They are fashioning a sort of homemade mortgage modification, one that brings their payments all the way down to zero. They use the money they save to get back on their feet or just get by.

他们之间流行一种自制的按揭支付模式，这样做能够让他们的支出降到零，省下的钱可以让他们东山再起，或者至少让他们的生活还过得去。

youdao

Any bozo can afford that with zero interest rates and no down payments.

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In some cases, the homeowners' subprime loan payments are about to jump way up, or some homeowners just put zero money down and now find their houses aren't worth what they owe.

NPR: Ex-Countrywide Chief Forms Mortgage Buyout Firm