18 September 2009

Friday Wrap-Up

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Good news on Cam's back injury. He has healed quite well - pain free for the past two weeks - progressing well with his physical therapy. The doctor says he can go back to "light" practice on Monday.

Anyone else think that's a bit of an oxy-moron? Light football practice? We aren't talking no pads light ... no, he can wear full pads and practice "light." How much compliance do you think I'll get from Cam on that? How 'bout compliance from the coaches?

I'll admit, I'm a bit apprehensive about Cam's return to football, but he has been so supportive of the team during this last six weeks - attending all practices - attending all games - he earned this second chance. Hopefully he can get through it without breaking something!

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My bank has changed it's debit card practices. It now issues NSF fees based not on the actual balance on my checking account, but on the available balance. The available balance is the amount in the account that has been "promised" but not paid. So, if I go to the market at 9:30 the night before payday, use my debit card for the groceries knowing that my payroll will be direct deposited at midnight,if that purchase puts me at a negative PENDING balance, I'll be assessed an NSF fee EVEN THOUGH the money won't be paid to the market until the following day ... when funds WILL BE available. This was a $105 lesson.




And the kicker? When I log on to my bank account, the default screen is to the actual balance of my account, not the available balance. In this instance, the default screen showed money in my account, but when I clicked on the little, obscure link way up in the left hand corner of the screen, it showed my available balance to be in the red.

I wasn't happy. Right now $105 is a TON of money for me and I think the bank's practices here are - at best - misleading, and bordering on fraudulent. The issue here is that the money is still in my account - it hasn't been paid to the vendor - it hasn't left my bank nor my bank account - yet the bank is assessing an NSF fee?

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Have I mentioned that I am a morning person? I'm one of those obnoxious people who wakes up in a good mood ... at 5:00 AM! My take on the start of the new day is that it hasn't been spoiled by my actions or inactions. It's a fresh start. That's why I'd rather watch a sunrise than a sunset any day, and this one was beautiful!

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29 comments:

Deech said...

Those are some great pics!

For me, its coming to the point of wondering why I really need a bank account to begin with. I am working on a way to be as independent as possible of financial institutions.

Emmy said...

Light football practice in pads? I'm with you - it's an oxy-moron.

Call your bank, claim ignorance, be hysterical or something, and maybe their will do a 1x reversal of the fees. Sometimes it works.

Unknown said...

My goodness, Cam is one good-looking boy!

And the banks. Ug. What can I say. All they care about is making money. If I take a check from my savings account here at work, and walk across the street to deposit it in to my account, where my WORK banks at, it will not go in for 3 - 5 days, UNLESS I ASK them to deposit it as cash. I mean, WTF is that about? As long as I specify CASH, it's available immediately, otherwise.... well, your an accountant (right?) so you get it.

LOVE the picture of the sunrise! I'm a morning person, too. I get up early and go to bed early. My husband gets up late and goes to bed late. But I get more done!

Me said...

What exactly is "light" football practice? Ye gads! What was that doctor thinking?

Karen said...

My bank tells me both on first page online. I use my debt all the time so I always have something pending. But if the bank changed their policy, I'd try to argue for a one time credit of your fees.

Vixen said...

That's a great pic of Cam! Hope the 'light' practice goes ok.

I have been burned by banks very badly in the past. And what your bank is doing would cause me to want to change banks really quickly. That's just ridiculous to me, what they are doing with the NSF. *shaking head*

Jay said...

You might be able to get the bank to reverse the charges if you call them up and discuss it with them. Just be firm and direct and not "holy shit you sorry fucking bastards are cheating the hell outta me!" type thing. LOL ;-)

Actually, the NSF thing the banks pull is soooooo outrageous. It's bad enough that they are clearly trying to make you believe that you have a certain amount in your account when you really don't, but then they could deny a purchase that goes over your current account. Instead they cover it and charge you a fee that would make the Mafia blush.

I'm not an advocate of the gov't meddling in business practices. That's why I prefer a public option of some kind over the gov't mandating that insurance companies not be allowed to drop people or that they must drop pre-existing conditions clauses. But, the NSF charge is pretty obviously not just fraudulent, but the banks are actively trying to force their customers into make this mistake.

Dana said...

Joker_SATX, The sunrise was AMAZING and straight out of the camera! I didn't even crop that one!

Emmy, especially when you consider this team has been injury prone this season. Out of 8 "season impacting" injuries, 7 of those occurred in practice. Hmmm ...

Bina, I kind of like him!

Dana said...

Marsha, my problem is that is highly unlikely the doctor's definition of "light" football practice will be anywhere near the coach's definition!

Karen, I would have far less of an issue if this was the case - if the information was visible on the log-in page, but it's not. I did call and complain - they reversed one of the $35 dollar fees. Better than nothing I guess!

Vixen, thank you! We were in the process of moving the accounts to husband's credit union, but with things in their current state of flux, I think it's better to keep my account exactly where it is!

Dana said...

Jay, even better? Although my bank (fortunately) posts deposits PRIOR to the withdrawals for the day, they then process the transactions from high $$ amount to low $$ amount (citing how critical it is that important - i.e. high $$ bills like mortgages get paid first). Now, I had four transactions process in this day. Had they processed low $$ to high $$ I'd have been charged ONE NSF fee, but in the high to low order? THREE!!

I'm so glad they processed my *critical* $148.00 grocery debit prior to the far less critical doctor's co-pay transactions from earlier in the day *rolls eyes*

snugs said...

What a great looking young man. Has he lost a lot of weight?

Schmoop said...

What you describe is exactly the reason why I keep my money buried in a Mason Jar next to the dumpster. Thank you for proving me right. Cheers Dana!!

Dana said...

snugs, Thank you! Not only had he lost a great deal of weight (55 lbs in the last year) but he also grew 5" in that same time frame. I'd love a dose of that puberty ... without the growth spurt please??

Matt-Man, would that be the dumpster on the north side of the building? Or the south side?

Real Live Lesbian said...

Cam is so handsome!

I love the sunrise pic. I'm a morning person, too. And I'm up around 5ish with you. I love mornings! Oddly, very few people are chipper at 5am. I just don't get it.

Jinxo56 said...

What your bank did is one reason that I don't have a checking account. I had the same problem and now I pay everything with cash or money orders.

At 5:00 A.M. I am two hours from getting off work.

Anonymous said...

I am so seriously considering closing my checking account, all together. The racket that is the banking industry is almost a legal form of robbing people blind. The practices of banking institutions create financial problems for their customers where there should be none.

I'm not saying that people shouldn't be responsible with their checking account and balancing their books, but banks take advantage of their ability to change the rules whenever they want to suit themselves and screw their customers.

On top of my general distaste for banks, I just had four fraudulent charges made against my checking account to the tune of $200, plus overdraft fees. I am following proper procedures to dispute the charges, but in the meantime, my account is overdrawn and completely frozen until the investigation is complete -- anywhere from 10 to 60 days.

I'm sorry you had a banking problem.

As for 5:00 a.m., I don't see it ever, at least not on purpose. lol

buffalodick said...

I have found bitching to the bank, usually gets results, as they are making money at every turn- except where they made bad investments, which I refuse to support.

tjames said...

I have learned that same expensive lesson a time or two myself. It sucks.

Pam said...

Hi Dana, I read daily, but commented maybe once or twice in the past.

Just wanted to say you have quite the handsome son (not that you don't already know it) and my niece would think he is "hot" :)

I know you've been going through trials and tribulations, thanks for putting everything out there, you might be amazed by how many you help, without even knowing it

Enjoy your weekend!

~Pam

Anonymous said...

Try using an on-line banking system. I use Ing, Direct Electric Checking and I love it. I dumped BoA a long time ago. Good luck!

Evil Twin's Wife said...

Usually banks are willing to give you a pass if you do direct deposit and they *know* the money will be there. I'm glad you were able to get at least one charge reversed.

katherine. said...

don't get me started on banks and their charges. My Cam deposited his paycheck into his own account...and it got credited to a different account his dad is also on (from before he was 18) BANK ERROR...not boy error.

He wrote checks against it...and got NSF charges. When we discovered the problem the bank wouldn't reverse the charges...because he had taken cash out of the ATM and they said he should have seen the balance was incorrect.

It took a personal visit and threat of closing four accounts to get them reversed.

That's great he gets to play....I miss hs football....

we're doomed said...

Cam looks great in a football uniform.

Dangerous Lilly said...

Awwwww! That boy is gonna be a heartbreaker soon!

I hate banks and NSF and silly rules. Some days I wanna go all Grumpy Old Man and just keep the cash under my mattress.

Lola said...

He is a handsome one!!! Unless "light practice" means suiting up and jogging along the sidelines, I'd be a little worried, too.

As for the banks, I can't believe the crap they get away with. I've been paying one of my credit cards online for years, and suddenly they switched the time of day that they will accept your payment from 11 PM to 2 PM. I had no idea, because I didn't read the fine print I get bombarded with, paid it at 2:42, and the next statement I was charged a $45 late fee.

After bitching up a storm, they reversed it, but I had to waste a half hour of my time on the phone.

I read that last year the banks made billions from these bait and switch fees, so it's never going to stop, I'm afraid ;(

Alfro said...

5 AM.
your shittin me....

I didn't even know there was a 5 AM. When did they start doin that??

Volly said...

Yep, the banks are evil, and they specifically target those of us who stand to lose the most from their arbitrary practices. But hey, it's the sacred free market. Ayn Rand would approve, since the bankers and other corporate heads are supposedly the "doers" and "achievers" in our society and without them, we would be rambling naked through the barren wilderness, grunting and urinating on ourselves as we labored to extract our daily grub diet from the unyielding earth.

Hallelujah.

rage said...

Cam sure is a handsome boy. However, I don't think there is such a thing as light football practice. It's either 100 percent hard core or you sit on the sidelines.

Nice picture.

Banks. I hate them. I am getting screwed via interest rates on the credit card I have through my bank right now and it is the suck.

Lu' said...

Two great pictures.

I have never played the write a check and then the funds will be there, unless it was because we were spendiong from saivngs and had to trasfer to checking. My friend does that alot. I don't agree with the bank but what if your payroll didn't get deposited. The funds really aren't there to use.