Major mistake

[Samigirl]

Hi, I've been a lurker for the past few months. I just realized I blew it big time. My husband and I have around 11,800 on two credit cards primarily due to medical issues. We've been tranferring the balances to cards with 0% interest, and have paid as much as we can to the balance. Today, I noticed I screwed up majorly on the due dates. I paid one card five days late and the other card one day late. I am stressing out big time over this. I'm scared I put my family in jeopardy by risking outrageous interest rates. I'm trying to find the paperwork to see what the terms are. I'm just sick over it. We have a home equity line we could use to pay them off but I really don't want to do that unless I have to. I'm sure there's nothing I can do but wait and see what happens. I have fears of having to go back to work, or sell our house, or something drastic like that as a punishment for this mistake. STUPID! STUPID! STUPID!

[SewCrafty]

Aw don't beat yourself up about it Samigirl, maybe if you call each company and tell them it was an honest mistake, they may just waive the fee this once and not raise your interest rate. Can't hurt to make a phone call and ask!

BTW Welcome to the village!

[Samigirl]

Thank you SewCrafty. I appreciate the suggestion. You're right, it wouldn't hurt to call. I just freaked out about it, because it was such a stupid mistake on my part. We've changed cards so many times, I'd mixed up the due dates on these two new cards. I was dreading telling my husband, but he was so understanding. I feel better after having a good cry. Thanks for listening. Wow, I didn't intend on my first posting to be so dramatic.

[thrifty gal]

Big hugs hon

[Darlene]

Did you get ahold of them Sammigirl? Hope they cut you some slack.

[motivated]

Sammigirl,

So easy to mess up with the dates when time goes so quick.

Can I suggest that you look out for some more 0% balance transfers??? or is it too close to when these two were begun? If it is perhaps you will be able to do transfers in a month or two which would ease some of the potential costs. Are you gonna be able to make the payments if they do pull the plug on the 0%?

[frugalfarmwife]

Nobodies perfect, we've all been there, in fact I could write a book on it! I'd also look around for other 0% cards to transfer to in a month or two and go from there.

Hugs to you,
kj

[joyb]

The other ladies have already given you great advice, so I just want to say Welcome to you and be kind to yourself. We are all just human and do indeed make mistakes.

[chatterweb]

Welcome!!!
Maybe if you call them they will cut you some slack!
You could use the Heloc to pay them and then get more 0% offers to pay the heloc off, right???
Here is a future suggestion that has really worked for me:

I use 0%, and I find it helps to look at all my bills every day.
I also have made a list (with microsoft works) of what card has what balance and when the 0% apr expires and the last four digits of the card, as well as the password and user id as I pay online....... I (so far) have never paid interest on anything but the mortgages. Knock on wood!!!
I am getting ready to pay a large chunk of this debt off, as even at 0% it is still debt!!!
Hope this helps, and I must add, I am not the most organized person!!

[Telephus44]

We all make mistakes. DH just got hit with being overdrawn in his checking account twice this month since he forgot to record two transations (2 $25 Over the limit fees PLUS a $25 bounced check fee - ouch!).

I was late one on credit card once, and called to pay the late fee over the phone (I had already mailed the check for the payment) and the man was nice enough to say "Don't bother, they charge you $5 for paying over the phone, and since this is the only time you've been late, I'll just waive the fee." So it can't hurt to ask! I think the odds are more in your favor if you call them first - and it was only 5 days, not a month!

[Samigirl]

Thanks everyone for the kind words of encouragement. Tomorrow, I will check online to see if there are any changes to our accounts. If there are, I will call and see what I can do. If they do raise our interest rates, we could do as suggested and put them on the HELC until we get another 0% card. I'll also get my bill paying information better organized. We have been able to pay down the balances from 16,000 to 11,800 since January so we are making progress.
I just hope my goof didn't set us back too much. I appreciate the advice and support on this board. I knew you would be helpful and understanding.

[frugalfarmwife]

You've mad great progress paying down the debt so far, keep it going, this is just a minor bump in the road.

One thing that I do to prevent late fees is a one touch bill paying system and I bank online (saving postage). The moment I get the bill out of the mail box I get online and pay it NOW. You could also go online and set up the payment for a later date with online banking, saving the worry and stress of worrying about any more late fees.

kj

[Katybird]

I don't have any other advice other than what the other ladies have said but I just wanted to welcome you to the Village and let you know how glad we to have you.

[starsapphire]

Don't beat yourself up, it happens to everybody. I just found out today DH somehow missed paying the cellphone bill last month, and now this month's is due too. He didn't even realize it, I only found out about it because our cellphone company sends me a text message when the bill comes due. I never usually read it and I happened to read it when it came today and I knew right away there was something wrong. He went through all his financial stuff and realized that he did forget to pay it. Poor guy is really strapped for money this month so I gave him some.

[banana]

I hope the credit card company works with you. It happens to all of us from time to time.!!!

I also have a 1.9% fixed rate on my credit card for my car loan. I signed up for automatic withdrawal from my checking account that way I dont have to worry about being late.