Okay, so I’ve been absent for a while. Trust me it’s not due to my lack of passion, actually the opposite is true. I’ve been struggling with my personal issues. Yes, like pretty much everyone, I have them. I admit it. Everything I do lately has been with the desire to stick it to someone to prove that they underestimated me and messed with the wrong person. While that might work somehow, somewhere, as a life focus not so much. I have found myself consumed with things that I deem turning points in the vision that I had for myself and sadly, find myself regularly picturing those who I hold responsible in my personal and financial downfall. Though I have been trying to channel myself in positive ways, tae-bo just isn’t enough. Maybe I just don’t do it frequently enough, something I have vowed to correct in this upcoming year. No, I’m not going to call it a resolution we all know those don’t usually go so well. Yeah, okay it’s kind of a resolution but again, I’m not going to call it that because of the way “resolutions” work out. I know you understand. So anyway, I guess my intention is to use this blog to along with imparting my wisdom that I know undoubtedly you will come to know and love, to hopefully help myself by removing anger from the decision process with the objective of ultimately reaping more success. I kind of sound like Oprah don’t I. Really the truth is I am ready to get back on the track with the plans that I had for myself before all of the outside intervention, we’ll just call it, that impacted the direction I have gone. That “intervention” is an unfortunate reality in my life and with my husband technically laid off and no insurance, this is all the therapy I can afford but we’ll save that for another day, another time. So I guess what I’m saying is “I’m baack”!
Posts Tagged ‘Banks’
Guess Who!
Sunday, January 31st, 2010R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Friday, September 11th, 2009That’s what we are missing as a society. People are so quick to be consumed with their own self importance that they forget consideration for others. We are a society of inconsiderate people, organizations and groups. Be it banks, mortgages companies, employers, service providers, government agencies, politicians; I’ll stop now because the list can go on and on. The bottom line is even on an individual level there is too often a lack of respect and consideration shown towards our fellow citizen. We should not feel in order to be successful, turn a profit, or be at the top of our game that we must make others feel insignificant, unimportant or nonexistent. Why don’t we try treating others the way we would want to be treated, I thought I heard that somewhere before but apparently it’s a novel idea. Maybe what we need is to require “Consideration and Respect Training” country wide, you know like maybe when you renew your drivers’ license. I’m sure eyes are rolling because I suggested one more requirement, but hey I’m going to benefit from this one, so keep the rumbling to a minimum please. So since I just put that on my ‘to do’ list, while I work on my manual I will outline a few key points. 1. Treat others the way you want to be treated, I learned that at home and even in kindergarten 2. Do not interrupt the person who has the floor, Rep. Joe Wilson, I hope you’re paying attention. 3. Tone is important when you are communicating with others, email shouters take note. Though these are lessons that I’m sure most of us know, banks, employers, mortgage companies, politicians, service providers and hey everyone and anyone, are you paying attention, a periodic refresher is apparently needed.
“We Got You”
Tuesday, June 30th, 2009Banks want us to believe that Congress is solely to blame for the increase in credit card rates. Hey banks, just stop. So you’re telling me that the only reason rates are higher is because of the change in laws. Yeah, come on, stop. The number one objective of banks is to get consumers to deposit money or get credit, then keep that money and/or indebt you to them as much and for as long as possible. That’s why they didn’t care when the occasional account was “underperforming”, they would just tack on some fees and smile as individuals figured out a way to pay. Now it’s out of hand because so many people are “underperforming”. Unfortunately for banks, their method of doing business didn’t stand the test of time and the major downturn in the economy. But stop trying to act like increased rates and fees are something new when fees and increased rates are synonymous with banks and credit cards. After all, we do have to pay for those executive bonuses some way. So banks, you are not fooling anybody. The least you could do is at some point exercise a little integrity and tell us, “we admit it, we got you“. Maybe then we might start to respect you again, well, probably not.
AIG, The Sequel
Friday, June 26th, 2009Okay so it’s not actually AIG this time, it’s Citigroup. To be perfectly honest I am sick of them too. The air of entitlement, and regular flipping of the bird that these companies give and better yet, get away with truly astonishes me. I guess it shouldn’t, but the blatant disrespect that they are able to dish to the public with no repercussions is just ridiculous. Citigroup has been complaining about their ability to hire because of the stipulations that accompany bailout money. So instead of giving obscene bonuses, they will simply give their employees a higher salary, as much as 50%, to offset the reduction. Sounds like a great solution, my question is does this apply to those who are considered more expendable? Oh yeah, silly me, of course not because they’re expendable. They won’t even have jobs. Companies are cutting salaries, cutting positions, taking away benefits but miraculously somehow Citigroup has figured out a way to pay people, who I’m assuming are operational mangers, I guess I could be wrong but I doubt it, what they want, irrespective of any government stipulations and despite the fact most of those who will receive this bump in “salary” were pretty much underperforming. After all, aren’t they supposed to be the experts? How did they get in this mess in the first place, requiring tax payer money? Again I am stating that the way these companies are allowed to do whatever they please has got to be stopped. Particularly when our dollars are giving them the leverage to make these decisions. Enough is simply enough. I would say let’s take our business elsewhere but honestly, I don’t think there is anywhere to go.
Never Satisfied
Monday, June 15th, 2009Isn’t it annoying when you go out of your way for someone and they seem to never be satisfied? I guess now we should feel sorry for Citigroup that after having received $45 billion in borrowed money that they have no idea when they’ll repay, sidebar, I would really like one of those loans, I’ll get it back to you say, um whenever. But anyway, poor Citigroup can’t hire whoever they want and pay them a ridiculous salary to do whatever since they haven’t paid back their huge bailout. Citigroup my eyes are wailing up because of the sorrow I feel for you. Yeah, not really. I do have a couple of questions for you Citigroup. Are you sure you know who to hire? Didn’t you do that the first go around? Should you really be complaining about that now? And can I get one of those whenever payback loans, I could really use it.
I Project Profit
Monday, June 1st, 2009If you’ve thought about opening a business you’ve gone through the process of creating the plan, scouting locations, identifying your market and projecting profits and loss which is an ongoing process for any business. But projections are just that projections, you don’t know whether or not it will come to fruition, it’s almost a hope if you will and certainly can’t be strictly relied upon for sustaining the company. If all you need to do is project profit GREAT, I project that I’ll be a multimillionaire. Until and unless that happens I certainly can’t live like one, so why were companies paying these top execs like the projections had already rolled in. Is that the reason so many companies are in dire straights and if so what is being done to address that? Are companies really in this complete state of degradation or did they just not reach the profit of their hopeful projected dreams.? Honestly, I’m not really buying that the number of companies across the gamut of industries are not showing any profit. And I really don’t understand why these companies with the vast knowledge that their big earners deserve did not and have not prepared better for the current economic climate. I’m just really not buying it.
Take It, For Now
Sunday, May 31st, 2009Banks, mortgage companies, underwriters and who ever else was part of the loan approval process were extremely negligent in their duties when they authorized loans for homes that most people probably didn’t understand the true cost of. Now before you start possibly rolling your eyes let me say, particularly when you are moving into a newly constructed home you can easily be misled by the monthly obligation that you sign the dotted line about. Many people aren’t aware, especially if they are a first time homeowner, of reassessment of property taxes. Okay so you’re thinking that you feel comfortable with the payment and boom, the bomb just dropped on you. You have to come up with $700 more a month. The reality is most people can’t afford to do that and didn‘t even know it would happen. But the lenders knew. So why is this small bit of information not accounted for when people are “qualifying” for loans? You certainly can’t get around paying it. Couple that with an increased adjusted rate payment they were more than happy to give you and there you go, disaster. People were put into homes that they, the lenders, knew couldn’t be afforded, but I guess they just figured that would be the homeowner’s problem. Wasn’t living the dream if only for a moment better than never having lived it at all? I think not!
Responsibility, That Is The Ticket
Sunday, May 31st, 2009“But we also expect financial institutions to act with the same sense of responsibility that the American people aspire to in their own lives” was a quote by President Obama. I believe that aspiration should be held even more highly by financial institutions and the current economic breakdown highlights the reason why. The problem has been that these companies have operated without the boundaries of responsibility for far too long. I personally find it incredibly hard to believe that banks didn’t know the repercussions of mass failure to pay. They knew, they just didn’t care. Perhaps they didn’t think it would come to this, really I’m trying to give them the benefit of doubt, no strike that, not really. Banks were making money off of over inflated values for homes and were happy and willing to collect while the collecting was good. I don’t pretend to know if bailing banks out is the best thing to do but it is still hard to accept that individuals who weren’t necessarily trying to overburden themselves or dodge paying but were admittedly seeking the American dream are having their lives reduced to a sticker on that dream and their belongings on the lawn, okay maybe a little dramatic but I have seen it before, when banks are being given the opportunity to see another day just somehow seems wrong. The feeling that individuals are still bearing the brunt of responsibility is one that I just can’t shake.
Stand By Me
Sunday, May 31st, 2009In case you haven’t noticed I am admittedly bitter about financial institutions and their ability to question every aspect of your life while feeling no need to disclose anything. And after having been in a situation where credit denial became a major problem, (I explain more about that in What We’re About under Pages on this blog), that couldn’t be properly addressed because of the purported ambiguity, I’m wondering why is it that when you are denied credit the explanation is vague. But then I realize who we’re dealing with. It’s the cover your butts crowd, financial institutions. Well I guess if I’m being unbiased businesses in general are always concerned about protecting themselves and perhaps as a by product each other. So that vague information was supplied purposely. The problem is this, if you ever have to address an issue that results in your inability to qualify for credit because of something specific in your credit report, the vague information supplied about your denial doesn’t help. Irrespective of what the banker or whoever tells you, that letter will be the sticking point and it isn’t enough. When credit carries so much weight in an individuals ability to manage their life, once you’ve gone through the process of gathering every detail about yourself, you deserve a fully outlined explanation not a generic form letter of sorts about why you are “unworthy” of credit. Spell it out, apparently it’s necessary.
Sorry No Sympathy
Thursday, May 14th, 2009Banks are upset that because they have accepted bailout funds, they are going to be monitored by the federal government. I would like to know what they thought should happen. I guess they thought that they should be able to take funds without any added stipulations or criteria. I’m telling you these banks live in fantasy land. If you have ever tried to get a loan for anything, you know they want to know everything about you including your underwear size so I’m wondering why they are so concerned or upset that questions are being asked of them.