Author:
I finally got up the nerve on Wednesday to go bra shopping. I have been wearing one in public ever since so I big milestone for me. When I was at the store they told me if I charged anything to my first credit card which was a store card it would be reflected in my balance right away. So I ordered some final sale bras online and thought that I had been charged for them already so I thought I was fine with a couple more things.
Dot said something to me and I called and it’s not actually been charged yet, because of the nature of the items and the final sale I can’t return them.
Its more than I can afford I don’t have more than a couple dollars left. I am looking for a job but haven’t found one yet. The interest rate is about 30% and I am still looking for a job so unless I can get this paid off soon it’s just going to keep building. My parents were already mad that I spent any money on bras so if they find out about this will probably kick me out on the street. It is really upsetting that this came right after this major milestone in my life.
Any help to cover the shortfall would be appreciated, it is about 80 dollars. Any extra will go to getting an estimate on fixing my car which if I remember right is like 60 dollars. With my car a 1998 Honda Accord the maintenance light is on and the dashboard panel with all the gauges is faulty, so I never know my speed or fuel remaining. It occurred after I clipped and rode over a curb on the back right tire. The ac also makes way too much noise like it’s struggling.
I’ve had a PayPal for years I just haven’t used it in a while. I’ve never done this before but I think I set up the PayPal donations link correctly for donations.
If it’s a little rambling I apologize I’ve been having an anxiety attack.
https://paypal.me/savemybutt2020?locale.x=en_US
PayPal link
Also please leave a note so I know who to thank.
Comments
first off. Credit cards are not always charged right away.
There is sometimes charges that take up to 7 days to show up. Also as funny as this sounds. Did you actually activate the credit card? Most places would try to contact you if a charge did not go through. Don't panic right away.
Second what kind of car are you driving. It could be a fuse or a loose connector on back of gauges that is relatively easy to fix with a screwdriver. Or by reaching under the dash and pushing on connectors to dash.
Don't jump the gun right away and spend hundreds of dollars at a shop for an easy fix.
I learned my lesson
That however doesn’t fix my current problem of not being able to pay it, which will ding my credit score. Also I’m not a car person.
hugs :)
Michelle SidheElf Amaianna
30 days
On most cards you have 30 days to pay from the date of the transaction. If this transaction occurred less than 30 days before the transaction date your bill will show a balance which is the total owed and a balance due which is the amount over thirty days from charge or the minimum payment on your balance. Paying the minimum will protect your credit score but cause a major interest expense. Don't rely on what I'm saying but do check with you card issuer. Also, I agree with Tels that if all of your gauges are out the problem is likely a short or fuse out. Look on line for how to find and check fuses on your model. It's much cheaper than an eighty dollar minimum visit to a mechanic.
Payment
They said less than thirty days I have about 15 and interest rate is around 30% also my parents might kick me out if they find out I messed up like that. I’ve already been threatened with because I went and bought some bras.
Also I don’t think it’s a fuse because it started after I ran up and over a curb corner with the back tire. Something I just noticed is when the air is on it sounds like the car is struggling.
hugs :)
Michelle SidheElf Amaianna
you shook something loose.
if it is struggling I suspect that it is also going through a lot more fuel than normal.
Newer cars have regular run mode and then there is service mode. It happens when the computer detects a fault and it defaults to well default values which normally cause the vehicle to use more fuel.
Having make and model would tell me more.
Yep
It sounds like the engine computer is no longer getting all the electrical signals it needs in order to control the engine efficiently. The computer then goes into "limp mode" which tries to approximate a typical running condition. In "limp mode" the engine usually loses power and has increased gas consumption. Look for loose electrical connectors under the hood or car, and obtain the engine fault codes from the computer diagnostic port in order to narrow down which electrical conponent or system may not be working properly. Then look at the wiring for that component or system.
1998 Accord
The circumstances lead me to suspect that you've damaged the O2 sensor # 2, usually on or near the catalytic converter ( where it's easily snagged by running over something). Do a web search for O2 sensors to see what it should look like, then see if it shows signs of physical stress or the wire(s) disconnected (e.g broken). Around AZ, $60 would barely cover the cost of the troubleshooting, not the actual repair, so do what you can, first. Typical example:
https://contentinfo.autozone.com/znetcs/product-info/en/US/w...
30%??
First, congratulations on getting your bras. I'm sure it is important to you and it's a shame that that is being overshadowed by this money thing. I hope you remember the joy of them long after the bills are paid. Second, pay off that card and shred it! If you need a card for internet purchases get a refillable prepaid American express gift card.
Take a deep breath, slowly exhale
Store employees are incentivized to push the store credit cards and many employees will lie however necessary to get you to sign up for one. Don't believe anything that is said by a clerk, read the contract terms before signing up for one and if you don't understand the terms, don't take the card. So now you have the card and realize its terms aren't great. Get it paid off as soon as possible but don't cancel the account as that will hurt your credit score. If you aren't going to use it again, cut it up or bury it somewhere safe in your room where it won't be found.
The interest rates on department store cards are obscene and not all have a grace period; you have to read the terms VERY carefully. And although the interest rate may be 30%, that is the annual rate (APR), not a monthly rate or a daily rate, to calculate the monthly rate, divide the APR by 12, for a daily rate, divide it by 365. In this case, 30% divided by 12 = 2.5% per month; the daily rate is 0.08%.
Finally, on online and mail order purchases, the card isn't charged until the order is ready to be shipped. You may be able to cancel the order because it hasn't been finalized.
Good luck.
Not so fast on cutting up the card
I hope most have read the terms and conditions on applying for a credit card. Now let's get to the why cutting one up instead of canceling is a bad idea. There is a monthly financial charge on most credit cards whether one is in use or not. Let's say our lady cut up her card. It doesn't stop the monthly minimum financial charge. One way or another credit card companies get their share. Use it don't use it, they prefer one uses it so they can add interest. 30% ? I'm not sure the Mafia charges that much. Back on track here, Barb. We were talking about that minimum monthly charge. Um, yes, okay then. So she cuts up the card and the monthly charge continues. It wouldn't surprise me if that same company is charging $15 dollars a month minimum. Expect a bill in the mail in three months for back charges. Expect the bill collectors in six months. Provided how aggressive they are, expect a court summons in a year. Telling the judge the card was cut up but wasn't canceled isn't going to work. Expect to pay court costs and lawyers fees while paying off that yearly minimum charge with 30% interest added on every month.
We had credit cards at one time. Amazingly after eighteen months we canceled them out and lived without them for.....years. I have a debit card which has a four hundred limit I requested be put on it. Sure it can be scammed but they won't get much. I purchased virus protection software and crap, they locked me into renewing every year. After futilely trying to find the cancel, I canceled the card and got a new one. They lost a customer. I'll never purchase any more of their software.
Life used to be so simple when all I had to do is get up at 4:30 everyday, go feed and milk the cows, drive a tractor, kiss the calves. Like daddy said, if anything was stolen you went and told them you wanted it back and it would show up in a couple days. Now it isn't local crooks but ones all over the world trying to con me.
Heads up ladies and gentlemen, there are a lot of sharks in the water and they want a piece of you.
always
Barb
Life is meant to be lived. Not worn until it's worn out.
Oklahoma born and raised cowgirl
I respectfully disagree
At one point in my life, after a nasty divorce coupled with a career ending accident that left me unable to work for several years while I was in rehab, I had horrible credit and several very predatory credit cards. I paid high interest rates but refused all of the extra services they wanted me to buy and pay for monthly like credit insurance, i.d. theft protection, etc. I never got charged any fees or interest beyond what was actually due; no account maintenance fees or anything else.
A credit card company may charge you for "services" which you sign up for, and they can charge trailing interest (you pay off the balance but some interest accrues and is due the next month), but I have never seen a legitimate credit card charge interest on a zero balance; if they were to do so, it would have to be disclosed in the terms and conditions and if they were to do that with no disclosure, they would be violating the agreement (and Federal law) because the interest rate is disclosed and any interest charged on a zero balance is effectively higher than the disclosed APR.
If the credit card isn't really a credit card but a prepaid debit card, you don't have the same legal protections that a credit card offers and you are subject to many b.s. fees that can include minimum monthly fees whether or not there is activity, fees to make a deposit or withdrawal, fees for balance inquiries and fees per transaction; they have to disclose the fees in the terms and conditions but you are bound by them if you take the card, regardless of whether you read them.
While most retailers that used to have their own in-house charge cards sold their operations to banks that issue MasterCard or Visa affinity credit cards with the store logo on them, a few retailers (on line and brick and mortar) still have their own "credit cards" which are the ones to avoid at all costs. These are the cards with the most restrictive terms, highest interest rates and gotcha charges.
Banks, credit card companies, insurance companies, et al are, by nature, predatory and it is us folk who are just getting by who are their favorite prey. Unfortunately, they are, to a certain extent, a necessary evil and I don't trust any representation by them or their employees outside the written agreements which govern their accounts. I don't agree to anything until I have read, understand and am in agreement with the document put before me; if someone is trying to hurry me along I walk away. The thing to remember is their documents exist to protect them and their interests from you, the customer- not to provide you with any more than the minimal mandated disclosures and protections (if any) required by law.
Yearly fees
Some credit cards charge a yearly fee which has nothing to do with interest. These are ones to avoid.
While not having a credit card makes it safer to not get in to trouble with them, those high-interest store cards (provided there's no yearly fee!!!) have a use: establishing credit. Unfortunately with the way things work these days having NO credit history is worse than having bad credit history, as my step-son discovered when he wanted to buy and finance a decent (if used) car. While he'd been working for many years, he had no credit file whatsoever and thus no one was willing to lend to him except for one place that wanted exorbitant interest. When it comes to things like car finance - or bigger like house/property - that credit rating is very important.
Getting those first 'store brand' cards (again, make sure there's no yearly fee!!), purchasing items with them and paying them off each month - or even deliberately letting $10 ride an extra month before payoff - gets that history going. From there better and lower interest cards become possible and then later when you DO need that history it'll be there for you.
Unless you plan to pay cash/debit for everything and will never want or need to finance anything, it's important. Just be absolutely sure with every purchase that you can make the payment on time, even better is to be absolutely sure you can pay the entire thing. With online access to the accounts it's now easy to use a credit card, wait for the charge to post, go online and pay it immediately from your bank account if you want. Some cards have cashback rewards for use too.
It's worth noting that some potential employers these days will also run a credit report on you to determine if you are a risk. Fair or not, it's the way the system is set up.
From personal experience, having cards with good size limits available made it possible to recover from some serious set-backs without starving or losing the place I was living in. It took awhile (few years) to pay it all off, which was helped with a personal loan from a bank at a much better interest rate to consolidate things - again something that would not have been available without a solid history in the record.
Probably Not The Answer You Want
Here's a novel solution to not being able to afford your last mail order. If it hasn't shipped, cancel the order.
Cant
It can’t be canceled I asked and because it’s final sale it can’t be returned.
hugs :)
Michelle SidheElf Amaianna
If They Haven't...
I could be mistaken, but if you're in the U.S., you have certain consumer rights. If they haven't shipped, it CAN be cancelled. If they ship anyway, refuse the package. Don't sign for it. Tell the carrier you don't want it. Leave a note for the carrier saying not to deliver it. If you get a tracking number, call the carrier while it's in transit and tell them to return it, refused.
They can't charge you for what you don't get. If you're still having trouble, contact your credit card company.