Reply #17: I currently have no credit cards or other methods of deficit spending

[flamin lib]

unless it is a secured loan, i.e. car or something similar.

I declared bankruptcy five years ago and paid off the three year plan. I've paid off two cars as agreed and my mortgage is up to date with not one late payment. I still can't get a credit card.

Without some form of current loan or credit debt I can't restore the 820 credit rating I had for 20 years prior to my job going to China and my health to hell.

My wife has hip deterioration and I have bad knees. We live in a split level house, almost paid for. We can't get out of bed and pee without going up two steps.

Without restoring our credit we can't get a mortgage. Without a credit card from a major bank we can't restore our credit short of making a $20 purchase of a new car (new car purchases from a dealer with dealer/factory loan get big + on the credit report).

I'm coping very well with day to day living and no credit. I've squirreled away a six month living income here and there (some of it $20 bills stuffed in books and hidden in the pantry next to the food I horde---yeah, I got issues) so I can handle short term expenses. But I can't buy a house without a 20% mortgage.

This sucks and I don't know how to get past our one mistake--buying a split level house when we were young and healthy.