I use a debit card. I don't have credit cards either which has hurt me big time because I can't even get a cell phone plan. They wanted a $500 deposit to keep for a year and I just couldn't do it. They tried to reduce the amount but my parents said they were just going to put me on their plan again. I get about $400 from Social Security every month so I pay the money to my parents instead of the phone company.

I don't carry cash either...I use my debit for almost everything. Any cash i get is change from my mom when she gets coffee or something with me.

I have today off because of the ice. I got a message this morning that my school was going to open at 2 but then around 10 they decided to just close school. My friends are going stir crazy and it's my second week of school and we've closed, had delays or ended early for most of them.

Liquid Diamond: I'm totally digging your avitar

We're closing in on 2k posts guys! Very cool!

I'm probably going to get kicked out of my dorm because I've apparently got a bill with them that I'm unable to pay. I just don't have the money. Guess I'd better get used to being dehydrated, starving, and frostbitten.

Wow go us!

Taiyo: Apparently? Do you have a charge you didn't pay or did they mess up?

Mmm - what's going on T?

@ Reine: It's a charge I CAN'T pay because I have ZERO MONEY! And I'm not talking the regular-college-student-broke, I'm talking the well-and-truly-can't-afford-shit-no-matter-what kind of broke. Meaning that even if it's like a ten or fifteen dollar charge, I still can't pay it. I'm that far down on the broke scale. And there's nothing I can do about this, which makes it worse.

poor Taiyo...I hope you find a solution to your financial problems.

Me too. sorry you're having troubles.

I'm starting a bit of a movement on Gaia, to see if anyone has any input about it.

So how exactly do you owe them money?

My guess is it's because I couldn't keep my ass from getting locked out of my room last semester.

What now? How does that work exactly?

You're def. entitled to know exactly what it is you owe them for, and I can tell you that you'd have to have an absolutely massive number of lockouts to be fined.

Well, here's the school's lockout policy:

1st time: no charge
2nd time: $10 fine
3rd time onward: $25 fine

and I ended up forgetting how many times I got locked out. It goes on a semesterly basis. Oh, and the kicker is, you've got to have them all paid off by the end of the semester! Guess what I CAN'T do.

Oh for the love of God. How much do you owe?

Well, I'm not sure how many times i got locked out in total, but I do know that in the space of two days I got locked out of my room four stinking times.

Goodness why on earth did you keep getting locked out? My school doesn't have automatically locking doors...I do because I have an electric door b/c of my disability.

Here we only pay for lost keys...$100 because the locks have to be changed. What is this movement on Gaia you speak of?

I went to class today. I should not have to be in mortal danger just to go learn. The ice here is terrible and the crosswalks were blocked again. I almost got hit by a car again. I put a call into facilities so that they can dig out the crosswalk signal button in front of my building so I can use that walk again as it's the safest.

What a pain. The university president sent everyone an email telling them to stop complaining. I can understand that but this is a frigging safety issue, not a stupid ass complaint about there being snow in my way.

Wow, 0_0 that's a pretty rough lockout policy, I'm an RA so I'm the one doing the lockouts, and here we don't even start chastising them until like ... the fourth one.

But to be fair, it sounds like you get locked out a lot - and it is a big hassle for the RAs to have to be doing lockouts that much.

Reine, that sounds rough!

@ Reine: Yikes! Sounds like your school is the same as mine; cares more about lining their pockets rather than the students. As for how I keep on getting locked out, I constantly leave my key in my room and I've got the lock on my door turned in such a way so that when I close it it's already locked.

@ Cart: I know. I realize that it's a pain, but I get the feeling that the school simply wants the money, and is using lockouts to get it.

I suggest you switch the way you're locking your door again so you don't lock yourself out. Here they lend you a key and you go open your door and get yours out, then bring the loaner back. there used to be an extra key for every room stored at the office but there isn't any more because of security. If you can't find someone with the spare key or the master, you're shit out of luck.

Luckily we don't get charged for it though! Only if you lose it!

Sounds like your school's got a better deal for lockouts. Here, no way. You pay or sleep in the hall wearing the same clothes all semester if you can't pay the lockout fees. Fun, huh?

That policy does seem a bit harsh, maybe you can talk to someone and have it deferred?

Yeah I've heard of policies being harsh...and others being totally ridiculous. Yours Taiyo is on the ridiculous side.

I have dentist again. T.T Please pray I don't need a root canal.

I will!