March 14th. 3/14. 3.14.
It's Pi day!
To be specific, Pi second is 3.14.15.92.65, or 4:33:05 in the afternoon. Or, in a more sane reading: 1:59:26 (AM).
In celebration, I'll let people here in on a bit of a secret from my past... I used to be a bit of a dork. I had pi memorized to around 150 places in high school. I printed it out, laminated it in the bookstore, and memorized it while swimming laps for swim team.
Also, it's getting to be summer. I'm quite aware that my preferred two wheel forms of transportation make it quite evident who/where I am. However, if a bunch of cars are going by, and someone honks, or yells "RUSS!" out the window, the chances of me figuring out who you are are roughly zero. By the time I figure out which vehicle made the noise, it's usually too far away for me to recognize any of the people in it, and I don't have a solid car->person map for everyone in the church yet. So please, feel free to tell me later that you saw me, but don't honk or yell as you go past. Thanks!
-=Russ=-
As I was checking the status of my bank account on the US Bank website to see what checks had cleared, I noticed a new link. It was shiny. It said, "Request Checking Account Advance."
So, I clicked it to see what this new link did. And it told me. Emphesis added by me.
U.S. Bank's Checking Account Advance allows you to request an advance on your next direct deposit.
Key Features:
* Advance cash immediately into your checking account.
* Payoff of advance and finance charge is automatic. Payments will be deducted from your checking account with your next direct desposit(s) of $100 or more, or, if not fully paid, on the final payment date, which is the 35th day after your advance.
* Finance charge is $1 for every $10 advanced (120% APR).
* Advance between $20 and your limit. If your checking account is overdrawn, you must advance enough to bring your account to a $0 balance.
Wow. $1 for each $10 advanced. 120% APR. And here I was thinking a credit card with 19.99% APR was awful.
It seems the "instant loan" service industry is so lucrative, even the banks are getting in on it now. The profits on these loans are definitely impressive, and it seems as though "Instant Loan! Payday Loan!" places are springing up like weeds all around the country.
It's a fairly sad commentary on the financial state of so many people in our country today - in order for a business to survive, people must use it. And, people who are reasonably financially responsible aren't very likely to be using the cash advance places.
Proverbs has much wisdom on finances, and the series of messages from several weeks ago at Stonebrook was wonderful - check out the messages online if you weren't able to make it.
If you do have an emergency fund and some money tucked away, it's worth considering what kind of interest rate you're earning on it. Most banks pay VERY little interest on savings accounts - under 1% is normal for most brick & mortar banks. It might be worth looking at putting that in a bank that's giving somewhat higher rates (such as 4.5%). I won't make a shameless plug here, but if you're interested in a higher interest rate and a $25 bonus for creating an account, get in touch with me & I'll send you an invite.
-=Russ=-