Paid up? I hope that is not the minimum amount required per month? If so, you will never get clear. Okay, I got slapped in the teeth in 2005 with another in 2007. Rolled with the punches. The punch received on 1 Nov 2011 I couldn't roll with. The next 4 years were tough. I was practically inches away from the exit of the tunnel when I got hit. Since those strokes & being discharged from hospital, I made sure no one within system will ever get a hold on me again, in fact, on 9 Jan 2019, used their own laws against them & won. Cost one bureaucrat their job. TS.

I may be an unwashed oink in the street, but I am aware of most laws that affect me.

As I've shown in my last post, someone somewhere has made a serious mistake - I will not accept their oft used excuse - Computer error my ass.

All I'm saying, & others have also said it, if your creditors say enough is enough, you're screwed.

I usually have enough extra to push deep into one card every month, it took 2 months but I pushed Amazon down from $600 to $461 and it's staying there since I'm not using it currently. Though the car has put the pushing deeply on hold until at least June.

I'm never late and they're happy since I always get a check into My bank account every month from the SSA, I have a reputation for always paying on time and I'm not about to ruin that.

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The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's

Nice.

However, looking at your TC & RAC, do you really need that & its potential power bill in your current financial situation?

I'm never late and they're happy, I always get a check into My bank account every month from the SSA, I have a reputation for always paying on time, I'm not about to ruin that.

Good for you. Paying a little above the minimum helps reduce balances quicker.

I got into the habit of paying the same amount every month without realising that the Water bills were bi-annual, which is where the credit built up. :-)

Some habits are good, others are bad. Still finding it hard to give up smoking.

Nice.

However, looking at your TC & RAC, do you really need that & its potential power bill in your current financial situation?

Thanks.

For the moment powering up more than My current PC and 2 pcs might be a problem, I need a few more circuits to power up all 6, not to mention more spot a/c, I just need to power up each of the 5 one at a time, install the OS, then update as much as possible, shutdown then repeat until all that don't have OS's are all up to date, My last power bill was $48.82 and this is with running a gas furnace, the last gas bill was $85.15, I had a leaky front door, if the door had not leaked heat the gas bill would be under $60 somewhere, I needed to replace some stick on foam weatherstripping again as the door is wood with a metal skin, so the front door expands and contracts depending on the temp outside, one day I need to get a new front and rear exterior door, though for different reasons.

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The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's

Good luck. I trust that I haven't made it look like I'm teaching you how to suck eggs. I'm not, just showing how easy it is to end up in a financial mess.
Seeing as computers & finances are the mainstay of this thread, I'll show you how easy things can escalate if no intervention made.

Council Tax bills are prepared in the final month of the current financial year. The bills to commence approx. in the middle of the 1st month of the new one - in our case, the financial year is April to March. The bill for the current year ending March 2019 was received in late March 2018 - dated 19.03.18. No problem. One has 3 options - 1: pay annually. 2: pay in 10 monthly instalments (1st payment is always an odd amount, followed by 9 equal payments). 3: If in financial difficulty, it can be paid in 12 monthly instalments (never had to use that option to date). Now for the "fun" part. For option 2, the 1st odd payment must be made on or before 15.04.18 with the 1st of 9 payments due on 01.05.18.

Now with me being a bit lapse (mainly because due to issues resulting from the strokes, I have mobility issues, so in & out of hospital for checks & tests), I did not pay until 22.04.18. Knowing that the next payment was due 01.05, I paid double that day. Make a note of those dates, especially the day of payment.

Friday 4 May 2018 I received a council tax reminder dated 30.04.18. You ready for some chuckles?
It stated that the 1st payment was overdue. Then it showed a "mini statement" with the following info:
Date payment due - Instalments charged - Payments up to 27.04.18.
Payments received £00.00

A week later got summoned. After wasting my breath earlier on the council muppets, I called a lawyer who has been having great success in taking many such cases to the County Court rather than the Magistrates (anything that will entail heavy costs/compensation, they have to refer to County). When she heard what I have written here, She said (I kid you not), where have you been all my life? I have been trying to get people like you on my books. Been busy all evening, that new laser printer has been getting a hammering. :-)

I'm not banking on it, but I have a sneaking suspicion that my 2019-20 Council Tax liability will be paid in full by the council. :-)

For anyone that thinks this is bovine excrement, I have all documented evidence.

Edit: I love a good laugh. :-)

Peterborough City Council
Date: 22 April 2018 Time: 22:08
Thank you for your payment to Peterborough City Council. Please keep this e-mail as a record for your accounts.

I paid all My personal property taxes already on My home back in December, all of $80.30, December is a good ways off now, at least they aren't $205.30 anymore, yeah I used Prop8 and this being a mobile home that has no land or real estate as it called here attached to My home, so the taxes are low. If I get this place fixed up enough, I may see how much it's really worth when I'm 62 and see if I could sell it for about $40,000.00, which would be a good profit on $20,000.00 and yep housing in CA is always in demand, even way out here, I'm watching a place in the mountains that is at $69,000.00, homes or houses only have property tax charges and no sales tax, real estate fees and a commission to the agents are another matter, possibly around $5140.00, plus I'd need money for an inspection $200.00, plus $2000.00 for moving, a deposit for moving there and enough income to withstand space rent of $634 a month, I currently pay $265, though I have paid $320 under a prior park owner, and there is the taxes on the place which for $69,000.00 is $659.27 a year, divided by 12 in an escrow account and a mortgage would be ok, over 30yrs $327, over 15yrs $417 a month with taxes and fire insurance and of course YMMV as the amounts are only an estimate, of course this would be if the lender I picked and who knows the area will lend for there, if so it's a place built in 2011 and is at 4407' in elevation, a bit more than the 1962' where I'm at now and yes it does snow there . By the time I'm 62 I might have enough income to pull this off, there is the possibility of having enough income then as there is a bill that would if passed and signed into law would give Me a much better income(125% of poverty at the very least, instead of what I have now), though I would still not be getting rich, if not well I have the place I live in now and I have no mortgage or loan on it.

1040sqft with 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, bigger than the 840sqft that I have now. Buy low, sell high, if one can.

A snowy day there at 4407', not exactly something that happens much there, conditions like here have to be just right. Wait a few days and this would be gone.

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The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's

Well I have some bad news, the rain has knocked out both bathroom 15A circuits, just those two, everytime the rain comes from the East, those two circuits short out, I may need to put the box on the inside of My home in the same location to keep costs down, instead of on the outside. Everything else works here and yeah it's raining outside.

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The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's

Didn't you already know that?
- Oh, yes, back in early December last year you posted https://setiathome.berkeley.edu/forum_thread.php?id=77152&postid=1969056, then said that everything was OK with your electrical system.
And yet it happens again :-(
One thing I can tell you is that some bits of the whole electrical installation in your house are in dangerous state if water can get into them and cause breakers to trip.
So, stop plotting how to build another computer, or buying another house. Start saving (or paying down as much of your total debt as possible each month), after all you have a car to fix, and a load of jobs to do on your house (see https://setiathome.berkeley.edu/forum_thread.php?id=77152&postid=1966126 for a list you posted back in November last year).

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Bob Smith
Member of Seti PIPPS (Pluto is a Planet Protest Society)
Somewhere in the (un)known Universe?

Well I have some bad news, the rain has knocked out both bathroom 15A circuits, just those two, everytime the rain comes from the East, those two circuits short out, I may need to put the box on the inside of My home in the same location to keep costs down, instead of on the outside. Everything else works here and yeah it's raining outside.

That usually means you have a outside rec. with GFI protection getting wet and tripping in the bathroom. Check around outside for it..

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Didn't you already know that?
- Oh, yes, back in early December last year you posted https://setiathome.berkeley.edu/forum_thread.php?id=77152&postid=1969056, then said that everything was OK with your electrical system.
And yet it happens again :-(
One thing I can tell you is that some bits of the whole electrical installation in your house are in dangerous state if water can get into them and cause breakers to trip.
So, stop plotting how to build another computer, or buying another house. Start saving (or paying down as much of your total debt as possible each month), after all you have a car to fix, and a load of jobs to do on your house (see https://setiathome.berkeley.edu/forum_thread.php?id=77152&postid=1966126 for a list you posted back in November last year).

For the moment it's beyond what I can do without help, I did call an electrician just now who I've dealt with before, His trip fee was $150.00, now it's $125.00, I also asked about the 20 outlets in a message. $288.00 bath + 20 outlets and this is what He said when He called Me back just now, but He's swamped, the gfci is taking care of it and He says it's a similar problem to what I had before when I'd had him replace 3 outlets and all the older breakers, so it's not water getting in, He says both bathrooms are on the same circuit, hard as that is to believe.

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The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's

Well I have some bad news, the rain has knocked out both bathroom 15A circuits, just those two, everytime the rain comes from the East, those two circuits short out, I may need to put the box on the inside of My home in the same location to keep costs down, instead of on the outside. Everything else works here and yeah it's raining outside.

That usually means you have a outside rec. with GFI protection getting wet and tripping in the bathroom. Check around outside for it..

Yeah, the outlets are GFCI, one of which I installed, the other I did not, no breakers here are gfci, but read My last post for more details.

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The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's

Grace's automated litterbox is now active again, thanks to one 25' 14 gauge extension cord, which I think I bought at Barstow CA's only hardware store, the Home Depot.

I got down on My knees, but hard landed on My right knee, the carpet helped ward off the impact, the pain has gone away now as long as I'm not on it.

I think by August or September I could have $288.00 collected for the breaker box and 20 outlets, arcing is what happened before in the box cause someone before I bought the place tried to use a CH breaker in a BR breaker box, more cleaning? I don't know, sigh.

Help from here in more than words would help, but unless My check gets bigger, I can't do everything, I do have limits, I can't at present fix My car, the breakers and pay down the cards all at the same time.

https://paypal.me/zoom314

@ Bob Smith, a few computer bits would be paid for with Paypal Credit which I have to pay on anyway and would be from ebay, most large pc parts are on hold until December and have been since the engine died, small ones I can handle, Paypal Credit doesn't affect My credit score since they don't show up for reasons unknown to Me and I always pay on time, if I spend within what I've paid down or if I don't interest will pile up.

I will deal with paying off Paypal Credit at a later date, it's not like they are going to demand Me to payoff the whole thing in one gulp, they don't do that.

I plan on using Paypal Credit in March to pay for the engine, I have 2 choices on ebay, one for $250.80 w/a 30 day parts warranty and one that was in a head on collision for $268.20 w/a 90 day parts warranty, both have been tested, the more expensive one I'd like to get for $238.20 by making a Best Offer, but We'll see.

In April I have to put together $145 from My check and $255 from a payday lender to pay for the labor and the loan won't be paid off until June at the earliest.

In June or August I know I can get SNAP benefits of $140-$170 per month, this what I was told and until I get an official letter saying it's lower I'll stick with what I've been told, which means I can empty My wallet of all but 2 debit cards then.

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The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's

The drama continues, maybe a TV series based upon your life could supply needed cash flow?

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@ Bob Smith, a few computer bits would be paid for with Paypal Credit which I have to pay on anyway and would be from ebay, most large pc parts are on hold until December and have been since the engine died, small ones I can handle, Paypal Credit doesn't affect My credit score since they don't show up for reasons unknown to Me and I always pay on time, if I spend within what I've paid down or if I don't interest will pile up.

PayPal lend you money, they don't give you money. As you say, you still have to pay it back. The fact that you aren't charged credit on that money does nothing to change that simple fact. And, having read the terms and conditions, one thing to think about is they can decide to stop giving a grace period any time they want to - even part way through that grace period. They can also reduce your line of credit, require immediate repayment, and vary the rate of interest - all without warning.
At this time your credit score is a bit of a red-herring, what you should be (and as far as I can see) is sorting out that car of yours, and working out how to fix up your home.

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Bob Smith
Member of Seti PIPPS (Pluto is a Planet Protest Society)
Somewhere in the (un)known Universe?

Vic, credit companies are not in the business of giving freebies, they would end up out of business. There are always fees, whether you realise it or not. Just over a decade ago & after returning to Seti the year previously, I asked about the green stars. When told, I wanted to donate. Hit a snag, no credit card & my bank card was only a Visa Electron at that time, they did eventually make all their cards Visa Debit cards.

I donated $25 via Western Union. Ouch once was enough. However there was a thread on this board regarding the difficulties many experienced in donating. I believe IIRC Ned Lund gave a possible solution, so tried it. A pre-paid credit card. I went with Virgin Money which IMHO was the best, rates wise, on offer at that time. I felt it came in handy as since 2000, I often travelled down to London with my brother once a month, sometimes twice, to computer fairs. Between us, we often spent up to £5k. A lot of cash to travel around with.

I loaded up the card in advance of those trips to save carrying that amount of money around. Using it at individual retailers , for reasonable amounts, the transaction fees weren't that much. However as time went on, when I started building complete systems & got good deals from regular retailers, those transaction fees, soon mounted up even though only 1.5%.

Looking back of the years I used it, 2008 through to 2014, those fees averaged out about £150 - £180 per year. That's on cash not credit. I went back to cash but now use my debit card. No money in my account? Can't buy what I want simple as that. I got caught up in the credit trap 45 years ago, glad I learnt early.

As for PayPal credit?

BTW another reason for stopping using the card, I found it was frozen even though at the time there was approx. £300 on it - It was frozen because it had not been used in over 90 days.

I do know what they do, I'm not worried and they are reputable, Master Card approved them to use their logo years ago, you don't get that if you are shady, I just pay what they ask, when I have enough for something I might buy it or I might not. One item I was watching on ebay I actually deleted.

I've raised some money for the car and home repairs, so far that's $145.00 out of $956.20, I have another $811.00 to do so far, small amounts add up, if I'm lucky I can have both taken care of before too long.

And yes they know about the 6+1 and gave anyway, nobody is perfect afterall.

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The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's

Having the MasterCard "stamp of approval" is not a sign that a card provider is "good" or "bad", just that they use the services of MasterCard to do their transactions (from you to PayPal, from PayPal to the vendor, from the vendor to PayPal). Obviously MasterCard have done some checks on PayPal's financial status (have they got enough working capital to support their liabilities is the big question.)

Another thing; the terms and conditions are subtly different between the UK & the USA - the biggest differences being trigger amounts, charges, grace periods, notice of change. PapyPal, like any other lender in the US, can do more changes with less notice than they need to give in Europe (and I dare say other countries will have different sets of laws for them to obey).

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Bob Smith
Member of Seti PIPPS (Pluto is a Planet Protest Society)
Somewhere in the (un)known Universe?

I'm hoping to raise between $82 and $163 a day in the next 5 to 10 days, all without leaving My house for long, though I will have to take the trash bag out. When it's not raining outside.

I just got another $100.00, so far that's $245.00 out of $956.20, I have another $711.00 to do now.

I will get things fixed and then I can get back to the business of paying down My cards, which I had made a good stab at before I was interrupted, though when I do I'll go after the secured card and convert it to unsecured and get a refund of the money I put in it. I'd put part of that refund into a frosted window in the back bathroom, the rest on paying down Amazon by about $212, both practical choices. Which is part of My plan, but like I already said I'm not going to use any cards after June or August of this year. I'll get to Paypal Credit asap, the idea is take out the smaller ones and liberate income as you go, once done it will take about 5 months to finish off Paypal Credit and yes by that time I will have about $400 to do that with starting in Dec 2020.

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The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's

I had a quick look at the SNAP rules etc.
Vic would appear to be on the boarder-line - read them one way and he qualifies, read them another and he doesn't.
One thing that is clear is that there is a published plan laying out how to apply, when the acceptance letter is released, declaration of how much one will get, and the start date. Basically, one does a quick screening, passing this doesn't mean that one will actually be accepted; then one does the application; a few days later one is meant to get the letter that (hopefully) says how much and when payments will kick-off.

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Bob Smith
Member of Seti PIPPS (Pluto is a Planet Protest Society)
Somewhere in the (un)known Universe?

I had a quick look at the SNAP rules etc.
Vic would appear to be on the boarder-line - read them one way and he qualifies, read them another and he doesn't.
One thing that is clear is that there is a published plan laying out how to apply, when the acceptance letter is released, declaration of how much one will get, and the start date. Basically, one does a quick screening, passing this doesn't mean that one will actually be accepted; then one does the application; a few days later one is meant to get the letter that (hopefully) says how much and when payments will kick-off.

The thing is I live alone, other people who get what I get, get SNAP automatically in other states, eligibility won't happen here until either June or August per state law, yes state laws do apply, I own a car and a home, I'm familiar with the rules to both, I've been in the system since 2003 and I'll die in the system too, I'm too black and blue to be otherwise. I also get Medicaid(Medi-Cal in CA). Also for someone who is disabled and getting a check from the SSA there are no work requirements.

I did get some work done on a PC, though how I'm going to plumb a haf xb case is a matter for some other day. A Pic(s) will be later as it's dark and at the time I got a cramp in My right leg while I was standing, dang that hurt a lot.

Good Night all.

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The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's

Dear God, I can't believe what I'm reading. You're not living man, you're subsisting. If you are to be believed with the total of your monthly income, you should not be living at such a minimal level.

Dec 2020 is 21.5 months away, what will be the case should another interruption occur before then?