On the day The Pony got his official letter that his Worker's Comp claim had been RECONSIDERED, and he would now receive his back pay for broken-ankle time off, plus his medical expenses... he was checking his bank account when he saw that his credit card has been unlocked from the security hold. I guess The Pony went whole hog investigating his financial situation, because he discovered a disturbing fact.
"Oh, Mom. I checked on my credit report, and it DROPPED! I guess it must be from my credit card being stopped by the credit card company. So now I'll have to start using it again and build my credit back up."
"That's weird! You've never missed a payment. Never been late. Because I always remind you and harp about it until you pay it. Huh. Maybe it was because you had to pay back that money for the week of pay you already got when they denied your Worker's Comp claim."
"I don't know. It didn't go MUCH lower, but it did drop."
Two days later, we all got an identical notice in the mail. Farmer H, The Pony, and I. Of course I opened mine. It was from The Pony's credit union down in Oklahoma. The account he used exclusively before he got his job here.
It was an overdraft notice! "Your account balance is -$40." It had been so since Dec 3.
I sent a text to The Pony.
"I wonder how that happened. I guess I forgot to move some automated subscriptions to my other account. I'll transfer some money."
Uh huh. I think we discovered the reason for the drop in The Pony's credit rating.
Adulting is hard work.
Funny how people that are so smart do such dumb things like forgetting to transfer money. Even after all the harping from you to do things properly and right away. It's like they have glue ear unless it is something they want to hear.
ReplyDeleteRiver,
ReplyDeleteI didn't know The Pony had any regular payments coming out of that account, or I would have harped on it! We used to put in some money each month for his groceries, and keep it at a certain balance. Once he came home, I didn't even think of it. He sometimes used his card for it, maybe for Steak N Shake, but we weren't putting money in any more.
His regular credit card is what I reminded him for. Pay it on MY birthday digit, because it was due by HIS birthday digit. There are 4 days in between. I figured those would be numbers he could remember for the dates.
The Pony gets frustrated with me telling him things over and over, but this is WHY I do it! Until he catches on to do it himself without prompting. I think this was a good reminder!
Is that an extra service you will provide for tour customers? While they tour Farmer H's shacks and ride the gator, will you check their credit rating?
ReplyDeleteCan you do that all doo-dah day?
Sioux,
ReplyDeleteNo. But I WILL rate each customer, on how likely they might be to comply by the unwritten courtesy rules of Hillmomba. Such as give a courtesy wave for being allowed to cross the low water bridge while I wait, or NOT Indiana-Jones the door at the Gas Station Chicken Store when I'm coming in behind them, and park within the yellow lines so T-Hoe's door can open.
They will be assigned a SOCIAL CREDIT score. Too low, and NO GATOR RIDE FOR YOU!