One Step Closer to Financial Independence

I paid off my car loan! :banana: :guitarna:

2 down, 1 to go! I paid off my credit card last July, so all the remains now is my college loan, which at my current pace should be paid off this 4th of July, of all days.

I learned a few things today too. For one, withdrawing a few hundred bucks from an ATM machine is not quite as easy as you might think. My tax return was finally deposited into my account yesterday, but the account that held my car loan was with a different bank, so I needed to deposit part of my tax return into that account so I could pay off my loan in its entirety. I figured no problem though, I’ll just hit up the ATM for a few hundred and be on my way.

First I went to the local gas station where their ATM doesn’t give me lame surcharges. I cheerily walked in, took out my card and…

“Out of Service. Please come back another time.”

Of course…

So I went to a 7-11 and used the ATM there.

“Withdrawal request exceeds allotted funds. Please try again.”

For the love of… ok, I’m sure by now you’re thinking why I didn’t just go to my bank directly and make the withdrawal there. The bank was 20 miles away, and a trip there and back would lose me an hour at least. By the time I got to the other bank holding my car loan it’d be closed, and I REALLY wanted to get this over with now.

So I took the maximum amount of cash the ATM could dish out, which was $400, then drove to another ATM. This time I could only withdraw $100. I withdrew that amount, then swiped my card again to make another withdrawal.

“We’re sorry, you have exceeded the daily limit of withdrawals that can be made. Please try again tomorrow.”

Huh? :blink:

I tried it again.

“We’re sorry, you have exceeded the daily limit of withdrawals that can be made. Please try again tomorrow.”

I just stood there, trying to figure out what to do next. I was still a $100 short, and I needed to find some other way to get it. Ooooh I know, I’ll use my credit card! I could pay the difference when I got home too. Easy peachy! So I swiped my credit card.

“Please enter your pin number.”

Pin number? Oh crap. I had forgotten what it was. Let’s see, I think it was 1-2-3-4.

“Incorrect PIN number. Please try again.”

@#$%^!!!

Ok, ok, let me think here, how else can I get cash without using the ATM… … …

Cashbacks!!

I quickly ran into another 7-11 and bought myself coffee. Swiped my card at the register and waited for the cashback screen to show up:

“Cashback amount?”

I inputted $100, then waited, confident and enjoying my coffee.

“You may only withdraw a maximum of $10.”

Dude… why?

“Is everything alright, sir?”

“Could I like, get some money from your register?”

The cashier stood there wide-eyed.

“No no no, I mean the cashback here only goes up to, you know… uh, I didn’t mean…, I’ll just take my coffee now.” I quickly walked out.

Alright, what now… I vaguely remembered being able to get more than $40 cashback from the supermarket, so I figured my best bet would be there. I drove a few miles to a nice big honking supermarket and went inside.

Only one thing was going to make all this aggravation worth it. Bagels! I bought myself a few whole wheats and some cappy ham, then quickly went to the self check-out. Swiped the card again, said a little prayer and inputted $100.

“Card Approved.”

YES! Finally! The machine started dispensing my $100… in 5 dollar bills, and of course, it had to be one of those nuclear powered cash dispensers where gobs of 5 dollar bills went flying out like a winning slot machine. I frantically picked up the cash, counted it to make sure I had it all, then hauled heinie out of there.

At long last, after what had to be 5 or 6 stops (I lost count) of putting together the cash I needed, I stopped by my bank and proudly slapped down the money.

“I’d like to pay off my car loan please.” I smiled broadly.

They gave me a receipt and that was it. I got into my beautiful ride and took a deep breath.

“Finally, you’re all mine.” I turned the ignition and sighed happily.

*click*

Ha, just kidding, it started up fine. :ggrin:

I have to tell you though, during the drive home it seemed like the whole world was literally aiming at my car, almost as if they all knew it had just been paid off too. Oy.

But finally, FINALLY, this headache was now over with, and with all that behind me my college loan was the only thing left that stood between me and becoming completely debt free.

I can’t wait! :shades:

Tags: atm machine, bank, car loan, cash, cashback, college loan, credit card, debt, financial, independence, money, supermarket, tax return
Categories: Lincoln's Personal Log

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14 Responses to “One Step Closer to Financial Independence”

GM Roper wrote a comment on February 20, 2009 @ 07:45:pm
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Laughed my little old fat fanny off. Well done!

Lincoln Adams wrote a comment on February 20, 2009 @ 08:51:pm
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Let’s hope when I pay off my school loan it won’t be quite the adventure this was. :wideeyed:

ConsrvYank1 wrote a comment on February 21, 2009 @ 11:09:am
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Good for you Linc. On July 4 you will prolly be the only person alive with absolutely no debt. Yay.

ConsrvYank1 wrote a comment on February 21, 2009 @ 11:10:am
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P. S. My heart sank when I saw “click.” geez

Lincoln Adams wrote a comment on February 21, 2009 @ 11:51:am
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Hee, sorry, but that would have been just my luck if the car had not started, or somebody smashed into it just as I was pulling out of the parking lot. It seems like I can never enjoy a blessing without being dealt a curse to balance it out. Such is my life. :crying:

Anthony Epp wrote a comment on February 21, 2009 @ 11:20:pm
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Congratulations man!!! I am moving next week in part to help me get rid of my credit cards. 1st Student loan: 4 months early: 2nd: 7 months early (w/ @ least 1mo unemployment each year); 3rd: over a year early; 4th: I held the last $400 in protest because I asked a financial question and got NO help from my bank of 15yrs.

*click* – FAS – That’s also why I’m hesitant to get new struts & tires @ the same time, even though I need them badly. Every time before this I’ve done that and there’s either been an accident or engine blows or something like that.

Lincoln Adams wrote a comment on February 21, 2009 @ 11:51:pm
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Thanks, and for what it’s worth i think you should get the tires if just for safety reasons if you need ‘em that badly.

Jokes aside, thankfully my SUV shows no signs of slowing down, and I haven’t had a single issue with it (other than being duped into prematurely replacing my perfectly fine brakes with crappy brakes from my local dealership, may they rot in hell). But other than that, smooth sailing. :drive:

I’m hoping it will last me until I can afford to buy another car without taking out another loan. The only time I ever want to get into debt again is for a condo or a house, and with the way things are going there, I don’t even feel comfortable doing that. :tongue:

John wrote a comment on February 23, 2009 @ 08:31:am
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Congrats! I was hoping this didn’t end with, “And then I got into an accident.”

Lincoln Adams wrote a comment on February 23, 2009 @ 11:58:am
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With my luck… :blink: Maybe I’ll just walk to work from now on.

spiritualfree wrote a comment on February 23, 2009 @ 09:01:pm
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That was quite a story! Interesting, unique, humorous, emotionally inviting, great story and am glad everything worked out for you! This little story just made my night!
Peace & Blessed Be…

Lincoln Adams wrote a comment on February 23, 2009 @ 11:16:pm
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Thanks for the kind compliments, I’m glad when my stories can entertain people the way they intend to, because I never think it comes out right when I’m writing them.