Can anyone not handle a credit/check card?

Pre-College Issues High School Life
#1

<p>I just found out that I have $455 dollars in overdraft fees. (I get charged $35 for every purchase after my balance hits 0)</p>

<p>It's like the credit card companies don't even warn us when we're approaching $0. And then when I overdraft, it doesn't decline the transaction and I end up buying a $35 bottle of Mountain Dew. And then I do it again 3 hours later and they don't bother saying that I bounced the check card till like 4 days later after I've made 15 unknowingly overdwarn purchases.</p>

<p>Does this constantly happen to anyone else?</p>

#2

<p>Cody, welcome back to the crappy HSL, glad you've returned. I don't own a credit card, but in any case, that's pretty sad that you're technically paying 35 bucks for a Mountain Dew. I learned in my Show Me The Money elective to not use a credit card for small purchases. :P</p>

#3

<p>Cody is back [: Actually Matt, HSL only recently became crappy..it was quite nice around an hour ago..</p>

#4

<p>I have two credit cards and a check card. Back in the states, I almost always use my check card- I RARELY have more than $10 on me at a time. I get to build up points that way :). The key is- ALWAYS KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY YOU HAVE. Really, it's not that difficult. Check your account every single day and keep track of what you've spent money on. Keep a checkbook if you have to. Banks make their money off of things like this, so there is no way that they're going to alert you (actually, I think Chase does- but that's an exception). </p>

<p>As for my credit card, I use it to buy gas once in a while and then pay down the balance. My balance is currently about $400 because my parents used it to pay some things (wanna take a guess at whether or not they're helping me pay down THEIR purchases? <em>grumble</em>) and I pay over the minimum every month. It is what it is.</p>

#5

<p>I have a debit card which is tied to my savings account. I barely spend any money, but if the balance drops down I just slide some money over.</p>

#6

<p>
[quote]
Cody is back [: Actually Matt, HSL only recently became crappy..it was quite nice around an hour ago..

[/quote]

I meant in general, like the past few weeks, HSL has been sucking a large schlong.</p>

#7

<p>Didn't they recently just make a law against this, forcing banks to make you sign every time you want to overdraft? Is this just a Michigan thing?</p>

#8

<p>^ Hmm... I haven't heard of this. When was this?</p>

<p>(I will have to ask my mom, who is a banker.)</p>

#9

<p>I think a couple of months ago? I'll try some googling.</p>

<p>Ahh... Doesn't start till July 1st. </p>

<p><a href="http://www.visualeconomics.com/overdraft-protection-the-new-overdraft-law_2010-03-18/%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.visualeconomics.com/overdraft-protection-the-new-overdraft-law_2010-03-18/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

#10

<p>Oh... ok. Yeah, I do remember hearing about this. The signing thing threw me off, because I don't remember that at all.</p>

#11

<p>I must say, spending $35 on a bottle of soda is full'o'fail</p>

#12

<p>
[quote]
Didn't they recently just make a law against this, forcing banks to make you sign every time you want to overdraft? Is this just a Michigan thing?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>That actually sounds SUPER legit... since I rarely spend ~$20 and have to sign</p>

#13
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