I'm so bummed

[sfreeman8]

I have a checking account and a couple months ago, one of my automatic payments came in the day before my SS check did...the bank paid it but charged me overdraft charges. Now it's been a downhill spiral ever since. i can't get out of that hole...and because of it, I can't even pay my normal bills anymore. I'm all tapped out with my savings and my IRA and I have nothing else to back me up.

I don't know how to stop the downward spiral. Cable cut off my internet sometime during the night for "nonpayment,"  but the nonpayment was for "late charges" of  whopping $30.

Anyone have any ideas how to get back on track? I'm trying to sell my vintage "stuff" but no one is buying.

[catchow]

Im sorry that your in this spot, have you called your bank and asked them if there is any way to wave this overdraft fee?

I had that happen a couple months back with my credit union, They too charged $30, I called them and explained this was the first time EVER that I had a fee, could they cut me a break? And they did

Just explain that your on really hard times at the moment and it would sure help if they could do that for you

[kimber62372]

So sorry that you are going through such a hardship! My heart goes out to and wish I could help! I will say a prayer for you that times get better. In the mean time, do as catchow says and call your bank and ask them to waive the overdraft charge. I have done so in the past and my bank always does it for me. They don't want to lose you as a customer. Try selling your vintage things on Facebook market place. I sell a lot of my used and unwanted items there. Good luck and keep us posted.

[Jayce2013]

Talk to the bank first, like it was already suggest to you.
They should be able to take the charge off as a one-time favor if you have always paid on time and have no other problems.

They can help you find a solution, I'm positive. Let us know how it goes! Crossing fingers for you.

[sfreeman8]

Thanks everyone but went that route a couple months ago and they won't budge. I am out of options with them. 

Same with cable company. They keep raising rates by nickels and dimes...just upped it another $2. I downgraded as far as I can go without going back to the '70s with only 15 channels. I was okay, now with their nickle and dimeing, I'm back up to the cost before I downgraded my service.

Sorry to vent but it seems corporations no longer care about their customers. Greed is the name of the game today.

[linderlizzie]

If you have a good record with them, write them, e-mail them or go to them personally and ask them politely to take off the charge.

I had just such an accidental happening recently, and my credit union and credit card company both took the charges off immediately. 

[annadote]

I hope things get better for you. Perhaps there are expenses you could cut or reduce/downgrade, at least for the time being. You could try couponing, too. Other than that it is just budgeting.

[oldbuddy]

Don't overlook donating Plasma for an extra quick $50. Another option I will pass on (just in case it might work), I met a guy at the Bottle Drop (we have 10 cent deposits in Oregon) that had a route of sorts. He went to farmers barns where the guys all hung out after work for a few beers and cleaned up for them to keep the bottles. Hard to believe, but he was making $13,000 a year and that was before the deposits doubled. I saw him last week and he said business is just as good at the higher deposit rate. Those guys just don't want to mess with it. Bottom Line: Think outside the box.

[dreamyxo]

Get a job if you are able to work.  You need money coming in from something. 

[dogsleash]

i took my books to half prce books and made a little. i also apply for class action rebates and those can take time to get back . you can also go around and collect metal and take it in for scrap prices.  any loose gold liek earing backs you can take to *bleep* shopes or jewlers. it can take a lot of liitle things to add up .

[sfreeman8]

Don't overlook donating Plasma for an extra quick $50. Another option I will pass on (just in case it might work), I met a guy at the Bottle Drop (we have 10 cent deposits in Oregon) that had a route of sorts. He went to farmers barns where the guys all hung out after work for a few beers and cleaned up for them to keep the bottles. Hard to believe, but he was making $13,000 a year and that was before the deposits doubled. I saw him last week and he said business is just as good at the higher deposit rate. Those guys just don't want to mess with it. Bottom Line: Think outside the box.

Niether of those options are available in my area. Bottle and can refunds are not available in the whole state, which is a shame. Hubby takes aluminum cans to the local metal recyclable center and gets a few cents per lb. but that depends on supply and demand for recyclables. It take a few months to get a good supply of aluminum cans together but it helps with car registration or taxes.

As for budgeting....I've been on a strict budget since 2010. I'm can't cut out anything else except life insurance and I definitely don't want to go that route. Cant't cut my prescriptions or  medical insurance either. Those items are important and do take half my check, while utilities (like cable and electric)  take the rest. To break even, I would need an extra $100 a month but to breathe easy, I would need  $500 a month which includes groceries.

[TELawson1]

Make disability every month, pay all of my bills, and have zero by the end of the month. My Foodstamp benefit is all gone because I was in the path of the hurricane and it turned tropical storm which GEMA has yet to contact me about my leaking roof and wall.

However, the lack of extra money hurts. I began doing surveys to help me with extra money for food and necessities. I scrounge around just to buy toilet paper and sanitary napkins or service animal food. It's difficult to live paycheck to paycheck.

I even tried working where they allowed the disabled to work and I got sick frequently. It took a flesh eating bacteria in my ear lobe to get me aware that I was just hurting myself by working there. So, I work from home, making jewelry and filling out as many surveys as I can. It's just one of those things.

My bank is a negative balance, too. -0.67. I've got a plan, but I don't know if it'll work next month. I have to budget better. And when I redeem my money from here, I'm going to save it for when I need it. Thanksgiving and Christmas.

[countrygirl12]

I have a checking account and a couple months ago, one of my automatic payments came in the day before my SS check did...the bank paid it but charged me overdraft charges. Now it's been a downhill spiral ever since. i can't get out of that hole...and because of it, I can't even pay my normal bills anymore. I'm all tapped out with my savings and my IRA and I have nothing else to back me up.

I don't know how to stop the downward spiral. Cable cut off my internet sometime during the night for "nonpayment,"  but the nonpayment was for "late charges" of  whopping $30.

Anyone have any ideas how to get back on track? I'm trying to sell my vintage "stuff" but no one is buying.

I cannot see how a one time charge of $30 could put you in a downward spiral for months that you cannot get out of.  How long ago did this happen?  If it was recent and it is the first time this has happened you can call the bank.  Sometimes they will reverse this charge if you ask them.  Unless you do it every month and you are always in the negative.  Then they def won't help you out.  But if it has never happened before and you can explain how it was a mistake or accident they may help you out and reverse that charge.  But that will only give you $30.

Also kind of curious as to what kind of check you are paying to SS.  That doesn't make sense.

This is also a good reason not to have payments set to auto.  It takes less than 10 minutes for me to pay ALL my bills online every month.  I pay them myself.  I refuse to let crap come out automatic.  And whether you want to believe it or not it is NOT that easy to stop these auto payments when you no longer have that bill or no longer want it to come out.  They will use every excuse imaginable to say whey they took it out one more time.

[countrygirl12]

Thanks everyone but went that route a couple months ago and they won't budge. I am out of options with them. 

Same with cable company. They keep raising rates by nickels and dimes...just upped it another $2. I downgraded as far as I can go without going back to the '70s with only 15 channels. I was okay, now with their nickle and dimeing, I'm back up to the cost before I downgraded my service.

Sorry to vent but it seems corporations no longer care about their customers. Greed is the name of the game today.

Turn off the cable.  You can live without cable tv.  If you are to the point of destitute then you start making some cuts.  No, your cable company could care less about you "not being able to afford" to pay for cable.  Most people with over the air antennas can get 25-30 channels.

[countrygirl12]

i took my books to half prce books and made a little. i also apply for class action rebates and those can take time to get back . you can also go around and collect metal and take it in for scrap prices.  any loose gold liek earing backs you can take to *bleep* shopes or jewlers. it can take a lot of liitle things to add up .

Class action "rebates" ? hahahaha You mean class action lawsuits?  There is a huge difference.  That is fine but if you join a class action law suit you really should be joining the lawsuit legit.  Just because it is a big company does not mean they should be screwed over by every one in the country who wants a few bucks.