My life just got even more disjointed and surreal. I'm in the position of trying to make it on $466 per month in unemployment–which first of all caused me to default on June's and this month's mortgage payments. Monday morning I had to go to the post office to pick up a certified letter from my lender on my delinquency. It says they're prepared to initiate foreclosure proceedings.

Then there's the gas/electric bill, which this month is over $251 and last month was over $237 because it was what they call "settlement month." And I was unable to pay that then.

Back to the mortgage payment–it's $204 and change/month, which may sound good to someone in a hot housing market who's paying several thousand/month, but is a big chunk out of $466. And it's not like I could put it on the market and get lots of money out of it–this house is a real "handy-person's special" and has several other problems with it including certain pests. And I myself find these problems annoying, especially because on $466/month I'm not in a position where I can do anything about them.

Normally the energy bill would be $164/month, but even that's hard to manage. Last Thurs. I got a check from the Salvation Army that I sent on to my mortgage company Fri. (but it only covers about half of what I'm behind on.) I also applied for LIHEAP energy assistance, but got only $150. I'm grateful to have gotten what I got, but I'm still in quite a bind.

Now I'm in the process of appealing Social Security's decision to deny my claim, but there's a lot I don't know. Like what I'll do when unemployment runs out and I still can't get Social Security. I'm in a somewhat strange position–I need the unemployment money because there's no other way I can get money, but according to Social Security you have to be unable to work. But one of the employment bureau's requirements for claimants is they have to be actively looking for work. But there's nothing I can do in this area, which I've been finding out by making phone calls. So it's a real Catch-22.

Has anybody here gone through foreclosure because of being unable to make house payments due to unemployment? I'm looking for any advide or help–and I don't mean suggestions like play the Lotto.