$Money$

[Jason4x4]

Feelin' a lot of frustration and I need to vent - sorry guys.

So, my job pays me weekly. I set up the direct-deposit thing through my work so my check is automatically deposited into my checking account every Thursday night at midnight. I've worked with my current company for almost 2 years now - it's a large international HVAC company and they've never had a payroll problem during that time.

Until last week.

I was on vacation last Friday. I decided to go Christmas shopping with my sister. I didn't think to check my balance before I left, as I had no reason to suspect that there was a problem with my check. Fortunately, I had trouble deciding what to buy everyone and I didn't end up buying anything except for lunch. I got home at about 4:30-5pm, and was surfing the net. I decided to check my balance, so I log into my checking account and it shows the available balance to be about $120. I proceed to freak out. I just got paid yesterday, so how the hell do I only have $120 left?? So I pull up the history and discover that my paycheck was not, in fact, deposited for that week. Of course, it's already going on 5pm on a Friday, so nobody is in the office. I did, however, have a voicemail from the office saying that I would be recieving a paper check this week instead of a direct deposit, so don't throw it away thinking it's a stub. The kicker is that I moved a few months ago and hadn't updated my info with the company (it hadn't been an issue and as such I hadn't gotten around to it...I've been busy trying to wrap up contracts...anyway), so while my mail was being rerouted from the old address, which means I *will* get the check, it'll take probably an extra week to get here.

It killed my whole weekend. All I did was worry about what had happened and how I was going to afford gifts for my family (ok, so I put off the shopping...that's my fault, but still...) with less than a week to go and only $100 or so. This morning I called the office and was told that there was some sort of computer glitch at the bank that they use, so none of the direct deposits went out and they mailed paper checks instead. I explained about the address thing and told them it was going to take me another week or so to get it, and they apologized and told me that if I overdrew my checking account they would pay the fees associated with that.

I'm going out of town for the holidays, leaving Wednesday. They said there shouldn't be a problem with the direct deposit this week. Only problem is, I was worrying about my paycheck from last week and I sort of forgot to send in my time sheet for this week...so I dont know if it will get approved in time for my check to make it this week. Yeah, that's my own fault and I take responsibility for my check possibly not making it this week.

So anyway, bottom line, my pay is all screwed up, I have less than a week until Christmas, I have no presents for anyone in the family, and I have about $100 to my name.

[laxpug19]

i dont know how to reply to that, sorry man!

[Wrangl3r93]

Man that really sucks i'm having money problems, too. Luckily i only have 2 more gifts to buy i'm about to order my mom's and i'm waiting till after christmas to pay for my dad's(He's getting to decide whether he wants 2 tickets to daytona or 2 tickets to talladega, haven't checked daytona prices yet but talladega is $270 for 2 tickets in talladega tower). I have $60 right now but am getting a 300-350 paycheck friday. I'm going on a 3 day trail ride 28,29, and 30 and i imagine I'll prob take alot of that. My system was stolen last week and even with insurance check, selling my old tires, and other spare jeep parts I'll be a few hundred in the hole tryin to replace everything then getting it all secured this time. Oh well... At least i know where my next 4 months worth of checks will be going!

[90Xjay]

Jason,
I don't want to come off sounding anything but empathetic to you but once you get though this situation you really need to sit down and put yourself on a budget so if you miss a paycheck again, you won't freak out.
Everyone needs an emergency fund, at least a month's pay, put away, incase of an unexpected layoff or somthing like what you went through. If that means no stuff for the jeep or not eating out, whatever, get on a budget and stick to it and find a way to save money each month until you get that fund set up and don't touch it for anything other than an emergency.

I feel bad because I used to do that very thing and when my wife lost her job when the company she worked for filed for bankruptcy we lost $37,000 of a dual income of almost $70,000 per year. We darn near didn't make it out of that, but with the good Lord's help we crawled out, we never filed bankruptcy ourself, and learned to spend less than we make. We don't use credit cards unless we pay them off each month or we take advantage of no intrest periods, but we pay them off before their due. We have no debt other than our home and it feels good.

Don't let the stress and commercialism of Christmas pressure you into thinking you have to get all of these gifts when you have no cash and don't, please don't charge gifts to give either. I would get creative and come up with other gifts for family, like things that you can make or give in way of your time.

And please remember one more thing, "If money can fix it, .... you really don't have a problem"

If you were coming out of your doctors office with a slip of paper showing they just found terminal cancer, then, you have a problem that money can't fix, right? Put it into persepective and in two weeks you'll look back and wonder what all of the fuss was about

[Wrangl3r93]

Originally Posted by 90Xjay

Jason,
I don't want to come off sounding anything but empathetic to you but once you get though this situation you really need to sit down and put yourself on a budget so if you miss a paycheck again, you won't freak out.
Everyone needs an emergency fund, at least a month's pay, put away, incase of an unexpected layoff or somthing like what you went through. If that means no stuff for the jeep or not eating out, whatever, get on a budget and stick to it and find a way to save money each month until you get that fund set up and don't touch it for anything other than an emergency.

I feel bad because I used to do that very thing and when my wife lost her job when the company she worked for filed for bankruptcy we lost $37,000 of a dual income of almost $70,000 per year. We darn near didn't make it out of that, but with the good Lord's help we crawled out, we never filed bankruptcy ourself, and learned to spend less than we make. We don't use credit cards unless we pay them off each month or we take advantage of no intrest periods, but we pay them off before their due. We have no debt other than our home and it feels good.

Don't let the stress and commercialism of Christmas pressure you into thinking you have to get all of these gifts when you have no cash and don't, please don't charge gifts to give either. I would get creative and come up with other gifts for family, like things that you can make or give in way of your time.

And please remember one more thing, "If money can fix it, .... you really don't have a problem"

If you were coming out of your doctors office with a slip of paper showing they just found terminal cancer, then, you have a problem that money can't fix, right? Put it into persepective and in two weeks you'll look back and wonder what all of the fuss was about

6 years ago my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. Family of 5, brand new 3,200 square foot house, and between surgery and chemo we lost almost 60% of our family income(down time from work this isn't including medical bills). I'm the oldest and was the only kid to realize how much my parents sacrificed for my family. Don't worry too much about Christmas it's just another day of the year(albeit a very commercialized one) and if you really feel obligated get them something later. I can tell you though the best Christmas gift in the world is just being able to be with your family.
Listen to 90xjay too. By my previous post i probably sounded like a pathetic 18 year old whining for moeny but the truth is I have a few g's sitting in the bank and growing larger every pay check for emergencies and to help through college. It's a nice feeling knowing that you have something to fall back onto even if you have to sacrifice now. The only people I've ever been indepted to are my parents and i plan to keep it that way for as long as possible.

[Dorivin]

Yea, I am in quite a pickle with money issues right now as well, im lets say about 1500 behind on certin things...Thats going to take all my tax return to pay it all off and its just growing. I've been at my current job for a month and I get paid bi-weekly, and they've already screwed my check up twice and cut me out a week of work so I know the feeling of crunch.

[mudwoman]

"If money can fix it, .... you really don't have a problem"
I know that's not the right way to quote, but you get the idea. I am in complete agreement with 90- you don't have a small problem (in terms of gifting) you have NO problem. My kids are about your age and it would make me so sad to think they stressed over getting me a gift- just that they are alive and healthy and not buried under a mountain of snow somewhere is my best gift- on Christmas day and every day. In other parts of the world Christmas isn't as nuts as it is here. One year I spent Christmas in Mexico- it was great- nobody was mortgaging the farm because some slick ad man told them "Every kiss begins with Kay" and they bought into it.

[laxpug19]

jeeeeeeez these stories are breaking my heart. I mean im down on cash but i get by, my dad is pretty leniant with my insurance which is 120 a month. he doesnt mind if i can only give him half. but about a year ago i had a solid job bussing tables at a fancy smancy rich joint where you only saw benz, bmw, lexus, volvo, and this one guy even had a ferrari. and only if i new what i had. I dont like to be stepped on, thats what made me quit. Having me do stuff i dont want to do, like all the cleaning and polishing when it was slow, and everything for everyone when it was busy. BUT MAN! I WISH I WAS STILL THERE!! that was before the jeep and i had like 2000 saved, even tho i didnt have a life working EVERY friday and sat night till at least 12-1... it was hell! but i wish i was still there. now im at toys r us and have been for about a month now. I get "laid off" fired in a week now and stuck with out a job, and only made enough to pay dad and xmas gifts.and support my quite sociable liver...

[redrooster]

I have been thinking for the past several years that it would be nice if high schools and colleges taught Personal Finance classes. There are very basic principles to personal finance that would save alot of frustrations.
I was fortunate enough to take a private class years ago on investing and personal finance. It was given to me and a few invited individuals for free, by a very wealthy local business man. The one thing he said that always stuck with me was: "Think of your personal finances as a bucket of water. The more holes you have in the bucket, the harder it is to fill up. Start plugging the holes and you will see that the bucket will begin to fill." He also said don't bother to invest your money, when you have debt with interest higher than what your investment yields. Should be common sense right? I guess it just takes someone saying it to wake you up.
I took his advice and began paying off high interest credit cards first, then student loans and finally car payments, etc...in as much as I could afford every month. It became more of a mission than anything. He was right about the bucket beginning to fill.
I also saw part of a Suze Orman special on cable late one night. She probably sells the video if you can't catch it on cable. She has a lot of financial videos, but this one was targeted at college age and young adults in general. I highly recommend the video, especially if you find yourself living from payday to payday. I think it would help alot of people out. Link:
http://www.suzeorman.com/igsbase/igs...vID=45&TnavID=