Black Moms STILL don’t Trust Hospitals

“Birth is a rite of passage of women. Their journey should be honored, their rights should be fiercely protected, and their stories should be shared.” — Marcie Macari

Maternal health is more likely to be a matter of life or death for African American women, who often navigate a lack of medical access during pregnancy. Charlotte doula Kelle Pressley talks about her work delivering healthy babies and what can be done to close the maternal health gap in the finale of this two-part episode. Host: Aaliyah Bowden. (Click here to tune in)

“Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood. “ — Marie Curie

Dear Black Mamas,

Consider birth centers and home birthing. The United States, our country has the worst rates of maternal mortality in the industrialized world. Increasingly, experts are revealing what we’ve always known and that’s the fact that grim racial inequities do exist in America’s healthcare system.

Black mothers in the United States are four times as likely to die from maternity-related complications as white women.

Birth centers are sort of halfway points between hospital births and home births. They serve women with low-risk pregnancies and use midwives, who have medical training, and doulas, a nonmedical position focused on emotional support, physical comfort, and patient advocacy.

Until you feel safe in all birthing spaces, I am here. – The Pinkgrasshopper Full Spectrum Doula Trainer

Get help and heal at your own pace.– Tribal L&D podcast

All of the links feature recent podcasts and printed resources from me. Enjoy.

Thanks for sharing the resources – The Charlotte Post and Tribal A&D Podcast

Big props to New Jerseys Dr Nicola , – The Birth Center of New Jersey in Union, N.J., where Ms. Eaddy-Onque gave birth to Anastasia, has been increasingly busy during the pandemic. Founded and owned by Dr. Nicola Pemberton, a Black obstetrician-gynecologist, this facility is unusual in that it is run by a medical doctor who has admitting privileges at a nearby hospital and that it primarily serves people of color.

Harriet Tubman Day – March 10th & Women’s History Month

Today is Harriet Tubman Day, where we honor anti-slavery activist and abolitionist Harriet Tubman. Tubman is most widely known for leading enslaved people north on the Underground Railroad, but her contributions to abolition and equality don’t stop there. She served as a scout and spy for the Union Army during the Civil War, and fiercely advocated for women’s voting rights in her later years.

Born into slavery in the 1820s, Tubman escaped to Philadelphia in 1849. She soon returned to the south and became a conductor” on the Underground Railroad – a network of antislavery activists and safe houses – where she personally led approximately 70 enslaved people to freedom.

At the start of the Civil War, Tubman was recruited to assist former enslaved people as they escaped to Union camps. Initially a nurse, Tubman soon became the head of an espionage and scout network for the Union Army, mapping out enemy terrain and providing key intelligence to Union officials. In 1863, Tubman led the Combahee River Raid, where more than 750 enslaved people were rescued. She continued working for the Union Army until the Confederacy surrendered in 1865, assisting newly liberated people, scouting for the Union Army, and aiding wounded soldiers.

In the late 1890s, Tubman went on to work alongside women’s suffragists to promote women’s voting rights. She traveled throughout the Eastern US, speaking of her experiences in and after the Civil War, and citing her own experiences as well as those of many other women to further the suffragist movement.

Tubman is a key figure in American history who continues to inspire generations of activists and political figures today. Not only was she instrumental in liberating many formerly enslaved people, but she contributed to the Union victory, and advocated for equality to create a more just nation. Tubman will soon be featured on the $20 bill, with President Biden pledging to speed up the design process and cement Tubman’s legacy further. 

Tax Season begins on the 23rd! Here’s Your Non-taxable Income list! Use it to file your taxes, Thank me later, you’re welcome.

Don’t overpay the IRS.

The following income is generally NOT taxable income. There are always exceptions. For example, inheritances are generally not taxable, but if you inherited an IRA account, you will be taxed when you receive IRA distributions. But for most people, these types of income are NOT taxable:

• Life insurance proceeds
• IRA and Pension rollovers
• Child support payments
• Inheritances
• Gifts
• Workers Compensation
• Disability payments if you paid the premiums on the policy. If your employer paid the policy, then the disability payments are taxable. If you paid part of the policy, then part of the disability payments you paid are non-taxable .
• Court damages or settlements for personal physical injuries or physical sickness. Punitive payments are taxable.
• Health and accident benefits
• Federal income tax refund
• State income tax refund (if you took the standard deduction last year)
• Most scholarships, fellowships, and Pell grants
• Foster care payments (certain restrictions for individuals over age 18 in foster care)
• Gain on the sale of your personal residence is usually non-taxable. The gain might be taxable if you lived in the residence for less than two years or if the residence has ever been used as a rental property or home office
• Roth IRA-qualified distributions
• Welfare payments
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
• Social security benefits (including SSDI) are either nontaxable or partially taxable. Enter your social security benefits on the Social Security Benefits (Form SSA-1099) screen and we’ll calculate how much, if any, of your benefits are taxable
• Cancellation of debt because of bankruptcy or insolvency. Enter your 1099-C on the Canceled Debt (1099-C) Information screen and we’ll calculate how much, if any, of the canceled debt is taxable
• Veterans Administration disability benefits
• Pay-for-Performance Success Payments that reduce the principal balance of your home mortgage under the Home Affordable Modification Program
• Black lung benefits
• Cash rebates. For example, if you receive a cash rebate of $100 after you purchase a new washing machine
• Insurance proceeds for theft or damage to your property
• Utility rebates
• Long-term care insurance benefits
• Military allowances
• Peace Corps living allowances
• Reimbursement for medical care
• Certain individual care provider income
• Disaster relief payments

Queen City Stay At Home Moms

Seventeen years ago, I created Queen City Stay At Home Moms as an outlet for managing my sorrow. I had just lost my oldest daughter the year before and was preparing to give birth to my second son. All while homeschooling with low funds. Yes, I was married, but we were living off one income at that time. This group provided me with a way to meet up with other families, allowed my homeschooled kids to engage with other diverse children, and the opportunity to use my professional skills because we were highly structured with organized activities beyond the playground. Soon, it would be an additional blessing because I was sought out for ads, product review parties, and my entry into blogging!

Over the years, I have hosted over 20 thousand gatherings. Some from new business ventures,

They have included:

• Political playdates at local elected officials office
• Family Vegan Valentines Day Party
• Family photo days,
• Thursday group dinner at EarthFare
• STEM explorative play dates,
• Community outings,
• sports play-time,
• Swim days,
• museum tours,
• group baby showers,
• New Mom Speed dating,
• Total Children’s Wellness Fair,
• local garden visits,
• Shopping members’ new businesses
• Coliseum shows

and more! We have even helped staff our members new businesses as needed. It was perfect because my eight children were the ages of every child that became a member ( except for the newborns)! We even made write-ups in The Charlotte Parents (a local magazine ) a few times!

The moms that join came from various walks of life. I refused to limit it to just families that look like me. I figured the best way to learn about a culture is by befriending as many families as possible. Still amazed that we reached three thousand members.

Although we have never had all three thousand in attendance at any event, we always had a great time and built strong connections. I understood that change happens and once a mom hit a milestone her objective may not include our group anymore. Most times it was due to moving, going back to work, children getting older, or no longer homeschooling.

Today it still blesses my heart to have strong connections with many of those that have graduated from Queen City Stay At Home Moms. As I have. Our youngest is now ten years old and is currently in public school. I work more for grassroots nonprofits and myself. Although I work from home, I’m most in various states at any given time. And at 46, I have learned to live in spite of losing my eleven- year old daughter in 2005.

Queen City Stay At Home Moms will always be special to me, but it has served its purpose and deserves to end on top. This week, I said goodbye to 15 wonderful years to one of the best holistic support groups for moms in the Queen City!

Gifts For Your Pregnant Friend

A Photo Shoot

You have probably seen pregnant women take photoshoots in recent years. Whether these photos just get put up on social media, or whether they form part of a scrapbook to look back on years later down the line, they are a great way to remember this period of your friend’s life, and that is one reason why this might make such a great gift. You can click here to see some examples of the kind of pregnancy photographs that might be taken, and as you can see it is likely that your friend will come out of the experience feeling beautiful and confident about themselves. They can do shoots with their spouse or partner too if they want to, and that can be a great way for them to bond. In any case, this is a gift that is bound to go down well.

Having a pregnant friend often changes your own life in surprisingly dramatic and drastic ways. Not to the same degree as it changes theirs, naturally, but you will find that it is going to affect you too, and it’s good to be prepared for that.

In all likelihood, the nature of your friendship is going to be somewhat altered, even if that is just because you are not going to see them quite as much. You might also find that they are sometimes moody, or that there are other emotional problems that you need to help them with. Being prepared for all this is a wise idea, as is knowing what you might get them as some kind of a gift. You don’t have to lavish them with gifts, of course, but treating them to something can be a great way to show you support them and you care. So what should you go for?

A Maternity Dress

Being able to look their best is likely to be important to your pregnant friend for the whole nine months, and this is not something that is really going to be suspended very much during pregnancy. As such, you might be helping them to feel good about their appearance by buying them a maternity dress. This is a hard thing to get right without them being there to try it on, so just tell them that you are taking them out to buy a dress and that it’s your treat. You can then make a day of it, and in doing so you should come away at the end of it feeling satisfied that they have got something they really love.

A Pregnancy Massage

Being pregnant causes all kinds of aches and pains, and these can be particularly distressing at the best of times. Fortunately, there is such a thing as a pregnancy massage, and it is something which you will find makes a great gift for any pregnant friend, whether they are struggling particularly with pain or not. It will help them to feel alive and well, and that is a gift worth giving.

STABILITY- Some pregnant moms are homeless or about to be.

S

August Collection of College Scholarships Here!

Don’t wait. Apply for these great scholarships today! And, if you missed the last Scholarship Saturday, check it out. There are scholarships there that are still open! You can also find scholarships on my other scholarship lists, such as scholarships with requirements based on your state, major, grade level, ethnicity, or religion. And, lastly, check out my list of scholarships with July, August, and September deadlines.

Only brief information about each scholarship is listed. Therefore, you are encouraged to visit the scholarship websites to get further details about eligibility and requirements.

Here are 28 scholarships for Saturday, July 23, 2022. Exabeam Cybersecurity Scholarship
Sponsor: Exabeam
Amount: Up to $10,000
Closing Date: July 31, 2022
Description: Scholarship is open to legal residents of the United States who are 16 years of age or older and who are currently enrolled (or have been accepted to enroll) in an accredited post-secondary institution of higher learning with at least a 3.0 GPA. Applicant must submit an essay or video answering one of three questions related to elections or social media.

ISA Individual Scholarship Program
Sponsor: International Surfing Association
Amount: Up to $1,000
Closing Date: July 31, 2022
Description: Scholarship is open to current college students who have financial need and who surf. Applicant must be recommended by their National Surfing Federation.

Labroots Scholarships
Sponsor: LabRoots
Amount: $1,000
Closing Date: July 31, 2022
Description: Scholarship is open to students worldwide enrolled or accepted for a graduate or undergraduate degree for the upcoming academic academic year. Applicant must be enrolled in a STEM program.

NGPA Scholarships
Sponsor: National Gay Pilots Association (NGPA)
Amount: Varies
Closing Date: July 31, 2022
Description: Scholarships are open to students who are seeking to develop professional aviation skills. While students do not have to be LGBT, the applicant should provide evidence of his or her contribution to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.

The Dream Act Scholarship
Sponsor: Goldstein Immigration Lawyers
Amount: $1,000
Closing Date: July 31, 2023
Description: Scholarship is open to any current college student or graduate student who is a legal resident of the United States living in one of the 50 states or the District of Columbia and enrolled in a two to a five-year post-secondary institution for the Fall 2023 semester. Applicant must be an immigrant, DREAMer, or first-generation American citizen.

Go City Education Scholarship
Sponsor: Go City
Amount: $5,000
Closing Date: August 01, 2022
Description: Scholarship is open to students enrolled at a college or university, and either be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident or currently studying in the U.S. on a student visa. Applicant must share which two attractions they’d like to visit in their university city and why.

Life Coach Spotter Scholarship
Sponsor: The Life Coach Spotter Scholarship
Amount: $1,000
Closing Date: August 01, 2022
Description: Scholarship is open to students accepted to a college or currently enrolled as an undergraduate student. Applicant must submit an essay on the biggest challenge they have overcome and a video sharing their story.

Michael Moody Fitness Scholarship
Sponsor: Michael Mood – Trainer | Author |Speaker
Amount: $1,500
Closing Date: August 01, 2022
Description: Scholarship is open to high school seniors, undergraduates and graduate students who have demonstrated outstanding achievement, participation and leadership in school activities and work experience. Applicant must have an interest in pursing a career in the health and fitness related fields. Only the first 1,000 applications will be accepted.

NFWL Essay Student Scholarship Contest
Sponsor: National Foundation for Women Legislators
Amount: $3,000
Closing Date: August 01, 2022
Description: Scholarship is open to female high school juniors and seniors in the United States. Applicant must be nominated.

Swan Start Scholarship Program
Sponsor: Swant Start Scholarship Foundation
Amount: $2,500
Closing Date: August 01, 2022
Description: Scholarship is open to students attending a community college or vocational school with at least a 2.0 GPA. Applicant must have financial need. Applicant must submit a personal essay of 250-500 words that describes their journey pursuing their post-secondary education, as well as two letters of recommendations.

Jungle Scholarship Program
Sponsor: Jungle Scout
Amount: $2,000
Closing Date: August 07, 2022
Description: Scholarship is open to current college students in the United States who are studying in the fields of Business, Computer Science or a related field. Applicant must submit a three-minute video of themselves describing their plan or idea for bringing innovation to ecommerce.

Calvin L. Carrithers Aviation Scholarship
Sponsor: GlobalAir.com
Amount: $1,000
Closing Date: August 15, 2022
Description: Scholarship is open to students currently enrolled in an aviation program at a fully accredited university. Applicant must be willing to write a 200-500 word blog post a minimum of once a week throughout the school year.

Capital Auto Auction Annual Scholarship
Sponsor: Capital Auction
Amount: Up to $1,000
Closing Date: August 15, 2022
Description: Scholarship is open to current undergraduate students majoring in a STEM field of study. Applicant must submit an essay sharing information about themselves and why they should be picked to win the scholarship.

CBQ Method Scholarship
Sponsor: CBQ Method
Amount: $2,000
Closing Date: August 15, 2022
Description: Scholarship is open to current college students who are majoring in Psychology, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or Neurolinguistic Programing who are currently operating research related to smoking cessation.

Courage in Student Journalism Award
Sponsor: Student Press Law Center
Amount: $1,000
Closing Date: August 15, 2022
Description: Award is open to student journalists who have shown determination, despite difficulty or resistance, in lawfully exercising their First Amendment press rights.

EAF Graduate Scholarships
Sponsor: Alpha Kappa Alpha Educational Advancement Foundation
Amount: Varies
Closing Date: August 15, 2022
Description: Scholarship is open to full-time graduate students who have at least a 3.0 GPA and can demonstrate community service and involvement.

Nurses for Change Scholarship
Sponsor: GoodRX
Amount: $5,000
Closing Date: August 15, 2022
Description: Scholarship is open to current or recently graduated nursing students (LPN/LVN, ASN/ADN/AAS, BSN, MSN, APRN, DNP). Applicant must self-identify as a person from an underrepresented population in the healthcare field.

NYS Part-time Scholarship (PTS)
Sponsor: New York State Higher Education Services Corporation
Amount: Up to $1,500
Closing Date: August 15, 2022
Description: Scholarship is open to residents of New York State who will be attending an approved program at a SUNY or CUNY community college in at least six but less than 12 credits per term.

Publix Cares Scholarship
Sponsor: UNCF | Publix Super Markets, Inc
Amount: Up to $2,000
Closing Date: August 15, 2022
Description: Scholarship is open to Black/African American, Latinx, Native American, Asian American or Pacific Islanders who have at least a 2.5 GPA and have demonstrated unmet financial need. Applicant must attend specific colleges in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia (see scholarship site for details).

Race Entry Student Scholarship
Sponsor: Race Entry
Amount: $500
Closing Date: August 15, 2022
Description: Scholarship is open to incoming and current college students attending an accredited university inside the USA who have run in an organized race (5K, 10K, half marathon, or marathon).

Scholarships4mom.net Scholarship
Sponsor: Scholarships4Moms.net
Amount: $10,000
Closing Date: August 15, 2022
Description: Scholarship is open to legal U.S. residents who are at least 18 years of age and currently enrolled, or will be enrolled within the next three months, in a college or university in the United States. Applicant must be a mother or an expectant mother.

Varsity Tutors College Scholarship Contest
Sponsor: Varsity Tutors
Amount: $200
Closing Date: August 15, 2022
Description: Scholarship is open to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia who are 16 years of age or older. Applicant must submit an essay describing an academic goal they have the for the upcoming year.

Vermont Horse Council Adult Continuing Education Scholarships
Sponsor: Vermont Horse Council
Amount: Varies
Closing Date: August 15, 2022
Description: Scholarship is open to Vermont Horse Council adult members (older than 19 years of age) for clinics, workshops, accredited secondary education class (computer based or in person), or American Horse Council events.

Willma Davis Memorial STEM Scholarship
Sponsor: UNCF | Hyams Foundation
Amount: Up to $5,000
Closing Date: August 15, 2022
Description: Scholarship is open to sophomore, junior and senior undergraduate student who are pursuing a future career in the the STEM field. Preference will be given to female students from Massachusetts, although all eligible students are encouraged to apply.

AAMN Pre-licensure Men in Nursing Video Scholarship Contest
Sponsor: American Assembly for Men in Nursing (AAMN)
Amount: $1,000
Closing Date: August 16, 2022
Description: Scholarship is open to male students who are current members of AAMN and currently enrolled in an accredited nursing program. Applicant must submit a 1-4 minute video targeting the recruitment of men into the nursing profession.

MYFA Scholarships
Sponsor: Metro Youth Football Association
Amount: Up to $1,500
Closing Date: August 16, 2022
Description: Scholarships are open to high school juniors who are current or former Metro Youth Tackle Football (MYTF) participants. Applicant must be a current high school football player who has a GPA or 2.5 or higher and have plans to pursue post-secondary education.

TamPax Flow It Forward Scholarship
Sponsor: Procter & Gamble
Amount: Up to $10,000
Closing Date: August 16, 2022
Description: Scholarship is open to African American/Black females who will be enrolled full-time as a college junior during the upcoming term at any accredited four-year HBCU. Applicant must have a commitment to community service in the health sector, a desire to specialize in any medical practice that impacts women’s health, and a focus on the health of the Black community.

Future Educator Scholarship
Sponsor: Mrs. Prindables Gourmet Caramel Apples
Amount: $1,000
Closing Date: August 18, 2022
Description: Scholarship is open to incoming and current college students majoring in education. Applicant must submit an essay on what they believe they can offer to the students of the future.

Note: Please use my scholarship lists as just one of the resources you use to look for scholarships. Here are 16 places to look for scholarships.

Monster Jam – Contest Time!!!!

Monster Jam is all about fast cars, fast fun, and fast smiles! We have been going to the amazing shows for years. If you’d like to see some of our pictures just click HERE, Here, Here, and Here.

It’s just something so exciting about the varoommmmmmmmmmm of it all. The tricks, the character, the energy- ya gotta love it!

Today, when my four sons ride with me, they ask if I think I’m a race care driver. I honestly don’t know why because I have never been in a car accident the I was at fault, nor have I ever gotten a speeding ticket- so go figure! But I love driving fast!!

Well, -Correction— I did just get a ticket last month rushing to my sons basketball game in Greensboro. Only to find out we were two hours early! Total nonsense right? Anyhoots……I’ve slowed down a lot sense then.

What about you? Do you love the thrill of speed? Be sure to follow me on IG (click here) and tell me about your last wild ride. Best story gets a family four pack to the upcoming show! Tag me in the story so I can read it also!

This is one show you don’t wanna miss!

The Monster Jam Pit Party will be held in Charlotte on Saturday and Sunday. At the Monster Jam Pit Party, fans can see the massive trucks up close, meet their favorite drivers and crews, get autographs, take pictures and enjoy other family-friendly fun.  This unique experience is the only place that allows people to get up close access to the Monster Jam teams and get an insider’s look at how these trucks are built to stand up to the competition.

 Charlotte fans will witness heated rivalries, high-flying stunts and fierce head-to-head battles for the Event Championship.  Engineered to perfection, the 12,000-pound Monster Jam trucks push all limits in Freestyle, Skills and Racing competitions. Plus, fans can become part of the action by voting for the winner in the Skills and Freestyle competitions via real-time, in-stadium fan voting on their smartphones. 

The all-star lineup will feature multiple fan favorites including Grave Digger driven by Krysten Anderson. GUINNESS WORLD RECORD™ Krysten Anderson gets behind the wheel of the black and green wrecking machine, the legendary Grave Digger®, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.

If you want to get tickets before the contest, here’s the link for TicketMaster.

So again, the contest rules are simple—- Follow me on IG (click here) and tell me about your last wild ride. Best story gets a family four pack to the upcoming show! Tag me in the story so I can read it also! Got it? Great! Can’t wait to read your experiences!

Wednesday Wow: Ice Cream Play date In The Park

Come Out. Come Out; from wherever you are! It’s time to frolic in the sun with our babies! Yeah! New friends for all! Oh, and ice cream too. Which is sponsored by Momsrising and co hosted by Queen City Stay At Home Moms, and the ice cream will be provided by It’s M.E.H. LLC (Mental Health Hierarchy)

May holds so many significant days for my family. We have three birthdays and usually a plethora of work to do in our home-school teaching gardens. This year, we are slowing it down and recognizing the purpose behind Mental Health Awareness Month!

While it’s been established since 1949, today organizations like Momsrising are saying let’s not only acknowledge, raise awareness, , reduce stigma associated with, but celebrate mental illness and reduce stigma around it by doing what they do best, and that’s bring the community together.

Queen City Stay At Home moms consts of moms from diverse backgrounds. On June 07, we will be celebrating Mental Health by inviting a few families out for ice cream in the park. (Yes, I said June. Our date in May got rained out) Everyone is welcome to join us. You’ll just need to rsvp so Mandrey will know how many frozen treats to bring!

Here’s how to rsvp: Click here on our community page! Leave you response and just enter family size in the comments! Easy Peasy!! 🙂

Hope to see you there. Take Care Now, ya’ Hear! – Kelle

Last weekend to File your taxes- Here’s What To Deduct!

Top 25 1099 Deductions For Independent Contractors

Being a part of the gig economy comes with a host of benefits but those benefits come with the added responsibilities and costs. Business taxes can be quite tricky. While the legislation includes numerous tax codes to offset many of the expenses associated with working for yourself, understanding what deductions to take on your tax forms can feel daunting.

Don’t sweat getting a form 1099-NEC. Here we will do a dive deep into tax deductions other than your typical office supplies. To shed some light and make itemizations a little less “taxing,” Keeper Tax has compiled a quick summary of deductions you might qualify for, and should be sure to take, in order to minimize your costs and maximize your success on your tax return.

Contents

• 1. Self-employment tax
• 2. Home office expenses
• 3. Internet, cell phone bills, laptops, and gadgets
• 4. Rent
• 5. Business insurance
• 6. Startup Costs
• 7. Professional and legal fees
• 8. Advertising
• 9. Retirement contributions
• 10. Training and education
• 11. Casualty and theft losses
• 12. Charitable contributions
• 13. Home mortgage interest
• 14. Other loan interest
• 15. Medical and dental expenses
• 16. Paying the babysitter
• 17. Miscellaneous business expenses
• 18. Senior tax deduction
• 19. Earned Income Tax Credit
• 20. Unresolved debt
• 21. Meals
• 22. Travel
• 23. Vehicle use
• 24. Memberships, publications, and subscriptions
• 25. Sales tax

Here’s one of my very best tips for specific industries…….. Open Google and enter- ” Common deductions for _________ (your industry) and get to lugging. Just make sure you have the receipts to back it up. Easy Peasy -right? Okay, now, get to work! The 18th will be here in no time!

Grab These: QuickBooks

If you need further consultation on your taxes, just message me. I’ll help for a small fee. KP International Finacial Services.

Wednesday Wow: Banking in 2022

Giving any bank my money is what I’m not gonna do! No way Hosea. I have learned so much over the last two years and the heavily bailed-out banking system will not profit from me in 2022! I have a few strategies to ensure this from happening

So let’s just start at the beginning, Banks make money, using your money- I bank at Suntrust. Have been so for over a decade. Now, to be honest, I have had enough NSF’s for anybody over the years. It kinda just happen. Kids, gas, food, unstable income- life…… it just happens. But I always pay it back timely. COVID came along just when I was stalling my income, and my banking life went into mild turbulence. Yep, I got a couple of NSF hits but to my defense, it was the banks’ fault as I began checking my morning emails, that posted my most recent balance. before spending each day. Yet I would get fined. Talk about upset! I could not believe it! How in the world do they do make it make sense? So I called them and after hours of conversing, it’s refunded. Now fast forward almost two years later. This began around Thanksgiving. My financial life is coasting along pretty well before this. I have funds deposited inside online banks as well as inside brick and mortar institutions. In this revelation, PayPal was the activator. I purchased a vacation package for my doula practice and it overdraft in my Suntrust account. I pulled the money from my Paypal account but it went to my CashApp instead of my Suntrust account.

They couldn’t reverse it. Cashapp couldn’t forward it and Suntrust call volume was so high I timed out 6 times on five different days. Needless to say the fees added up because nothing made sense to me. The time I did speak to a Suntrust agent, she gave me the run around. I asked for an escalation and she said that I would be placed on hold again…….. “I kid you not”. Mind you, I’m still homeschooling, working, keeping up my home, dealing with my sister’s transition, and trying to keep up with my loved ones.

Thanks to Paypal and others, along with a plethora of back and forth, I was left holding the bill for $360 in NSF fees. It was paid and will be written off on my taxes, but going forward, none of these accounts will benefit from my account. I will not leave more than $20 in any of them. What I have learned is banks make money with fees.

Fees

Checking account fees make up a large portion of the bank’s income, bringing in $6 million in 2015 just from ATM and overdraft fees. If you’re smart with your money, you may never have to pay one of these fees, but some may be unavoidable. Fees associated with checking accounts include:

• Application fees. Whenever you apply for a loan, most banks require an application fee. Additionally, banks can include this fee in your loan’s principal and you’ll have to pay interest on it.
• Lost or stolen card fees. If you need a new debit card, a new one will have to be mailed to you at your expense.
• ATM fees. In certain situations, such as being on vacation in an unfamiliar place, you may not be able to find an ATM owned by your bank. Using a different one will cost you a small fee, both from your bank and the bank who owns the ATM.
• Account fees. While free checking accounts are still more common, some banks may charge a “maintenance” fee just for owning a checking account.
• Overdraft fees. A credit card payment late by even two minutes can land you with an overdraft penalty. It happens to everyone, but doing it often can be very costly. The average charge for having your account balance in the negative is $35 a day, but may be higher depending on your bank.
• Paper statement fees. If you opt to have your billing statements mailed to you instead of checking them online, you can expect to pay a small fee for this service.
• Inactivity fees. Banks can charge you if you haven’t made any deposits or withdrawals on your account for an extended period of time.
• Late loan payment fees. If you miss a payment on your loan, you’ll usually have to pay anywhere from $10-$100 depending on your bank’s policy.
• Loan prepayment fees. Paying off a loan early is not always a good thing, especially for your bank. It causes them to lose money in interest, so they will often charge you a fee to make up for it. The higher the interest rate on your loan, the higher this penalty will be.

When you take these factors into account, your free checking account is not actually “free.” Recent spikes in interest rates and the introduction of more fees may seem unfair to the bank’s loyal customers. However, banks are the safest place to store your money, and the peace of mind this brings is well worth the price of a few small charges. The way I figure it, if I don’t use these features. they won’t be getting my coins. I will not use them for loans. I don’t use my ATM card. I have a paperless account. There is no activity fee…So there’s that!…. I think I’ll get them in the end.