(no subject)
I work at a bank and see overdrawn accounts all the time. I have a few regulars who consistently overdrew their accounts. Two haven't done so in over a month, here's why. And i apologize for the lack of paragraphs. 1) if you have trouble keeping track never ever pay at the pump. It can take weeks to come out of your account, whereas if you pay a set amount inside it usually will come out in a few days. One guy always forgot and paid at the pump. I got so frustrated i grabbed his hand and wrote 'don't pay at the pump' on his hand in sharpie. A month and a half of no overdrafts. 2) debit registers. If your bank doesn't have em snitch one from that does. Rather than writing down everything at once, save the receipts and do it when you get home. You are less likely to transpose numbers when you're not in a hurry. 3) online banking online banking online banking. Check things off as they go throught and your odds of getting surprised by something plummet. 4) do not EVER enter your debit card # in for a 'free trial offer'. They will charge you. But you can call them and get a refund if you do. It takes a while though. If you sweet talk your bank they tend to be a teensy bit more lenient about refunding fees in a situation like that. 5) think about a second account. If you separate your bill account from your fun account, mistakes are less likely to affect things like paying rent. A lot of banks have ways to get you one for free. Make sure you mark the debit cards so you can tell them apart. 6) overdraft protection is something i hesitate to suggest to habitual offenders cuz it can get them into trouble. However if you just once in awhile cut it too close it can be a lifesaver. 7) if none of these things work, cut up your debit card and get an atm card instead. Those are the general points i give to all my customers.