h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I was really, really hoping to switch banks before they had one last chance to pull the rug out from under me. No dice, though.

When I pay my student loans, I use an automated system online. I scheduled a payment for the first of June, but by the fourth of June there wasn't a sign of it anywhere. So I double checked, and couldn't find it listed online. I assumed I'd made a mistake and scheduled a payment for the seventh.

Naturally, on saturday the initial payment struck without warning, prompting me to panic a bit because that payment all-but depleted the funds I had available, and with my next paycheck a week away it looked like if the payment went through it could put me in dire financial straights. (Especially considering the number of bank processes that are "pending" right now, effectively meaning that the bank knows that I've spent certain funds, but they've not updated the status. When they finally do update the status, the biggest payment will be made first, so that if you run out of cash you'll default on all of your small payments instead. A series of tiny payments that could've been manageable hits for a huge fee each with this system, which is why I'm trying to switch banks.)

So I called the people at the student loans department to see if the second payment could be cancelled, and they calmly told me that that couldn't happen because the second payment had already been initialized. The bank was closed then, so I waited until this morning to call the bank because someone would actually be there. When I called the bank, they told me that I could attempt to stop it, but it wouldn't necessarily work, especially since it's an online payment. Worse, any attempt to stop it would accrue a thirty-three dollar fee, whether or not the attempt to stop it was succesful (naturally.)

It doesn't look like the payment has gone through as of today, so I'm just waiting for that other shoe to drop (especially since I know full well that those other payments will most likely be ushered through at exactly the same time, bringing with it a wave of fees that'll push the problem deeper and deeper.)

It looks like the final substitute teaching paycheck that would have had *just* enough money to get me through the summer will in all probability be completely used up in paying fees (if it's even large enough for that.)

I'm praying about it, of course, and I've contacted a couple people in the hopes that I can borrow some cash until the weekend (hopefully they'll have it available, otherwise I'm in trouble.) Let's see how this one turns out.

That situation sucks Affy.

I hope it all turns out okay. Some banking tactics are pretty underhanded and should be investigated.

Oh, believe me, I've reported this bank a number of times before. Nothing really seems to happen about it, though.

Someone was going to send me the money I needed yesterday, but forgot. They called me right now about it, and apparently it all went through this morning.

(And, as I predicted, all those other pending payments "coincidentally" came through at exactly the same moment.)

Well, there goes my last paycheck and my ability to pay bills for three months.

They call that an online system? Switch bank, pronto!

Although I'm aware that we're pretty blessed in Sweden, having very efficient online systems for a lot of things.

And my bank balance will always be up-to-date online, with payments pending (because they're not due to be paid yet) included in brackets.