I just returned from my final hoarding binge and tallied up the damages to my almost extinct checking account.

I found that I won't have to worry about my account much longer. After I make this month's payments to the mortgage and phone guys, I'll be about $30.00 overdrawn if I write no more checks, period. Not too bad. But what would be the best way to pay these final debts? The mortgage is due on 1-1-00. I could wait until about Dec. 27 and mail it in and hope the system will hold and it will get credited to my account. Or, I could wait until about Jan. 10 to mail it in and incur a late fee, etc., hoping that by then I might have a better handle on whether it would get there. Then again, I could mail the bills right now so they would all hopefully get to where they're going before the first and be credited to my account.

Is anyone else wondering about these potentially "final" payments by check? If so, what's your plan?

If it's more than a 6, will it matter?

-- digit (digital@dumpster.com), December 13, 1999

Answers

It won't matter. Don't even bother. I'm not mailing anything in at all. If the companies are still around next year (doubtful), then they can have my money. Otherwise, forget it.

-- (fred@the.mailbox), December 13, 1999.

No if it is a 6-7 or higher, it won't matter. Here is what I am doing. I have a mortgage payment due 1/1/00 too. The late cutoff date is 1/15. I am taking my chances with a late payment and holding onto the money. Think about it: if it IS bad, will you be happy you paid your mortgage (which may have no meaning if things get REAL hairy) or will you be glad you have cash (which, hell, might not mean much either---sigh) I am holding on to it. If things are good enought that they come after me for a late payment I will be tickled PINK to pay it!!!!!!

We are only paying bills with a due date in December. With the exception of those with a due date of 12/27 or later. Gonna hold onto those. See what happens!

-- preparing (preparing@home.com), December 13, 1999.

ditto, gonna wait till after the 3rd to send in Decembers payments.

-- Dan G (thepcguru@hotmail.com), December 13, 1999.

We have stuff due February and March. No way I'm paying before I see if I'm paying for a reason. Of couse, in the meantime, my bank account could get gobbled by glitches-and yes, guys, I still have some money in the bank. Our rent is paid for January.

-- Mara (MaraWayne@aol.com), December 13, 1999.

Oh,no! Don't have any debt, mortgage payments, rent due, car payments...pay cash for groceries.....did I screw myself or what?

-- Dot (dromano03@snet.com), December 13, 1999.

Will be sending the IRS my 4th Q payment on 15 Jan. Drawn on my defunct bank. Sent by the defunct post office.

Who cares if they get it or can even cash it. Honesty requires that I send it and the money is in the bank now. So I know I did everything right. Their tough luck if none of the system works.

If I owe it I will pay it.... If I can.

-- LM (latemarch@usa.net), December 13, 1999.

We are paying the mortgage payment early...hope to get it to them early enough to get a receipt...we'll keep copies of everything, though.

-- Mad Monk (madmonk@hawaiian.net), December 13, 1999.

It's really wierd reading about all these cheques being posted. In the UK (which generally lags way behind the USA in technology) pretty much all transactions are electronic. We've got no choice over here, and don't even have the "It's in the mail" defence if the system goes pear shaped.

It'll be interesting to see which system works better.

-- Servant (public_service@yahoo.com), December 14, 1999.