Yikes, I screwed up royally -

Got a letter from Chase on Friday saying they were lowering our credit line from $6100 to $4100 due to delinquincies.

A little background info: my DH and FIL have same name and have had major confusion issues in the past - somewhere along the line FIL's DOB was linked to DHs SSN and it has been mass confusion at times. I might add that dear inlaws are not financially prudent and have several big BLIPs on their record (some more recent than others). I assumed that the decrease came from their delinquincies.

When DH called to find out further info: I (ME) made the payments on line for the past three months and for three months in a row were 2 to 5 days late (delinquincies) thus resulting in the lowering of our limit.

Funny thing, because I overpaid last month there is nothing due this month.

Paid off the nominal balance and will have DH close account tomorrow - paid with a cashier's check. Was also mad enough to close out the two credit cards in my name with no balance and the checking account we never used anyhow. I know I was late but the payment due dates were both on weekends and in one I didn't quite allow for the five day window to proccess online payments. My fault all the way. It is amazing how they try to keep your business once you say you are going to close the account.

Anyhow, I did call MIL to apologize for assuming the issue stemmed from them. She was very nice about it and said something like "money does damange families and let's try to work together to figure things out in the future if there is a problem". I was rude and put out at the phone calls I was going to have to write.

LESSON LEARNED: Make sure the source of the delinquincies before accusing someone else.

Yikes, I screwed up royally -

Got a letter from Chase on Friday saying they were lowering our credit line from $6100 to $4100 due to delinquincies.

A little background info: my DH and FIL have same name and have had major confusion issues in the past - somewhere along the line FIL's DOB was linked to DHs SSN and it has been mass confusion at times. I might add that dear inlaws are not financially prudent and have several big BLIPs on their record (some more recent than others). I assumed that the decrease came from their delinquincies.

When DH called to find out further info: I (ME) made the payments on line for the past three months and for three months in a row were 2 to 5 days late (delinquincies) thus resulting in the lowering of our limit.

Funny thing, because I overpaid last month there is nothing due this month.

Paid off the nominal balance and will have DH close account tomorrow - paid with a cashier's check. Was also mad enough to close out the two credit cards in my name with no balance and the checking account we never used anyhow. I know I was late but the payment due dates were both on weekends and in one I didn't quite allow for the five day window to proccess online payments. My fault all the way. It is amazing how they try to keep your business once you say you are going to close the account.

Anyhow, I did call MIL to apologize for assuming the issue stemmed from them. She was very nice about it and said something like "money does damange families and let's try to work together to figure things out in the future if there is a problem". I was rude and put out at the phone calls I was going to have to write.

LESSON LEARNED: Make sure the source of the delinquincies before accusing someone else.

Yesterday I checked out a new resale store around the corner - all proceeds benefit the domestic violence program in the county. I spent $8.64 on the following items:
(1) virually brand new Karen Nueberger nightgown for winter
(2) great condition Disney pull-over with Buzz Lightyear for DS4 (5 today!)
(3) three books: one paperback for me (Amish fiction), a hardcover Wizard of Oz that my DD8 (non-reader) is reading, and a Disney book selected by DS2
(4) a really cute back (red patterned from Bath and Body works) for DD9 to keep something in (she has lots of ocllections)
(5) two clear glass serving dishes for veggies or snacks

I love the whole idea of resale - when I get tired of these things or they break or are read - we can donate them right back! And I spent under $10 on the whole kit and caboodle!

Well, I'm tracking ALL spending this month (I usually have a good idea on the inflow/outflow from the checking account) but am careless about cash (usually only about $150 coming in from coin-operated laundry and odd driving around I do for MIL, etc.

August has been scary:

(1) Had to replace a lawn mower (DH does three lawns - ours, our rental property, an elderly neighbor's) $215 end of season Sear's Craftsman

(2) Had to replace carpet cleaner - Bissell on sale on Kohls $144 (got $30 Kohls dollars back) with 4 kids/2 dogs and beige carpeting - this was a must

(3) $112 to plumber for a clogged bathtub drain at renal property (not bad, could have been worse)

(4) $72 to heating/air conditioning for house call today - only charged the diagnostic fee as the $350 part installed in Jan was faulty

My question is: do these things come from an Emergency Fund? I am assuming that they do and was wondering where do you all keep your EF? As a cushion in the checking account? A savings account? I'm considering where and how to deal with more unexpected things. I paid cash for all of these with the exception of the carpet cleaner,

I try to put all purchases (groceries and gas mostly) onto my debit card at National City which adds up pretty fast. In Sept I tally up the points and turn them in for gift cards for Christmas gifts ($25 Target card for neice, restaurant card for my brother and SIL, a home depot card for my dad, etc) all in all it is kind of like a Christmas club and saves time/money in holiday season.

I also transfer all of my "coupon saved cash" into a separate account for "fun money"

I keep separate balances in one major money market account and transfer the balance to the "fun money" account which is now earmarked "vacation fund"