ineedabrowninggold

Well we are a small family business, our bank charges a whopping 6% for credit sales MC/V only we don't do the others. We are considering stamping all of our price proposals with "This price reflects a 6% discount for cash/check purchases" due to the increase in credit usage over the past few years. People always want to pay for their heat pump installations to get miles/points/perks. We just don't build this kind of money into the quotes. I think to myself when this comes up, even if Walmart only paid 1% for the credit cards they accept, I would love to live off that fee. I don't know how some small businesses can afford it. We sure cannot. We tell people when they ask that we do not accept credit cards for installations, if they push the issue then I tell them why, most times people offer to pay the fee. 9 out of 10 times they have the cash they just want the points or whatever.

When I was 16 my mom got me on a card as an AU through First Tennessee Bank. That positive TL is still on my CR to this day and the account has been closed for years (I'm 30). So I think it helps. She was able to set a limit on my spending somehow, and then I had to pay the bill. I recall that it was quite the awakening to find out you had to actually PAY for the stuff you charged.

Bump because, after what I've read I think there is no way they can do this. Other opinions?

The only thing as far as your credit is concerned is that some places are lax in their reporting, so if it has not already been reported to the CRA's, and you pay it off, it might not ever get reported as a positive TL. Age is something to be concerned with on revolving accounts but not so much on installment loans. Since even if you followed the terms it would never reach 2 years, I can't see that is would hurt you to pay it off. Plus you might make a friend at that lender for doing so. My bank LOVES to get their $$ early.

Okay this is a bit lenghthy...I used to work at a local grocery store (quit 8/00). According to them I bounced a check written 9/20/00, for $124.63. I never received any info from them, hell I still live in the same house the same phone #. I used to do check recovery so I know how their practices are. They never called, wrote, and I don't remember this at all. I am waiting on records to be faxed from my bank. Anyway, they recently sent it to Checkcare. They just started using Checkcare a couple months ago. So my question is can they really take this $$ from my account legally after nearly 5 years, when it WAS NOT posted at the point-of-sale when I supposedly wrote the check. I went ahead and reversed the withdrawal from my account, got my account credited and froze my account at the bank but can they even do this?

I am for hiring a private citizen. You can background check them and ask for references. My mom has had someone since I was 5 and now at 30, I am planning for getting a cleaning person. It is WONDERFUL to come home to a clean house, that you don't have to bust your butt cleaning. There are grandma types like my MIL who clean like crazy and also in my area at least there are some stay-at-home moms who do cleaning as well. They get someone to watch their kid one day every two weeks and clean your house or clean two houses. Depends on what you need. A friend of mine gets a lady to just do laundry and ironing. I agree with the thought if it makes you feel better do it. Don't apologize. To me I don't see any difference in getting a massage, haircut, or some other thing for your well being.

It truly is amazing to me how easy it is to fall into the Keeping Up with the Joneses trap. As I said in the OP, DH and I are not rich. We are blessed to own a home that we owe nothing on. The problems arise from my desire to save and pay on time, and blatantly his desire to spend. He HAS to not only keep up but exceed the Joneses. He wants everyone to look at what he has and be envious. He will never say that outloud and it may not even be a concious thing, but you should see the gleem in his eye when someone is ogling his new fishing rod, or hunting rifle. Everytime a friend buys a new car, I catch myself thinking/looking. Then I have to snap out of it. I mean I have a friend who's house payment is $1300/month before tax and insurance, and his car payment is $700/month. He makes like $15/hour. I feel certain that his parnets must be subsidizing him, or he's selling speed on the corner. I just wish I could get a handle on this. I hate..hate..hate thinking about money every moment of the day. For instance....getting gas this morning, realize that i left my lunch at home well gotta buy something....no not unless 5 quarters and a few dimes will take care of it. I used the rest of my cash to pay the electric bill yesterday. Dont' get paid until Friday. I am just frazzled thanks for letting me vent.

I have 3 cars all cash cars. One Jeep wrangler for 4 wheel drive necessity, one 1973 Maverick runs great 43K miles, and one 1986 Dodge 3/4 ton pick up for hauling wood to heat our house. The three together I paid less than 9K for them. The important thing is to watch all of the websites like cars.com and autotrader.com for cars locally. Also the local paper both online and in print, and if you have some kind of Trading Post/Thrifty Nickel small circular paper in your area. If you have any mechanic or dealer friends tell them to be on the look out. Also check estate auctions. For instance there is an estate auction next weekend where I live with a 1997 Ford Explorer with 29K miles on it. The cars are out there it just takes some digging.

I hate to disagree with most of you, but I like my Orchard Card. I started out with a $300 limit and it has steadily risen from there. I mean granted there are no airline miles, or luxury points but if I could buy an airline ticket or anything that would cause me to accrue enough points to get one for free I'd pay off my debts and laugh. Last month on the advice of another CB'er I called them and asked for a CLI, they told me I'd have to pay for it, I said oh well no thanks. This month on my statement, I have the increase and didn't have to pay for it. I balked on my fee last time and they knocked it down to $29. They are wholly responsible for my ability to get credit now. They report regularly and accurately on my CR's. I just applied for a CC with my local bank and they approved me for $5K. They cited my other CC as a positive in their decision making process.

Well I understand about appearances, its just that after bills and $50/week for gas and groceries, there is not enough $$ left to save to max out an IRA. We have no mortgage, relatively low property taxes, one vehicle payment out of 4 running cars. Honestly I bring home about $500 per week, $400 goes to bills, $50 for gas and groceries, and $50 to savings. I work a second job, and that money goes to pay down debts-almost there and about $30/week spending (lunch, occasional soda, or whatever). I don't buy clothes much, good will mostly and the occasional walmart purchase. I mean I am not a spender, hell i go around in the dark to save electricity. I just don't see that my savings are going to be enough. I also am not happy about saving myself poor. I mean if I want to buy a shirt, I don't want to picture myself eating catfood at 79 years old to survive-you know? Its just that when I hear of folks paying in their checks into 401 which I do and then maxing out the $5K IRA there's just no way, I mean thats $100 more per week.

My bank is notorious for stuff like this. I work for a family business, my parents are the owners, two cousins work here too. In the last year here are some of their antics: 1) Deposited cousins paycheck back into business account, even though it was accompanied by a deposit slip. 2) Deposited my paycheck into my mother's personal account, even though it had a deposit slip with it, they must have gotten thrown off by her depositing it. 3) I made a $1500 deposit on a Friday morning, didn't credit my account until Wed.-their policy is the next business day-and tried to tell me that was policy. After a check I wrote them for a payment and dropped off that same day cleared on Mon. I watch them like a hawk. All the tellers do is talk amongst themselves A LOT, its a wonder anything gets put in the right account.

Can you draw us a picture?

Agreed.....I had a few really bright friends in high school taken down the wrong road by starting out with a little pot, then come pills, coke, etc. I feel like when you are 19, living on your own, you make your decisions, right now is the time for lock down. Pills are huge here. I work a night job with mostly college kids, they know I get migraines they are constantly asking me if I have any pain meds. I play dumb, I'm probably carrying a couple hundred dollars worth in my pocketbook.

Which BW was it concerning? I hope not Kill Devil Hills, I'm scheduled there July 5-10.

My name updated the month after I changed it with my credit card company and bank.