Cleaning Up the Debris from the Financial House of Cards' Collapse

Well I finally called the bank. They are closing my accounts, but not before my paycheck is deposited. And oh yeah, they won't give me the balance of my leftover money. No, they will hold it for about a week and then send me a check in the mail.

So I tried to stop the direct deposit, figuring, well I'll stop it and then just pay them off in cash. No dice. Payroll says that the money's already been transmitted to them and all that a bank does is release it on the day it should be released. They said that if the account's overdrawn, which it's not at this time, then the bank will not reverse it. If it is not overdrawn, then they might. So I'm hopeful that my $ will fall through the cracks.

Meanwhile, there is always my savings account in Kansas, so I won't be penniless for an entire two weeks while the bank sorts their stuff out. But I won't be living 'high on the hog', that's for sure. I will have to call the power company and put them off, and I'll also have to call the cable company, and put them off. Actually, let them eat cake, because I don't really watch TV anyway. But then there's still my car insurance, which automatically comes out of my checking account, and then there's also still my AOL, ditto for that. And there's also the delayed deposit service. It'll be fun telling them they can't have any money for a while. No, I really shouldn't let anyone eat cake; I need to get this taken care of and not just sit on my hands. I mean, look what that has gotten me!!!! To not do anything would be radically stupid.

The positive side of this is that the madness is stopping. It's a hard way to stop it and it's a hard lesson to learn, but nevertheless, there will be no more direct deposit advance and delayed deposit cycles...no more being in the hole before I get paid every two weeks and constantly having to try to be creative with deposits and withdrawals. What a relief.

I'll now be able to live like a normal, HONEST person. I hated all that deceit but felt like I had no choice. It felt so dirty at the time. I guess you could say that there is nowhere to go from rock bottom but up. :) The other good news is that no one has this checking account information, so that means that none of the collection agencies have it either, from when I was desperately trying to pay bills previously. And it's not affiliated at all with my married name, so no confusion whatsoever about that either.

Now the challenge is to get a new checking account somewhere...I tried another bank last night and they conditionally approved me. This recent fiasco will not show on my credit, but I do have poor credit from my bankruptcy and what preceded it. So that could stop me, but then I could also try to get a checking account with my bank that has my savings in Kansas. That might be the easiest route.

So there is life after you phenomenally screw up...check out this quote...

If you have made mistakes...there is always another chance for you...you may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing we call "failure" is not the falling down, but the staying down.

-- Mary Pickford (1893-1979) Canadian Actress