Posts by Kimberly King

And who exactly is leaving me a tip?

I feel like you actually have to earn a "tip," if you will, and I rarely leave one unless someone truly goes above and beyond with a specific gesture; otherwise, I just don't see why a server deserves the extra cash.

Olivia Allen15 said:To make a long story short, I saw this guy at the station and he absolutely floored me, but my train was pulling out right as it happened, so I had to leave.

It all went down at Union Station in Washington, D.C., on Monday around 4:00 PM. He had this longer hair with a green headband tucked into it, wore shorts, and was tall and lean with these incredible greenish-blue eyes. He was hanging out with a group of about four others—they all had that same look, tall, thin, short blonde hair, and blue or green eyes. One guy had a guitar strapped to his back, and another seemed to have a violin or something similar. Can anyone help me out? Based on their vibe, I’d guess they might be from Sweden, Norway, or maybe Denmark. Does anyone know if there was some kind of gathering in Washington, D.C., or anywhere else in the US lately where international groups might be visiting, or just any big event happening these days?
Please, someone help me out here.

Why even bother being embarrassed?

An old lady passed by with cookies, and since you didn't just walk up to him and grab his number right then and there, now all you can do is sit around and whine.

If you don't mind me asking, how old are you anyway🤣?

Honestly, these bonuses are a total joke. I was actually considering grabbing one just now, but there’s no way in hell I’m falling for it given how much wagering they require. I’d rather skip the whole thing than watch the bonus vanish into thin air before I even get a chance to withdraw a dime.

I mean, who actually thinks they can hit three parlays in a row with odds over +100? The math says you’ve got maybe a 15% shot, and let’s be real—unless you’re some kind of degenerate gambler with zero self-control, someone is definitely going to fleece you on that third leg.

First off, my apologies to the Lioness for kicking off a brand-new thread. I actually sent over a private message explaining myself, and I’m really hoping this one stays open—I’d love to avoid a repeat of last time where things got shut down without much cause, especially since there’s still plenty of ground to cover here.

The deal is, I fired off an email to Bank of America following those specific instructions, but the response I got back was pretty murky at best. If anyone here can make sense of the corporate jargon and tell me what they're actually implying, I’d truly appreciate the help.

Here is the actual email from SC:



Thanks in advance for any insight, and fingers crossed we don't get locked out of this discussion too soon...

Kimberly Nguyen said:Hmm... from what I understand, an EC MC card doesn't just grant you a blanket limit for both cash advances and retail purchases... there’s a specific spending limit on the card itself, and if you're looking for a cash advance, you actually have to submit a formal request. Honestly, with your current income, you wouldn't even qualify for $3,000... actually, let's be real, you wouldn't get anything at all because you're already tied up with that car loan...

What I really want to know is why you didn't step up when you realized you were drowning? Why didn't you react once it became clear you couldn't cover these costs?
The bank isn't just going to cancel revolving credit and cash advances out of nowhere
They only roll the entire balance over into immediate debt against your checking account when they can't reach any kind of agreement with the client after a prolonged period. I'm certain they sent you notices, warnings, or gave you calls... besides, banks have been offering repayment restructuring to clients like this for ages because managing risk and actually collecting payment is their absolute number one priority...

Look, I'll concede that banks have a massive amount of leeway—though that's highly debatable depending on how you view it—but there have always been, and still are, ways to negotiate with them... Did you even bother walking into the branch to ask about your options?

With a standard loan, they can't just seize your entire paycheck, but we aren't talking about that here; this is about being deep in the red on your checking account... everything that hits that account goes straight toward clearing the debt... and that’s exactly how it will continue until you finally sit down with the bank and hammer out a repayment plan...

And what's the status on the car loan? How are you handling that?

Believe me when I tell you. My ECMC card was set up so that I can $2400 withdraw cash from ATMs and also use up to 40 $0.00 worth of goods on installment plans. I guarantee it 100%. Not just for me, but for everyone I know.

I did react, but they just went deaf to me... They weren't sending me warnings or reminders, just a notice regarding a legal garnishment...

What kind of repayment options can I ask for that might actually make sense for my situation?

As for the car loan installments, the company pays the bank directly on the 1st of every month, so I don't even see those payments hitting my checking account balance...

Of course, I was actually at the bank just a few months ago, signing a formal request to roll my overdraft—which was sitting at 13 $0.00 back then—into a 12-month installment plan. They gave me their word they’d call me in to sign the actual contract. Well, naturally, the phone never rang... and then this whole mess happens. To make matters even more ridiculous, I actually had to sit there and try to educate the tellers at the counter, proving to them that under JPMorgan Chase's own policies and standard banking procedures, a 12-month repayment option is perfectly valid. They fought me tooth and nail, trying to insist that 6 months was the only way. It wasn't until I practically wore them down with sheer persistence that I proved I was right, which really just highlighted how little they actually know about their own business model.

I actually tried to fix the situation through another institution. Bank of America had offered me a loan to consolidate everything and pay off what I owed to JPMorgan Chase if I switched over to them. But the staff at JPMorgan Chase told me straight up that there was no way to settle the debt via Mastercard upfront; they insisted it had to be paid through installments until the end. So, I walked away from that deal. And yet, suddenly, out of nowhere, an upfront payment is totally fine when it conveniently suits their bottom line?

I’ve been chipping away at these loans for nearly two years now; the longest one runs for three. The interest rates are 10%, and those have already been covered, but instead of letting me finish, they just lumped the principal together, dumped it into my checking account, shoved me into a massive negative balance, and now they're going to start charging me interest all over again on that exact same debt.

So, who exactly is playing whom here??

I find it hard to believe that everything is being handled according to regulation when you see customers having to teach bank employees how to do their jobs because they're so uninformed and clueless.

It isn't true that I haven't tried to get this sorted. But am I really expected to run down to the bank every single day, constantly looking over my shoulder, terrified they'll screw me over again and bury me in debt?

If they hadn't pulled this stunt, I would have cleared that 10 $0.00 overdraft next week and just kept making my regular Mastercard payments like a good citizen. Now, I honestly don't know how I'm going to manage.

It’s just wrong that they didn't follow up with me to sign the agreement I requested. I sat there like an idiot waiting for a call that was never coming, only to be blindsided by this.

And just to be clear, I am fully aware of the interest rates I'm paying; I knew what I was getting into. It's not the interest itself that I'm complaining about, but the fact that they've engineered a situation where I'm essentially paying twice: once through the Mastercard agreement (10%), and now through these penalty interest charges for an "unauthorized" overdraft that will hit me for $333 every three months. What am I even doing this miserable job for if they can just fleece me whenever they feel like it?

As far as I understand, they aren't even allowed to take my entire paycheck; per US law, they should only be able to touch about a third, regardless of how much I owe. Even with a court-ordered garnishment, it's limited to that 1/3. So, by what authority are they taking the whole thing?

Something happened today that has left me feeling completely lost regarding my next move.
I’ll try to give you the short version of what’s going on, but I really need some honest advice on how to handle this and what my actual legal rights are here.

I started working about three years ago. Opened an account at JPMorgan Chase and had a steady paycheck coming in. Back then, my salary was $1067 (sadly true), and I took out an auto loan for a car I desperately needed; I’ve been paying that off for nearly three years now with monthly payments of $367. To put it bluntly, that left me with just $700 to live on. I also picked up a Mastercard with a credit limit of 40 $0.00 and $2333 for cash advances. Since I enrolled in an expensive private college program, having that card felt necessary. On top of that, I took out three separate loans—one for $260, another for 144k, and $85—which brought my total monthly obligations to $400. I also did some cash advances that I managed to cycle through regularly for a few months. But then, some personal issues popped up, and I couldn't pay back the cash advance within the window. I'll admit, that was my mistake. I ended up in the hole by 15 $0.00. They even revoked my authorized overdraft of $1167, so everything was deep in the red. Every three months, I was hit with interest charges of $167. I tried to power through it—between the $367 loan payment, the $400 Mastercard bill, and the mounting overdraft, every cent that hit my account went straight toward shrinking that deficit. In the meantime, my pay was cut down to $933 (thanks to the recession, I guess), but somehow, over several months, I managed to whittle the debt down to $3067.
It’s worth noting that I haven't actually seen a single dollar in cash for months; the bank just claws everything back immediately, so I've been scraping by with help from my parents and picking up extra side gigs. But yesterday, instead of my usual $400 Mastercard payment being processed, they just wiped out all my credits and dumped 18 $0.00 directly into my checking account. It was as if the Mastercard didn't even exist anymore.

Now, I'm sitting at a negative balance of 27 $0.00.

I was fully planning on paying off that 10 $0.00 deficit next week and getting back on track, but now I have no idea what to do. This isn't a small amount, and I'm terrified they’re going to start formal collection proceedings against me.

Here is what I need to know:
Do they have the right to keep seizing my entire paycheck, or can I legally demand to keep a portion of my earnings? Is there a limit to how much they can take—like, can they grab more than a third of my pay, and under what circumstances? Is there any way to fight back so I can see at least some of the money I'm working myself to the bone for, rather than watching them snatch it all through these bizarre maneuvers?

Please, if anyone has advice, I’m all ears. I'm dealing with JPMorgan Chase, and it feels like they're just doing whatever they want, but I've finally reached my breaking point. I don't think they have the legal authority to just swallow my whole paycheck. If anyone knows the law on this, please help me out.

Thanks so much in advance...

I’m honestly getting pretty desperate here, so I’ve become somewhat dependent on the replies to this thread. Please, help me out as much as you can, and I promise I won't forget the favor.

There’s still a week left until the New Year, and I am completely clueless about where I’m supposed to spend it. What I’m looking for is whatever insider info you guys might have regarding my following questions:

1. Where can I find a New Year's Eve celebration that doesn't charge an entrance fee—basically a "pay as you go" kind of vibe?
2. If there are any organized parties happening where the cover charge isn't more than $33 per person, where should we look?
3. Just give me your honest recommendations for a decent way to ring in the New Year without spending a fortune, and ideally somewhere other than just standing in a public square or staying stuck at home.
(Keep in mind I'm looking for spots in NYC or moving east from there)

Just a heads-up, it’ll be me and my girlfriend, so please try to tailor your suggestions accordingly (we aren't heading out solo or with a massive group of friends, so we aren't really looking for those wild, heavy-drinking type of rages).

Thanks a million!

Good grief, no offense intended, but I honestly think I could’ve done a better job myself despite having zero experience in this line of work. If this is really how things turned out, then God help whoever has to deal with this mess.
Either the guy was stumbling drunk while he was at it, or there’s some much deeper issue going on here. That extra hole didn't exactly help matters, either. This is exactly why I opted for a wireless setup—so I wouldn't have to go drilling holes all over my house.
It honestly feels like his primary objective was to walk in and systematically dismantle your home... 🙂

I feel like I should weigh in here, because it reminds me of a story a buddy of mine told me about a situation almost identical to this, just a slightly milder version of the mess you're in.

Basically, they were getting gas lines installed, and the contractor decided to use his wife's cousin to do the work, thinking it would be a bit cheaper. Before anything kicked off, the guys told him he should put together a formal estimate—you know, total cost for materials and labor—so he’d know exactly how much cash to set aside (he wasn't exactly flush with extra funds, much like the rest of us). He crunched all the numbers and gave them a clear figure; if I recall correctly, it was around $1900. So, he went ahead and did everything exactly as planned, everything seemed fine, and once the job was finally wrapped up, my friend hands over $1900 to settle the bill. That’s when the contractor hits him with the news that it actually ended up being a bit more expensive, claiming they needed $2833 instead. My friend basically told him, "Look, here is $1900 as we agreed, the work is done, and if you don't want this money, you're free to walk away; I'm not going to ask you twice." The guy took the $1900 and then just vanished into thin air.

The takeaway here is this:

1. Once the job is finished, the person holding the cash is the one calling the shots.
2. Never hire anyone you actually know; in most cases, money has a funny way of ruining even the best relationships.
3. He was backed into a corner and had zero leverage. It was either pay the $1900 or end up losing way more than $1333 (since he'd already fronted the cash for materials while his friend was still scrambling to find the money).

He went into this expecting to deal with idiots, but in the end, he's the one who ended up looking like the fool.

I really hope you can collect what you're owed soon and make the most of that $67 however you see fit. 🙂

Man, I had to really dig through all these posts to make sense of this mess, but honestly, most of the mistakes I’m seeing seem to be coming from your side of things.
1. First mistake—you’re claiming he lives nearby so he shouldn't charge for gas, blah blah blah. Look, I’ve never heard of a contractor—especially one working out of a garage—charging you for fuel just because they have to drive to the job site; besides, it’s in his best interest to actually show up and work if he wants to get paid.
2. Second mistake—accepting an estimate that doesn't break down the individual cost of every single part and the specific labor fee. Is that really how you start a professional project?
3. Third mistake—letting him pick up the materials for your house. Would a brick really fall on your head if you just took a day off, drove around, and picked everything up yourself at prices you actually recognize, then just paid him for his labor? And for heaven's sake, you definitely shouldn't pay anything upfront, or you'd end up in this exact situation.
4. Fourth mistake—there's a certain level of naivety here, because after all this, you're still talking about giving him even more $333 when you weren't even happy with the work in the first place. Why didn't you just hire someone else?

Anyway, let's get back to those $67.
If it were me, I’d get them back one way or another. A little "subtle" suggestion without any witnesses tends to clear things up pretty quickly; that way, there's nothing anyone can prove, but he might start wondering if it's really worth dealing with the headache over $67.

In my opinion, you got played, and I don't think involving the kids is the right way to get your money back. I mean, what have they done to deserve being dragged into this awkward mess, forced to deal with the fact that their parents are being taken advantage of by thieves and liars?

You really need to settle this face-to-face. But try to keep a cool head so things don't spiral out of control.

I don't want my post to come across as an insult or anything like that; I'm just offering my perspective on the whole situation.

silentpuma9 said:So, I went ahead and opened an account at that sportsbook a few weeks back...
but man, getting through registration was a total headache; you apparently need a Visa OR a Mastercard just to get the ball rolling...
then they demand you fax or email over photos of both sides of your ID and your credit card...
it was a bit of a struggle, but I eventually managed to pull it off...

Honestly though, they aren't quite the powerhouse I thought they'd be. Their odds are criminally low compared to what we see at our local American sportsbooks...
sometimes they're running about 0.3 to 0.4 lower... 😲

Still, it’s not a bad way to pass the time once in a while if you just want to bet a couple bucks for the fun of it...
(just stay far away from the casino side) 😁

I signed up without having to send over any photocopies or anything like that. It took me a few minutes, totally smooth.
Besides using Betway, I have accounts with Bet-at-Home and Sportingbet. All three are alright, but the odds are pretty weak. Even with all these online books claiming they beat the local shops, once you factor in that 5% vig, the payouts end up being even worse.

They aren't even that pricey... at least for regular folks like me, we can actually afford them, unlike those U2

Here’s the breakdown for ticket prices:

$40 - Floor seats
$50 - Stands
$133 - VIP Box