No, this is not the story of how I ate 10 Big Macs® 
. This is a cautionary tale for anyone with a bank account. My stepdaughter learned a critical banking lesson—the hard way—a couple weeks ago.
She generally keeps a pretty close eye on her checking account, and she knew her balance was little bit low. However, she's been busy lately—she just finished up her sophomore year in college and was in the midst of moving into a new place. Therefore, she didn't have convenient computer access, and she didn't take the time to find an ATM to transfer money into her account.
She'd also written a $220 check for her rent deposit about a month ago, but the landlord hadn't cashed it. She knew that check was out there and could clear anytime, but still …
You can imagine what happened next. Bingo. The landlord cashed the rent check and her balance plummeted. Down to less than nothing.
Unaware, she headed to McDonald's® for the most expensive Chicken McNuggets® she would ever eat. Allow me to illuminate:
Spend $3.95 at McDonald's + overdraft charge of $34 = $37.95
Ouch. That's an Unhappy Meal.
Needless to say, after a panicked call home, she stopped in to talk with a local banker ASAP, and she now has overdraft protection.
You definitely don't want to make a habit of overdrawing your bank account, but these things happen—I know I bounced a check or two myself in college. Anyone can make a mistake, so to avoid learning an expensive lesson, think about getting overdraft protection for yourself!
your daughter should be more concerned with her eating habits than 37dollars!it will cost her more than that emotionally in the long run
Don't forget to tell her that it was Wells Fargo that decided to post the check on her account at that time, not her landlord. Its not her fault that Wells Fargo will hold the check over her head till she forgets about it then slap her with it whenever they can grab a nice overdraft fee for it.
That is why most financial institutions provide for free, a manual check register. Yes online access is simple & convenient, but had she been keeping track herself, especially when not having a computer or ATM available, she would have known the funds were not available. Also, it makes a pretty quick reference for when the bank makes an error, which does happen from time to time.
billybob, I am a big fan of the old-fashioned check register. Even though I review my balance online daily, there's something to be said about going through your individual receipts and writing down exactly how much you are spending. For me, it makes it feel much more real.
Plus (much to Barbara's disbelief when we talked about this yesterday), I still balance my checkbook to the penny when my online statement arrives each month. I actually find it very satisfying!
Anyone else with me?