So we went through check fraud back in July. The people took everything, from our Mortgage payment that was set to go through the next day or our food budget money for the month. The bank finally did give us our money back, and we were able to pull out the money and pay the Mortgage in person as not to take a ding on our credit report. Thank God!
At the same time we opened a new account and closed down the old. New checks were ordered, but you know what as of today I have not written another check. We went to an all cash only system. We have been on top of our money knowing where every penny goes. So back when we opened our new account we asked for the overdraft protection to be taken off. Because honestly if you have gone through check fraud it is so very scary and for that to happen again would probably kill us. So we sat right there and the lady typed into her computer and said OK it's off. Anything else.
ANYTHING ELSE?
Well this morning I went to check our bank account, I know there is only 3 dollars in there, I know this. Well except it showed a negative 34 dollars? WHAT? So me being beyond livid Hubby called the bank and said we had this taken off in July, you were not to pay anything that we didn't have money for? Why didn't the bank reject it? Well because you have overdraft protection on your account. So we paid it and feed you.
OK BY NOW I'M BEYOND PISSED.
You can hear me in the back ground. WE WERE LIED TOO, THAT FLIPPING LADY LIED TO US. Russell repeats it's the law? What do you mean, we HAVE to have overdraft protection on our account? ME: THAT IS NOT THE LAW, THAT IS A BULL DONKEY DOO (seriously I used those words) LAW, SHE IS LYING TO US AGAIN, THAT IS NOT THE LAW WE DO NOT HAVE TO HAVE OVER DRAFT PROTECTION ON OUR ACCOUNT. HANG UP AND LETS CHANGE BANKS. I'VE SO HAD IT WITH THIS BANK. BULL DONKEY DOO TELLING ME I HAVE TO HAVE OVERDRAFT PROTECTION. YEAH YOU GO THROUGH CHECK FRAUD AND THEN TELL ME I HAVE TO HAVE OVERDRAFT PROTECTION.
All this loud enough for the person to hear on the phone. Boy can I rant when I want to rant. The lady again said it was the law, Hubby said no it's not, we are being lied too. Please reverse the fee, we will not be paying that fee for a mistake you made and in the mean time we will be looking for a new bank.
So Hubby got off the phone and called around. NO it is NOT the law you do not have to have overdraft protection on your account. BUT if you don't have enough money in your account and we have to turn back a payment we charge you a 30 dollar fee. ARG!
NOW 4 years ago, we were in the land of fees, it's how we lived, at one time having 40k of medical bills on our dining room table and doing everything we could to stay afloat. So yes we used that overdraft protection and was feed 30 dollars each time we used it. It killed us but at times it's how we made do. Two years ago we stopped using the over draft protection and were able to stand on our feet. Which was nice, at times only having a few cents in the bank, but they were our few cents. I do NOT want to know how much over the years I have paid in bank fees!
Fast forward to July and we were hit with check fraud, because we had overdraft protection the bank allowed a 2,000 check to clear our account no questions asked. And then feed us on top of things! Because we didn't have 2,000 in the bank. So when we changed accounts we asked for it to be taken off. But we were lied to. I think the biggest issue for me is just the fact we were lied too, someone sat right there and looked me in the face and lied to me.
So hubby called a few banks/credit unions, but this is the norm, no you don't HAVE to have overdraft protection. BUT we will fee you if we have to turn back a payment.
So honestly what is the point of changing banks then?
So we have been cash only since July, we would go to the bank every Friday and get out the cash we need and that would be it. We have never had a debt card (this actually shocked those banks we called), we don't have credit cards, (well wait I do have a pre-pay credit card). So why not take it to the next step and see if we can LIVE without a bank?
LIVE WITHOUT A BANK?
What is stopping us from cashing the work check at work? What is stopping us from going over to the Mortgage bank and paying in person? What is stopping us from going down to the energy company and paying in person? Seriously. Can we live without a bank? So for now we will keep our account open, I will change hubby's pay checks to no longer go into the bank. We will pick them up in person and cash them at work. We will take this day by day and see if we can live without a bank. This might actually be a fun challenge for 2012. The year without the bank!
I will NOT be feed by bank fees in 2012. I will NOT be lied too by banks, I will NOT be told something is the law or we HAVE to do it. I honestly won't be told what to do. I'm too dang old to be told what to do!
So that is my BIG Rant for the day. I'm so fed up with Banks, and fees, the fees just kill ya. Can someone explain to me how being feed 30 dollars per transaction helps you in this game of life? It doesn't it digs you deeper and deeper into the hole. They should just hand you a shovel. Well I'm putting the shovel away. I'm Done.
6 comments:
We have been living cash or money order only for the last few years. We have to have his checks go into a bank but I go down and get the money out and pay everything I can with cash and the few things I have to mail our I purchase money orders and send. So I am writing one check a month to remove the money and that is it. We don't use a bank card at any time as so many family members have had problems with stolen info from those as well as credit cards. Just not worth the fear of what might happen.
Someone else lives cash free. This is so foreign to the banks we called to ask about fees. I don't know how many times hubby said we don't have a Debt Card, cash only.
I'm actually getting very excited. (a little, it will hit later I'm sure)
They may charge you $5 to cash the check if you don't have an account there. Of course it is pretty easy to have at least a small account.
I, too, live by cash.
My credit union does not charge $30 for an overdraft protection transfer, it comes out of a signature loan account with no fee for the first one and $1 fee for each additional transfer for the month. Of course that is borrowed money so we pay interest on it if it is not paid in full at the end of the month. I got a job that I start next Tuesday after being a stay at home mom for almost 10 years, so I will now have enough income to pay off the debt we owe, all except the mortgage. My goal is to be debt free except the mortgage and have 6 months expenses in the bank for emergencies, all of that by the end of 2012. I LOVE Dave Ramsey http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_nr_scat_166772011_ln?rh=n%3A166772011%2Ck%3Aamazon+moms&keywords=amazon+moms&ie=UTF8&qid=1325302010&scn=166772011&h=3565e77db3cb010b52f446d4a5ee5c7df8eda852#/ref=sr_nr_p_n_size_browse-vebi_0?rh=n%3A165796011%2Cn%3A!165797011%2Cn%3A166764011%2Cn%3A166772011%2Ck%3Aamazon+moms%2Cp_n_size_browse-vebin%3A2237973011&bbn=166772011&keywords=amazon+moms&ie=UTF8&qid=1325302023&rnid=2237972011 and he advocated cash only lifestyle, it works. Following his plan we were able to get out of debt and buy this house, that is until the gas prices and grocery prices and health insurance premiums went up and ate up our cushion, now the only way to dig out of the hole is more income. God is good and will provide what we need.
My credit union does not charge $30 for an overdraft protection transfer, it comes out of a signature loan account with no fee for the first one and $1 fee for each additional transfer for the month. Of course that is borrowed money so we pay interest on it if it is not paid in full at the end of the month. I got a job that I start next Tuesday after being a stay at home mom for almost 10 years, so I will now have enough income to pay off the debt we owe, all except the mortgage. My goal is to be debt free except the mortgage and have 6 months expenses in the bank for emergencies, all of that by the end of 2012. I LOVE Dave Ramsey http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_nr_scat_166772011_ln?rh=n%3A166772011%2Ck%3Aamazon+moms&keywords=amazon+moms&ie=UTF8&qid=1325302010&scn=166772011&h=3565e77db3cb010b52f446d4a5ee5c7df8eda852#/ref=sr_nr_p_n_size_browse-vebi_0?rh=n%3A165796011%2Cn%3A!165797011%2Cn%3A166764011%2Cn%3A166772011%2Ck%3Aamazon+moms%2Cp_n_size_browse-vebin%3A2237973011&bbn=166772011&keywords=amazon+moms&ie=UTF8&qid=1325302023&rnid=2237972011 and he advocated cash only lifestyle, it works. Following his plan we were able to get out of debt and buy this house, that is until the gas prices and grocery prices and health insurance premiums went up and ate up our cushion, now the only way to dig out of the hole is more income. God is good and will provide what we need.
Yes, adore Dave Ramsey. Would love to get my hands on some of his books, I'm just unwilling to pay new prices. But I think we see things basically the same way. Cash only, save, pay off debt. Something I'm doing tonight and something I try and do every few months is list our monthly bills and pick one I think I can hack to death. Sometimes it works, sometimes I fail. Keeping tabs on every penny. Wish you luck on the new job. Not easy after being at home for 10 years. We did that to help pay the medical bills. If I didn't take a job I don't know if we would have paid off the medical and been able to keep the house. Some decisions are Not easy.
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