When you have four pockets ... ... and you know that there's no money in three of them ... ... into which pocket do you stick your hand when you need some? ... how often do you stick your hand into any one of the three pockets where you know that there's no money even when your hand gets all of the way to the bottom?? Memo ... to individuals, as to businesses (but most of the latter know it now) ... ... when you need money ... ... go where the money is! Like the credit card companies do. They may cancel the cards of folks who've been giving them a rough time, i.e., not paying. But they don't mind your payment being late - look at the large fee that they charge ... for what ... waiting an extra day or two for the payment? Suppose it's $100.00 payment ... at 10% annual rate, that's $10.00 per year, or about 3 cents per day. If your payment arrives 3 days late ... their cost is about a dime ... and they charge you a $20.00 late fee? Think they're about to cancel your card? Why would they?? They're making a very nice bucket of money off of you ... and others like you. You go over your credit limit? More of the same. So why would they shut you down?? You're a profit centre for them!! If so for them ... how about you?? If you blow an engine in your car tomorrow ... how will you pay for the repair? Or ... if you get laid off ... what will you live on? Have you ever had a pair of handcuffs snap around your wrists? I haven't either ... and I don't want any: I have absolutely no hankering for such an experience! I love my financial freedom!! If you don't have a financial cushion of some funds available in case of immediate drastic need, I claim that you have a pair of handcuffs lying on your dresser, right beside where you lay your wallet at night. Just waiting for an emergency need of money ... or a layoff ... to have them jump up and snap around your wrists. Financial freedom - that ain't!! Hope you all have a lovely weekend ... and if you'd be sweating blood if you don't get a paycheque ... or two ... ... please - do yourself a favour. Even though it may be a beautiful weekend, find a way to enjoy it while spending little or nothing. Start that savings fund ... build yourself a financial cushion. Aim at a minimum of 3 months' income available in case of emergency. Six months' earnings, or 9 months' ... or up to a year's worth, is even better. After 25 years or so as a personal financial advisor, I don't have it, myself, some of the time. Some of the time I have money in the bank, money market fund, etc., immediately available ... but sometimes not. I have a credit card that I don't use much, that I can use to fix my car, fly me home in case the travel co. goes broke and the hotel says pay - again - or go to jail, etc. And I have a Line of Credit at the bank, initiated several years ago at no fee, fully secured by stock or mutual fund certificates, in order to arrange a low interest rate ... and it lies there unused, most of the time (but there's no inactivity fee to pay). If I use the card for emergency ... I pay off the full balance prior to the due date, using my Line of Credit if the amount in my bank account, money market, etc. are short. Then ... pay off that loan (low interest - far lower than the rate charged on unpaid balances owing on the credit card) as soon as possible. I want my money working for me ... not be forced to use other folks' money ... and pay rent on it while I'm using it ... especially if it's the kind where they charge very high rates! I never want to have to darken the door of a payday loan company: their rates are ... *horrendous*! (By the way ... have you read my thread about the differences between a paycheque and a pension cheque?) ole joyful

OJ, Canada might be different than Minnesota but here, the store does not get charged for a fraudulent purchase and I'm guessing that would be nationwide. Once the store gets an approval code for the card purchase (and the sale isn't normally complete until the approval these days) the purchase then goes through and the card company is now liable, not the retailer (except of course for the card fee). That's why I often took a card over a check. Challenging a charge these days is more difficult. Used to be people would get buyer's remorse on a custom purchase and try to challenge a charge. Doesn't work like that anymore which is good. Those charges go against the profits, much of which is the 20% or more interest that some fools pay. There was also a check approving company who would give a code and if the check bounced, they paid for it. That was rather expensive though so it's not real popular. And checks aren't real popular around here anymore anyway. I had my card stopped while I was out of town because of suspicious activity and got a call from them once asking if I had bought a computer from a large discount retailer who shall remain nameless (so some grouch won't go nutzo!) They replaced the card the first time. I wonder how much of the scam is coming from inside the card companies themselves. I can't believe that they do intense background checks on their phone support folks. Most of the time and in both of my cases there was no loss to anyone but me (for my inconvenience - fortunately I had cash to cover the hotel) since card purchases need to be approved up front now. In the old days of carbon impressions and sending them in to be processed there was quite a delay and more trouble for everyone involved.

We've watched two of the four segments of Midsomer Murders, Set 22. (On a DVD from our library.) We must be getting close to having seen 100 of these mysteries. We have one more segment of The Paradise to watch. (Recorded on DVR from PBS.) I hear there is to be another season of this adaptation of an Emile Zola story.

Thanks, sushipup. I have a neighbor who is keen on this stuff. I have or used to have lots of: Liberty dimes -- no idea where they are. Life's calamities and so on Buffalo nickels -- in the 1960s I kept them with a boyfriend who --- well, my bad. Lost to me now. He was a really fine fellow. Wheat pennies, gray or lead (Pb) pennies Silver dollars - just two, one marred. I wish the gov would mint a few more. It will probably take me five hour or more to look through the coins. I may find a liberty dime or 6 wheat pennies. If I found and sold them, I bet I'd be lucky to net a dollar (paper(. Isnt it amazing what we accumulate and how quickly just three decades or more zip past? Would many of us to do things differently or all over again in a completely different way? I would if I had the benefit of hindsight and maturity at a very young age sure why not? (I am voice typing so excuse the goofs). Darkening skies and it's only a little after 1 PM. I am in the Northeast and this unstable tropical weather because of the aberrant jetstream is very hard to cope with after two months. I need to have a few yard sales, clean things out, part with the items, paint the house, do yardwork, go to a few flea markets, visit friends, but in this every day soggy tropical unstable weather with a chance of lightning I am not getting a lot done. How about you guys? Does this weather seems just too crazy and annoying? I saw today that they are having floods in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. So sad that people are having their lives in their homes in jeopardy. And in California, it is just heartache to see people so distraught and losing their homes and livelihoods. It is like a stab to my heart.