America's Money: In their own words

Payroll assistant, 28, Waco, Texas

I worked for a mortgage lender for five years until I was informed that I would be losing my job because of "economies of scale."

The small mortgage/banking company was getting out of the servicing industry and sold their 16,000 loans to another company, then laid off nearly everyone that worked in the servicing departments. My own loan was being sold to some foreign-based bank I had never heard of. Since then, it has sold again, and my soon-to-be-ex-husband and I fought foreclosure twice. The first time we fought it by filing bankruptcy.

Now, my 401(k) is gone. The 529 education plan I had started for my boys is gone. I did achieve my bachelor's degree during all this. However, my severance from the company barely lasted a month. And of course, they conveniently made our termination date at the end of the month, so that we had no insurance either.

My husband lost his job shortly after me, but luckily, I was able to find a great job, which is where I currently am. However, after I moved out, my husband could not handle the mortgage payments, and I am scrambling to get my things out before it forecloses. Times are tough -- and I know that I am not the one with the worst story out there!

NEXT: Jonathan Siders: Everything's on hold