Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!

Published on September 27, 2005 By Texas Wahine In Misc

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!

How do I always manage to do stuff like this?

I was getting a jump start on bill paying today...I like to go ahead and set up the payments before payday so I don't forget and end up paying something late. So, I entered my amounts, set the date for payday, and clicked submit.

Or so I thought.

I forgot to set the date for my phone/internet bill...so it went with the default option. Today.

The bill is being paid right now. At this very minute.

And this is a problem because...

I have (had) about $140 in the checking account. That's not a lot to some folks, but it's plenty to last til payday (Friday) for me and the kids. In fact, I've experienced far worse right-before-payday snafus and account balances. I was pretty proud of the $140 figure. I even bragged about it on the phone to my hubby last night.

My phone/DSL bill is BIG. It's not car payment big (heh, I'm smart and split my car payment between the two paydays), but still...additionally, I tend to overpay bills just for kicks (well, not JUST for kicks, but it's nice to pay more when you have it so that the next bill is smaller in case you don't), so now I've got about $50 in the checking account for 3 days.

That's not too bad. Not great, but not too bad.

But wait!

I then, with full knowledge of my payment mishap, went to the Shopette and bought a magazine, snacks, and some cereal bars.

That left me with around $30. Not yet a dire situation, but certainly not impressive.

But wait!

On the way home with my purchases I realized that the debit from the gas I got yesterday wasn't on my statement.

So here I am. With about $15 for three days.

And it didn't have to be this way. What a bummer. Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!

You think the school will let me pay for my kids' lunches by showing them my boobs? No? Really? You're sure? Luckily they've got some money in their lunch accounts, but they'd better go easy on the extra milks for the next coupla days.

Comments (Page 1)

shadesofgrey

on Sep 27, 2005

Tex:

If I had $140 sitting in my account three days before pay day, I'd be pretty proud of myself too.

Any chance you can cancel the phone/DSL payment--sometimes you have a couple of hours before they go through and you have the option to cancel it (at least on my credit card bill, but now that I think of it not on my cellphone bill).

How well do your kids like Ramen noodles?

Seriously, though--it won't be fun, but it's doable. Tell your kids it's a "survivor adventure" and you have to live off of things you already own. First person who asks to spend money loses!

infantry wife

on Sep 27, 2005

Been there done that believe it or not. Ok, with a check not debit card- you can go to commisary and get the basics. Is the school lunch person a guy because the boob thing could work. Anyway, the pay will go in Thursday at midnight surely a check written Wednesday wouldn't clear in 24-36 hours? Good luck!

infantry wife

on Sep 27, 2005

Oh, forgot to say THANKS a million for giving me a second chance, a chance to redeem myself and express my opinions without coming off as before- truly appreciate it from another military wife.

Moderateman

on Sep 27, 2005

dunno bout free lunch fer kids flashing yer hooters, but.......... never mind... heh heh heh {d.o.m.} laugh

Texas Wahine

on Sep 27, 2005

Shades:

If I had $140 sitting in my account three days before pay day, I'd be pretty proud of myself too.

Haha...I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks that's a decent pre-payday account balance!

Any chance you can cancel the phone/DSL payment--sometimes you have a couple of hours before they go through and you have the option to cancel it (at least on my credit card bill, but now that I think of it not on my cellphone bill).

Typically I have the option of revising or even canceling a payment...but this time it started processing immediately and didn't give me the option. Grrr. I gotta pay closer attention to what I'm doing!

How well do your kids like Ramen noodles?

Hehe. Actually, my boys LOVE Ramen noodles and prefer it to a lot of stuff. But we're cool on groceries...we have plenty to eat here at the house.

Seriously, though--it won't be fun, but it's doable. Tell your kids it's a "survivor adventure" and you have to live off of things you already own. First person who asks to spend money loses!

That sounds fun! You'd make a great mommy, shades!

Infantry Wife:

Ok, with a check not debit card- you can go to commisary and get the basics.

A while back we got into a weird grocery shopping cycle where we needed groceries right before payday (we usually go every two weeks...and we started out going right after paydays but somehow managed to get our schedule all off track), and so we would go a day or two before and write a check because it wouldn't clear until well after payday.

Thankfully, we've gotten our grocery schedule back how it needs to be!

Is the school lunch person a guy because the boob thing could work.

It's a chick, but you never know!

Anyway, the pay will go in Thursday at midnight surely a check written Wednesday wouldn't clear in 24-36 hours?

Well, we have all our needs covered, really. The kids are good on school lunches unless they go really nuts with extras, and we have food at the house, gas in the car, and pretty much everything else we'd need. The wants will have to wait though!

Good luck!

Thanks for the advice, I appreciate it.

Texas Wahine

on Sep 27, 2005

Infantry Wife:

Oh, forgot to say THANKS a million for giving me a second chance, a chance to redeem myself and express my opinions without coming off as before- truly appreciate it from another military wife.

You're certainly welcome. I try not to hold grudges, and as far as military wives on JU go, the more the merrier!

Moderateman:

dunno bout free lunch fer kids flashing yer hooters, but.......... never mind... heh heh heh {d.o.m.} laugh

Sooo naughty! Although, I was the one who started it! Hehe.

dharmagrl

on Sep 27, 2005

Heheh...Dave had a stupid stupid stupid moment this payday as well. We've got about $50 left in the checking account until Friday. We've got money elsewhere, but it's a pain in the ass to transfer it - takes about 3 days, by which time payday will have rolled around.

It could be worse, Tex. You could have $15 left AND have overdue bills to pay. THAT'D really suck.

Texas Wahine

on Sep 27, 2005

dharma:

We've got money elsewhere, but it's a pain in the ass to transfer it - takes about 3 days, by which time payday will have rolled around.

We have kind of the same situation. I have one savings account back in Texas that I'd have to have someone withdraw from and then deposit it for us. I have one savings account here, but it's an emergency savings account, and I don't think this qualifies as a true emergency, hehe.

Our checking is tied to a credit card, so we if we overdraw, the funds are filled in from there, but I really, really try to not to use that.

Sooo...

Heheh...Dave had a stupid stupid stupid moment this payday as well. We've got about $50 left in the checking account until Friday.

You mean men do it too?

It could be worse, Tex. You could have $15 left AND have overdue bills to pay. THAT'D really suck.

No joke. It's really not all that bad. Haha, but it could have been avoided!

dharmagrl

on Sep 27, 2005

it's an emergency savings account, and I don't think this qualifies as a true emergency, hehe.

That's how I look at it too. if we had no food or were out of gas for the car, then I'd be happy to use that money. but, we're not, so.....we're not going to use it.

It's kind of a good reminder of how things used to be. This used to be the norm...at one time if we'd have $50 left over after the bills were paid and food was bought we'd have considered ourselves rich!

Texas Wahine

on Sep 27, 2005

dharma:

That's how I look at it too. if we had no food or were out of gas for the car, then I'd be happy to use that money. but, we're not, so.....we're not going to use it.

I think having a degree of difficulty in accessing savings money is pretty helpful. It makes us stop and think about whether we really need to use it (or does for me at least!).

Absolutely. We certainly have more discretionary money now than we used to...but where does it all go?

Early in the mornin' rising to the street
light me up that cigarette and I'll strap shoes on my feet
got to find the reason, reason things went wrong
got to find the reason why my money's all gone

Hehe.

Texas Wahine

on Sep 27, 2005

little whip:

When I do that, which is more often than I care to admit, (and not by accident, either)

Haha, music to my ears (eyes?...wait...that expression doesn't lend itself to type very well...you know what I mean, hehe). I don't feel so bad now.

I go to the local Food Lion, get what I need for the next few days, and write a check for $20 over the amount, (the most they will let you get away with.)

They always take a few days to present the check for payment, so by the time they do, the money is there.

Earlier in the year my bank, in an act of completely overzealous fraud prevention, froze my debit card (I had spent about $250 at the commissary, in contrast to the usual $100 to $200, so they found the expense suspect and I had to call and confirm the purchase), and so I had to write checks and get cash back from the PX to pay for day-to-day expenses.

I'm sure I could do that again if something urgent comes up between now and payday. It takes a few days for checks to make it from here to the mainland and then a day or two to clear once they're there. I want to say you can get as much as $300 back per check doing it that way.

Thanks for the heads up!

Moderateman

on Sep 27, 2005

11 by little_whip
Tuesday, September 27, 2005

When I do that, which is more often than I care to admit, (and not by accident, either) I go to the local Food Lion, get what I need for the next few days, and write a check for $20 over the amount, (the most they will let you get away with.)

They always take a few days to present the check for payment, so by the time they do, the money is there.

whip! you have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be held against you in a court of law, if you do not have an attorney one will be prrovided for you free of charge.

Do you wish to make any further statements?

shadesofgrey

on Sep 27, 2005

Haha...I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks that's a decent pre-payday account balance!

Not even just decent--it would be miraculous. I get paid on Friday and I currently have $32.74 in my checking account--of which $20 needs to pay for my italian tutoring tomorrow night. And I only have that much because I used my credit card over the weekend... Ug! Budgeting is not my strong suit.

Hehe. Actually, my boys LOVE Ramen noodles and prefer it to a lot of stuff

When we were little we ate a lot of macaroni and cheese with hot dogs--I thought we were the coolest family on the block. Turns out, we were just poor

That sounds fun! You'd make a great mommy, shades!

Thanks. I usually get along with other peoples kids really well. But I have hard enough time being responsible for myself--I wouldn't want to subject a kids to me at this stage. (Perfect example, for some reason, even though I know I am meant to be at work around 9ish, I refuse to get out of bed until 8:55--and then I am amazed when I get stuck in DC traffic. I do this every morning. My kids would never make it to school ontime!)

Texas Wahine

on Sep 27, 2005

Moderateman:

I'm going to wage a peaceful, mostly silent protest against your harsh treatment of little whip for her creative financial management. Hehe.

Shades:

I know how that feels! I think I'm much better now about budgeting than I used to be. Budgeting takes sooo much discipline!

When we were little we ate a lot of macaroni and cheese with hot dogs--I thought we were the coolest family on the block. Turns out, we were just poor

That made me laugh so hard!

That's the beautiful thing about children. They really appreciate the simple things in life. Growing up, I never thought we were poor...haha, everyone around us had the same crappy stuff we did!

When Adrian's away, we eat a lot of macaroni and cheese (good with Dijon mustard for grown ups!) and hot dogs...that's my youngest's favorite meal.

But I have hard enough time being responsible for myself--I wouldn't want to subject a kids to me at this stage. (Perfect example, for some reason, even though I know I am meant to be at work around 9ish, I refuse to get out of bed until 8:55--and then I am amazed when I get stuck in DC traffic. I do this every morning. My kids would never make it to school ontime!)

Hehe. I had my oldest when I was 18, and started college (on top of work) only a few months after he was born. When you have kids, somehow you manage to be responsible for the important stuff just cause you have to...the other stuff...well...haha.

(Btw, just from reading the things you've posted on JU, I get the impression that you're not giving yourself enough credit...you seem quite responsible to me!)

I will say I absolutely HATE mornings. I hate getting up, so I figure the boys do too...so I let them sleep as late as I can!

Moderateman

on Sep 27, 2005

Moderateman: whip! you have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be held against you in a court of law, if you do not have an attorney one will be prrovided for you free of charge.

Do you wish to make any further statements?

I'm going to wage a peaceful, mostly silent protest against your harsh treatment of little whip for her creative financial management. Hehe.

tex? you have the right to remain silent anything you say can and will be held against you in a court of law, if you do not have an attorney one will be provided to you for free.

do you understand these rights? heh/.

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