I feel your pain, we have not thought about bankruptcy yet, well it's crossed my mind but not dh's. I tell him we ar broke, but he just doesnt get it. He bought a motorbike on the credit card a few months ago because I said we hadn't maxed it out yet. Every weekend he says he wants to buy such n such, and I say you CANT there is NO money in our bank account!! And he asks why.. I save every last cent so I can afford the bills, but I always end up using the credit card to pay the bills which frustrates me because I cannot put the money back in there. I have had to get a credit card limit increase, I know it is bad as it just sent us into more debt... but that has paid for our bills in the last month. Dh is really bad with money, thats why I try to all the financing. But it stresses me out, every week we overdraw and get charged. And dh gets a bit of extra cash and he thinks he can do what he wants with it so he'll buy junk food and things for his bike. I have not bought myself anything in the last 2 years.. apart from one lot of maternity clothes.. they are ugly, but I needed something to wear!
We get free meals from the parents & inlaws, we dont talk about our struggles because we are embarassed, and dh just doesnt think its that bad. If I did have friends that were struggling, then I would definantly discuss it with them, but we hide it, so nobody would know unless they started the discussion. I just dont want pity or peoples charity, I am too proud, and I like to have things that we have earnt, I dont like people handing us money and I would never borrow money. I do sugar coat it for dh, but only because when I do tell him a bit of what is really happening he just blames it on me and tells me to get a job. So I dont bring it up as it just brings more stress. He gets mad at me when there is not enough money in the bank for wasting on his car or bike. I only buy food that is needed. And I am so tight with our money but my effort is wasted when dh sees more than $20 in the bank and buys himself hungry jacks for lunch because he couldnt be bothered getting the lunch I made for him out of the fridge!
Your not alone, definantly. I can understand that you would want pay tv if you dont have normal tv, as you would get bored staying at home all the time otherwise. Our escape from reality is a few times a year we will go to the cinema.. I get free tickets off survey sites though, so Im not paying for that! I really hope getting the ftb will help us a bit, I'd hate to loose our home.. but if things dont pick up then I would really have to sit dh down and tell him whats going to happen. I try to tell him, but he 'forgets' that we are broke and thinks that once he gets paid again then we have money, but he is very wrong!!
Sorry for the ramble, we should have a vent about this topic, it feels good to tell somebody.