Something Major Going Wrong

I'd say by this point in the story, we've struck out, financially speaking.  Taking on two new car loans when we already have two mortgages and a bunch of credit card debt?  And no savings?  No one was going to be taking financial advice from us.

However, we were feeling comfortable with our decisions because all the payments could be made on time each month.

That is, until the hammer fell and one of my 20-hour per week jobs was eliminated in a budget shuffle.  Oh, and it happened to be the one that provided our family with the cadillac insurance.

Fortunately, we were able to shift over to the insurance at my husband's job, which was sufficient (but not what we were used to).  

I still had my one part-time job, was able to apply for partial unemployment, and still managed to pick up some freelancing gigs here and there.  While we weren't in dire, dire straits, the belt (or should I say the noose?) was starting to tighten.

Back to minimum credit card payments, a late payment here or there.  Using the credit cards for anything not in the regular bill lineup (extra gas, extra dinner out, any extra thing needed for school, etc).  Christmas was put on credit.  And sooner or later, most of the cards were maxed out...