Killing children is immoral. Writing a check you have excellent reason to believe will clear (but because of error elsewhere in the chain does not) is a mistake. The debt is still owed, fines are paid, the problem is solved. It is a mistake, not a crime against God.

There is no cause for attacking the character of the author. Seriously. Both perspective and decency make that clear.

Sorry to harp on this, but I’m just concerned that comments like yours make GRS less of a community and more of a battleground and I, for one, am increasingly weary of attack replacing genuine dialogue.

It’s easy to bounce checks if you have two people accessing the same account – even like in Sarah’s case where one is only doing deposits.

There is nothing accidental about this and you know it.

You don’t really know if your deposit is going to make it in time, so you are making your creditor take the gamble.

While a recalibration of spending/saving is definitely in order, we’re in good shape, I caught the problem early and we’re taking all manner of steps to get back on track. The enormous amount of worry didn’t help me at all and pretty much ruined a weekend.

In my case, I’m working to keep perspective, my partner is taking a larger role in money management and we’re setting up bi-weekly money management sessions. The hardest part for me is recognizing that freaking out and scanning for catastrophe is not “being prepared” — it’s toxic!

I think comments like this, though, are the source of a lot of stress when we make mistakes. We worry about what people will think, and what they’ll say, and it triggers a lot of shame. Brene Brown, in her TED talk, offers a wonderful distinction — guilt is “I did something bad” while shame is “I am bad.” Stress is far more linked to shame than it is to guilt, and we can lessen it by realizing that while we make mistakes, we are not mistakes.

“Playing the float – The account holder makes a debit while insufficient funds are present in the account believing they will be able to deposit sufficient funds before the debit clears.”

Just an FYI – I have found 1 pm to be the magic time with banks. Checks deposited before 1 pm are credited to that day’s deposits, after 1pm is a crapshoot. Anyway, it has been many, many years since we’ve bounced a check – most of our troubles went away when we went to one ATM card (kept in a drawer) and adult allowances. I also dramatically decreased my worrying by keeping an extra buffer of $200, then $500, then ultimately $2500 in our checking account at all times. It’s enough money so that now my husband and I can both carry ATM cards and write the occasional unexpected check without the worry of bouncing a payment.

As far as worrying goes, I worry about everything. It’s my nature. However, I have to agree with others above that the best way to stop worrying is to eliminate debt and increase savings. Worrying about paying for a nice vacation or new car is not nearly as stressful as worrying about paying for food, mortgage, or retirement.

I have realized it’s because I am a big-idea person, and a perfectionist and, also, a procrastinator. So, I will get a big idea, like, oh! It would be so great if I was the one who brought cloaks back into fashion! I could start tonight at that party to which I have been invited. And I will remember that I made that Red Riding Hood cape for Halloween last year, but it’s missing a beautiful ribbon. And so if I could only sew that fabric I have there into a beautiful ribbon… but first I should clean my dining room so that I can find the thread color I want. And if I’m cleaning my dining room, that dresser really needs to be organized, and where does that bottle of nail polish go? Maybe in a nail polish jar!

Et tu, ADHD??

Ha ha, I saw this at like 3am (my time) but wasn’t sure about posting a response. Now that I’m awake again, I have to ask– might you have a touch of the ADHD as well? Cuz… I definitely do, ha ha ha! And it looks a lot like that! (Minus the nail polish, and the ribbons, etc.– but same structure)

I don’t know if you’ll be around tomorrow, but I have some notes on that condition (only incidental to the main topic, but still…). You might get the laugh of recognition (maybe, maybe) that I got here today.

The weird synchronicity of it all…

ANYWAY, re: worries– GTD! I’m telling you! Get all your worries out of your brain and onto a trusted system! (check back tomorrow, if you can, for further instructions).

-Dr. Nerdo, Carnival Psychologist

That said, as far as finances go, I have to make a plan and then think about it a little each day. If I don’t “worry” or think about it at all, I end up not sticking to it as well. So I guess a little bit of worry can be good just to keep ourselves accountable!

Many are full of worry right now over financial subjects like the fiscal cliff, the upcoming tax season, dealing with the credit bills from Christmas, etc. This is a timely and useful message.

I’m not one to worry much but I do have a tendency to succumb to analysis paralysis by spending too much time thinking over plans instead of setting them in motion. As a blogger, that is something that hampers me from posting frequently enough.

However, I’m starting to get a better handle on what I’m doing and am focusing on well-calculated goals to pursue for 2013. I wish all of us less worry and more confidence in our finances as we go forward into the new year.

If it is not illegal it certainly is immoral.

In finances, this could also be used. For example, paying off debts early, setting money aside for bills in advance, just generally getting organised and having an emergency fund ready and waiting when something unexpected comes up!

Sigh.

Love your tips about handling that worry. Definitely will try to put some of them to use.

Thanks and Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

Somehow when all of that is in place, the stress just melts away.

Over the last few years I’ve taken this onboard in most things and as a result I travel slower, I eat slower, and I’m very rarely stressed. Yes there is some worry, but it is a different kind of worry than before.

A financial example is how I now keep a lump of money in my current account. It doesn’t have fees and there is no interest earned, but it lets me know how to worry about a direct debt bouncing or such, and to me that little bit less worry is worth whatever amount of interest I could have earned.