I quit my job last March and it was a bad idea.

Re:I quit my job last March and it was a bad idea. by LiveTheDream on Wednesday October 12, 2011 @10:38AM (#3103092)

> At one point, my expenses were literally: food, and gas for the car. And that was it. I had no bank account, I got my checks cashed at the grocery store

How much were you paying to cash your checks at the grocery store? This is more expensive than depositing the check in a bank or credit union (I think it's on the level of payday loans, gouging lower income because they don't understand the relative size of the fee).

> So, if your friends are giving you a hard time, tell 'em to knock it the hell off. Or find new friends

Knock it off, maybe. Find new friends? That seems silly. Grow a thicker skin and joke right back at them.

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Re:I quit my job last March and it was a bad idea. by pyre on Wednesday October 12, 2011 @11:04AM (#3103193)

  > Find new friends? That seems silly.

With friends like that, who needs enemies? I mean the guy is down in the dumps, "rock bottom" if you like, and his friends are attempting to kick him while he's down to elevate their own self-esteem a bit. And you think that this is a good set of people to be around?

Also advice like, "grow a thicker skin" to someone that's in the throes of depression, might as well be advice to, "just stop being depressed."

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Re:I quit my job last March and it was a bad idea. by yardie on Wednesday October 12, 2011 @11:10AM (#3103209)

When your credit is shot banks are really reluctant to take you on as a new account. He probably owes his current bank tons of money so probably doesn't want to deposit his only income there. Opening a new account requires a background check (when I opened mine they told me it was to verify I wasn't blacklisted from writing checks) and possibly a credit check.

Sometimes the check cashing store is your only choice. And they aren't all bad. They may get you on the check cashing fee, but a ding at a regular bank can put you in an even worse position ($29 overdraft fee, $35 NSF fees).

The check cashing stores are popular in poor areas because these people may only get $200-400/month and charge $5-20. It's a fixed cost that anyone can factor in quickly. Keeping a mental register of how much you have in the bank is harder than knowing what's exactly in your wallet.

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Re:I quit my job last March and it was a bad idea. by thaumaturgy on Wednesday October 12, 2011 @07:25PM (#3105167)

At the time, grocery stores would cash your paycheck for you without taking any fees. I usually bought a few groceries, signed the check over to the store, and got the difference back in cash. This was 5 or 6 years ago, not sure if it's still do-able. No harm in asking though.

Check cashing places are of the devil, and a great way to prolong your financial trouble. If possible, try finding a friend or family member willing to cash your checks for you instead.

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Re:I quit my job last March and it was a bad idea. by namank on Monday October 24, 2011 @11:11PM (#3152668)

Knock it off, maybe. Find new friends? That seems silly. Grow a thicker skin and joke right back at them.

In times like these, you can barely hang on to your own skin.

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