset about this. I decided to take the advice of friends and family and send Bill Gephardt of 2News a letter.

Here it is:

Have you heard of the Making Home Affordable Plan AKA HASP? Well, when my husband's hours got cut, we lost at least $1,000 per month of our income. We started to struggle to make our payments, draining our savings, cutting our bills where we could and clipping coupons. With no end in site to our money situation I called our mortgage company (then Countrywide, but now Bank of America) to talk about what options were available to us in trying to keep our home. It was then they told us about MHA (HASP), and we applied for it over two months ago.

I sent them everything they requested and called regularly to check on the status. One person told me it would take 7-10 days for me to get a workout packet. When I didn't get one, I called back and was told I should hear something within 30 days. When I called back after that, I was told 40 days, then 50 days, then 60 days.

Each time I asked if they had everything they needed. Each time I was assured they did and that my application was still under review. When I called back on the 60 day mark, I was told I needed to start the process all over again. Why? I was told it’s because my information is now two months old and also I didn't qualify on my first application.

Why was this the first time I was hearing this, after two months of phone calls? I asked that and was told they didn't know why no one told me. When I asked what kept me from qualifying now for the application, when I'd been told by several other representatives there that everything looked fine, I was told it’s because I'm current on my mortgage.

I told them that the rules say that I don't have to be behind on my mortgage to qualify, just that I have to show that we are in danger of falling behind and defaulting, which is what we're trying to prevent. They said that was correct, I don't have to be behind to qualify, but I can't be current. What? How is that possible? I asked this, and they said that I'm not considered current if I haven't paid my bill the first day it becomes due, which is the first of each month.

This modification process takes 30-60 days, according to them, so it would be impossible for me to qualify if I don't fall behind. If I play their game, and fall behind on the slim chance that I may qualify, it ruins the only other option they're offering me: A 5/1 ARM refinance at 4.215%. You have to have good credit to qualify for the HASP refinance program.

We aren't thrilled about the ARM idea, as we feel this is what has gotten so many people in this mess in the first place, but we don't want to lose our home either. According to the Making Home Affordable website, we’re perfect candidates for this program. What’s the problem?

We have several friends and neighbors who have called about this program, only to be given the run-around. According to each of these situations and the information we've all been given individually, at least some of us should have been approved for this program. Some have been told they have to be behind to qualify, some are told they have to catch up to qualify. I've yet to meet a single person who has been approved for this program in my online searches. Instead, I'm finding so many others that are being jerked around in the same way we have been. Good and responsible people are losing their homes! There are numerous websites and forums set up because of this.

What kind of program is this that Obama has set up to help responsible homeowners who have been hurt by this bad economy? How is it going to help any of us if they banks won't let us do it? Please help us, Gephardt. A lot of family's homes are at stake.

I'll let you all know if I get anywhere with this route. If I don't, I'll look for another. I'm not going down without one heck of a fight. Wish me luck!

Busy is an Understatement!

I know it's been a while here. Between my yard work (I can officially call them flower beds instead of weed beds-Yay!) and sick kids (one sick four-year-old most of last week, and a sick one-year-old for a solid week now), I've had time for nothing else.

Oh! And it's a good thing hubby fixed the dryer (a loose screw on one of the agitators), because I've been doing laundry nonstop for over a week now--not that we don't generate a lot already in a household of six people without adding a nasty stomach virus to the equation!

The plus side is that so far it's only gotten hold of the two youngest members of our family. I'm hoping it doesn't go any further, as it seems to be long-winded. I feel bad for my baby though. Poor thing :(

I really feel that we do have some divine help on our side though, as I know we've accomplished a lot--despite the sick kids--in the last couple of weeks. A very, very good friend (perhaps an angel in disguise?) spent two of her days off working with us on those radioactive weeds (I swear some of them had to have been exposed and mutated!) I'll never underestimate the value of such a good friend. I'll have to try to return the favor.

Our yard is actually looking pretty darn good, if I do say so myself. We got our garden planted too, and so far, so good. Most of the seedlings we grew indoors have made it through the transplant, and the seeds we sowed in the ground are sprouting too. I'm so excited!

If you haven't got your gardens in yet, it's not too late. There's nothing like eating the food you grew yourself. It's cheaper, tastes great and is even better for you (no losing nutrients in storage and shipment). No space? That's okay, container gardening works well, too! Read my garden articles here for more info.

We've been listening to a lot of music during all that yard work. Some of it we got for free (no kidding) from iTunes. They have a freebie section that is updated regularly for you to check out and choose what you want to download. You have to have the itunes application on your computer to take advantage of this deal. So if you have an ipod and didn't know about this cool feature, check it out!

Well, that's all I have time for today. I accomplished this much with a baby on my lap! Are you impressed? Haha! Take care!

A Little of Everything!

I haven't called this The Juggling Homemaker for nothing! It's always a juggling act here, trying to keep so many different things going at the same time. My mom is out of the hospital, but still having some struggles, so I've been trying to do what I can there, though it's not as much as she (or I, for that matter) would like. It's hard when you have your own family to take care of to do much of anything else.

We're still working on our yard and went and got more compost from Wasatch Integrated Waste Management at $25/truckload--not too shabby! :) We also got some of their medium sized bark at $10/truckload for our flower beds (okay, I'll be honest and call them weed beds--but we're working on it). We're going to whack the weeds down, put down another layer of weed barrier (better stuff, this time) and throw the bark down on top of that. Take that weeds!!! Haha! It was back-breaking labor to unload those loads from the back of the pick-up. Believe me, I'm feeling it today!

We could have saved on the back pain and had someone else come out and deliver that stuff for us, but financially that just wasn't feasible. We had to cut some things out of our budget to do it the way we did. But in reality, it will help if we end up having to sell, since it will add some curb appeal to not have massive weed jungles on all sides. It's impossible for me to keep up with it all! Hopefully it won't come to that, though. And to be honest, it probably wouldn't sell for what we'd need anyway....ah well...moving on!

We had optimistically got a movie from Redbox to watch last night. We didn't get to watch it because the work took longer than we thought. We didn't even get to staining the playset! So I'll more than likely have to pay for another night.

Yesterday was the last free weekly Monday they're doing, too. Yeah, I know, it sucks. I wish they would continue doing it weekly, as I only recently started taking advantage of it, but they're not giving us as good a deal anymore. However, they are going to start doing free monthly Monday starting next month, for over the summer. We'll be taking advantage of that. For more information you can go to Inside Redbox.

As for our HASP application, we're still waiting to hear. The waiting period keeps getting longer, as more people are learning about (good!) the program and applying for it. They said it could be anywhere from now to another three weeks before we hear. So far we're still scraping by.

I've learned this will all come down what they call the Net Present Value Analysis. That's where, after reviewing all the information they have for your application, the market, and your property, they decide if the mortgage investor would make more money on a loan modification or a foreclosure. They also weigh the risks of your situation in their decision. Hopefully, between the down market and the incentives the government is offering them, our situation will look more profitable for a modification. I found an online explanation that explains this better, if you're interested.

Anyway, we're plugging along. Overall, I'd say I have more to be thankful for than to complain about. I just have to remember that on the bad days ;)

Free Chicken Dinner From KFC

Here's yet another reason to love Oprah. She's got a coupon for a free meal at Kentucky Fried Chicken on her website! It's for the two piece grilled chicken, two individual sides and a biscuit. Not too shabby, eh?

This is a limited time download and is only available from 9 a.m. CDT on May 5, 2009, to 9:59 p.m. CDT on May 6, 2009. So hurry! The good thing is that you don't have to rush quite as fast to redeem the coupon once you've got it. The coupon is redeemable at participating KFC® locations in the United States from May 5, 2009 to May 19, 2009. The only catch for this time period is that it's not redeemable on Mother's Day, May 10, 2009. It's one offer per person and can be found by visiting Oprah's site here.

I've already printed out mine! Yummy!

Want Some Freebies?

While doing some of my internet research, I found out about a way to get free stuff than I didn't know before. See? You really do learn something new all the time! Did you know that Walmart has their very own free samples, trials and savings site? They do, though the good ones go fast, and their offerings are constantly changing, so you might want to bookmark it and check back frequently.

I went there today and ordered the Crest Whitestrips Sample. Who doesn't want a brighter smile? ;) Currently, they also have dog treats, Good Nights, hair care stuff and Cottonelle (plus even more). So if you don't have anything better to do and want to get something for nothing, go have a look.

If you're into finding these kinds of deals, I have them all over my site. Feel free to have a look. Happy deal hunting!

Venting...

It seems these days are full of ups and downs. There are moments when I look at what I have--namely my husband and children--and my heart just feels full, to the point it's ready to burst with emotion. Then there are the moments when all the bad stuff weighs so heavy on my shoulders that I'm sure I'm going to collapse from it all.

I suppose that's what life is about. I just have to take the good with the bad. As do we all.

Yesterday we went to Sears to pick up some parts for our lawnmower, tiller and weed eater. No, they didn't all break at once (knock on wood!), they were just maintenance parts that we'd put off for quite a while and we couldn't wait any longer if we wanted to have them working for us in a few years from now.

While we were there, a gentleman came in to pick up his lawnmower, and for whatever reason, it wasn't there, the work wasn't done on it and he was beyond frustrated. He'd come all the way down there, and waited in a very long line, only to find out he'd done it for nothing.

The clerk who was helping us was called upon several times for this customer, who wanted his mower right then and wanted it fixed (understandable). It wasn't the clerk's fault that it wasn't fixed, he just happened to be the one at the store who knew the most about this customer's situation. Because of this familiarity, he got cornered on his way to the backroom to get our parts. The confrontation escalated and their shouting match could be heard throughout the tiny parts store.

I didn't know who to feel worse for, the clerk or the customer. Both were just trying to get their jobs done. Neither were having things go their way. Both ended up feeling upset by the way things were turning out.

I left feeling down for two reasons: one being because the parts we left with cost twice what we were expecting (of course), and the other because of the heavy atmosphere I'd just left. It was obvious to me that both men had a right to feel upset and yet neither was at fault for their situations. How do you fix something like that? How do you make someone feel better?

I know some of you are wondering why I let someone else's troubles get to me at all. Good point. I wonder that myself. If I figure it out, I'll let you know. Haha.

I suppose this economy has a lot of us on edge. So many people are feeling the pinch and that means there's more of us out there needing to vent before we explode. It's stressful to worry about finances, while at the same time your everyday life continues with family dramas, friend troubles, sick kids and everything else. We're still expected to function during this and get our duties done. It's too bad we can't just push pause on all those other things and just tackle each problem/task individually, right?

My mom has been in the hospital for the last week. She's going through a very difficult time in her life right now. I can't really say, "Sorry, Mom, can't deal with this just now. I've got lots of other stuff stressing me out, so can you put this off for later?" Hah! Yeah, that'd go over well. I'd disown myself!

Life can be hard. You've heard it before, you've experienced it and know it to be true. And yes, we all need to vent so we don't walk around like a shaken soda, waiting to explode on some poor, unsuspecting person who pulls the tab at the wrong time.

Find a way to decompress. I've found that writing helps me. Praying does, too. Find what works for you and go with it. Life's hard, but you can do it;-)

iCarly Giveaway Winner!!!

The winner for the iCarly Season 1 Volume 2 DVD giveaway is from my site, The Juggling Homemaker: Melissa Chapman! Congratulations! I'm having some trouble finding a way to contact you, and there's no email address in your entry, so can you email me ASAP so we can know where to send your prize? :)

I really need to thank Hamsterkitten, from Mom on the Random. She took me under her wing and took care of just about everything for this giveaway (the only exception being the posting of it on my site--haha!) I'm still learning how to do this, and she's been making sure I don't get lost. Thank you, friend!

Thank you to all those who entered. I hope you'll be back, as I'm planning to do this again.

Lesson Learned

I had planned to write everyday, no matter what. I underestimated the curve balls life can throw, and how that can definitely influence motivation. At least I'm learning to be more flexible, right?

We've been busy figuring out some big projects we've got coming up, besides our garden I mean. Oh, did I mention we had to start over on most of our seedlings? I believe I told you they grew a lot faster than we'd expected. They outgrew their containers and we didn't know what to do with them, as it is still too early to take them outside--we can't do that for another two or so weeks. Then, hubby didn't read the section where it says to get your new plants used to the outdoors gradually. He set them outside for the day, while we were doing yard work. Only the bell peppers survived. Haha!

I can laugh because they were so inexpensive. Now we know we don't need even close to the 7 weeks we planted ahead. A few weeks seems to be sufficient for our growing conditions. So we went and bought new seeds, put them back in our closet under the fluorescent lights, and now that they're all sprouted we'll gradually get them adjusted to the outdoors. Lesson learned!

Speaking of learning from trial and error, we've decided that we're learning a lot from these experiences. We've learned so much from the hard times we're experiencing now--things that we never would have even tried to find out about if life hadn't thrown a few bumps in our path.

Come to think of it, I think that I've learned the best lessons in life during hard times. Go figure. We always dread these difficult times because we're worried we won't get through them, or at least not come out of them intact. I wonder how many of us realize how much we actually gain from so many of those trials. I know they've made me stronger and I'm a better person because of them.

It's not always easy for me to admit that. There have certainly been times when I've been sure that someone "up there" must be out to get me and I've begged for some peace. Yes, even recently I've asked that God not put any more on my plate, as it seems to be overflowing just now. But in the end, I know I'll come out of this stronger. I'll come out of this smarter.

Does that mean I'm winning every battle? No (though I sometimes wish). But I'm not leaving any of these experiences empty handed. If nothing else, I'm learning to be a better gardener, a more creative manager of finances, a competent letter writer, and a pretty good negotiator;-)

I think you'll find that you've gained some knowledge from all of your hard times too. Just be sure that you do learn from them and don't repeat mistakes. Then you can say "Lesson Learned." I heard this simple phrase from a dear friend of mine and, believe it or not, there's some satisfaction in being able to say it at the end of it all.

Reach out and Improve Your Outlook

I've got some more resources for those who are facing losing their homes. In addition to HASP, I've found some sites that are filled with useful information and contacts that can help you through this time.

Loan Safe has a lot of useful information for homeowners facing hardship. I found a ton of information in their discussion forums, too. I found some direct phone numbers for Countrywide in the forum they started specifically for Countrywide customers. There you can talk to people just like you and get ideas and advice on what to do next.

I also found NACA, a non-profit advocacy HUD certified counseling agency. They help homeowners to modify their loans and all their services are free.

You can still find the information I've gathered about loan modification and HASP with my articles here. As always, if you have any questions, feel free to contact me. I will do my best to help, or find someone who can.

On this note, I want to talk more about what is happening as a result of our economy. More and more people are at risk of losing their homes as layoffs and paycuts continue. Families are struggling to make ends meat and many of them are turning to their governments and churches for assistance.

It's definitely a humbling experience and can be difficult for many of us to reach out for help, for fear of having our hands slapped away--or even being ridiculed, criticized and scoffed at. I suppose this fear, or even the reality of the fear, is what makes some people come to the decision of ending their own lives and often the lives of their entire family.

This is becoming more commonplace in the news and it makes my heart sick. I cry for those people because they believed they lost everything and had only one option left to them. I don't know what makes a person come to that conclusion, besides the desperation they feel in their circumstances. I only wish they would reach out to anyone and everyone, instead of setting on the course of ending lives.

I know this is a hard time. I know that so many people are losing everything. But that's just it--they're things. They give us comfort, shelter, entertainment, transportation, convenience...But they aren't even close to being the most important part of life. We're here for a reason. We're here to learn, to love, to grow and to be strengthened. The only way we can do that is by facing adversity.

Some people may feel alone in this. Some might believe they have no one to turn to. I want those people to know that they are not alone. Even a person who believes they have no one, has someone. For those of you who believe in God, remember that He will take care of you. You just have to remember that it's His plan we need to trust in, not our own.

For those of you who don't believe, I wish you did, as it would fill you with a comfort like no other. I don't know how my family would have come as far as we have without His help in our own lives.

There are many people out there (some you may have met, and some you may not have yet) who care what happens to you. They want your happiness and your well-being. They believe you can succeed even after what seems like a succession of failures. Don't give up.

I have a saying on my wall: "There is always something to be thankful for..." Even in these hard times, I believe that. One of the biggest blessings in my life is the gift of my children. I take on the responsibility for them gladly. They are looking to their father and me for guidance. They are watching closely and learning how to overcome the trials they'll face in their own lives. I will not teach them to give up.

Anyway, I'll leave you for now with that. I pray that you will find the strength to get through hard times--and then perhaps help others to do the same.

Family Night

In our house, on Monday we do what we call "Family Home Evening" or in other words, Family Night. This is a great opportunity to spend time together as a family, talk, play games, roast marshmallows outside on the fire, or even just watch a movie. We also eat dinner together.

Experts say that this is the best way to raise happy, healthy and well-adjusted kids. They also say your kids are less likely to give in to peer pressure if they're getting quality time with you. I'm all for that!

To make things easy for you if you're wanting to watch a video together, I'm giving you the link for today's free Redbox code. If you're new to this, the way it works is you go to that site, become a free member and get access to the free promo codes. Also, once you're ready to redeem your code, make sure to push the button that says "rent with a promo code" then choose your DVD.

The first time I did it, I hit "rent DVD" and so I ended up paying for it, even though I had a promo code. To fix it, I just came home with two DVDs instead of one. Haha! Only the first day is free with the promo, then you have to return the movie by 9:00pm the next day. If you don't, you'll be charged $1 per day. Not too shabby!

We won't be taking advantage of the free code today though. To our children's chagrin, it's TV turn off week at school. No TV, video games or computer (unless it's for homework) until next Monday. We do this every year. It makes us get more creative and active together as a family.

If the kids go the whole week, they get rewarded by the school with a free meal at Hungry Bear Pizza (a pizza buffet place by where we live--the kids love it).

Anyway, unless you're feeling ambitious and doing TV turnoff in your house, go for that free DVD rental. We're doing Navajo tacos and eating outside on the patio. We'll probably play a game with the kids, too. I think it's about time they learned Yahtzee! Have fun!