<prompt> Human: Hi rpersonalfinance. In November of 2011, I was sent to the hospital for excessive drinking, but in reality I was just stumbling around the streets of my college town drunk. I was put in an ambulance, sent to the hospital. I wasnt treated they tried to stick an IV in me but gave up and was released about 4 hours after getting there when my friends came and picked me up. I racked up a 360 ambulance fee, a 200 physicians fee, and a 1800 fee for the actual hospital stay. This happened in the fall of my freshman year of college two weeks after I turned 18. My parents are very strict Muslims, so telling them wasnt an option and I basically ignored it until I got messages from debt collectors. the physician bills were paid off by my aunt and my parents eventually found out about the ambulance fee, so they paid that off. They dont know about the 1800 bill because to be completely honest, they will disown me. Using health insurance on this bill isnt an option, considering my familys insurance benefits run out at the end of the month since my dad is starting his own company they would see it on the insurance statement. Ive been having any correspondance from the hospitalcollectors sent to my friends house, but she was out of town for quite some time and I just received a debt collection notice for the 1800 bill dated on July 31, saying I had 30 days to talk to them. What can I do about this? I have a low paying job during the university year and a minimum wage summer job right now plus parents have access to my bank account so I cant have any huge transactions or theyd get suspicious but otherwise no real income and I definitely dont have the money to pay it upfront. Can I negotiate this for small monthly payments? I just really need advice. I know this sounds sillystupid but Im honestly just a scared kid and I really dont know what to do. I dont want my credit to be ruined and my life fucked over because I partied a little too hard one night :X Edit: I know it sounds ridiculous when I say my parents will disown me, but please believe that Im not exaggerating. My family operates differently than a lot of others; when they say things like this they mean it.Assistant: Call the debt collectors. It is likely that you can work out a deal. You will however need to make some money to pay this bill or spend less on other things and you will also need to find a way to pay it. If youre 18, Id say it is time that your parents lose their access to your bank account. Youre an adult now. Perhaps you could open a new one with a different bank as well. Also maybe you can transfer money to the debt collectors in a different way, but I dont know how exactly in the Netherlands one can go to Western union where you can pay cash and theyll send it to the company. I would favour honesty most of the time, but since you say your parents will probably disown you, not this time. Fixing this mistake will be a lot of work, but it is possible. Human: Do you know if its possible to pay in cash? I know it sounds ridiculous but Im wondering if this is an option.  <response>: Cant you just open a second bank account? 