Bounced Check From Best Friend's Daughter-In-Law

[patty42240]

I had a show on Dec. 3rd. My best friend comes and so does her DIL. DIL is interested in becoming a consultant so I spoke with her about that...she said after the new year she would love to join but could not afford to right now with Christmas and the new baby etc. Anyways, best friend and DIL put their order together and DIL pays by writing me a check for $49. I deliver their orders and the next day I check my bank account and it says returned item from a previous deposit. I called the bank, the guy said it was DIL's check and the NSF charge was $19 bucks. I had the money in my account so I personally did not bounce anything but it cost me $68. I sent DIL a message and she returned my call telling me basically some bull crap story that I pretended to believe. She asked me not to tell her MIL so I said don't worry I won't. This is business and I would never discuss something like this with anyone (cept my fellow cheffers of course).

Anyways, I told her since it was Christmas not to worry just get me the money when she could. Well, two days later she posts on Facebook that she and her hubby took the new baby to the mall and had pictures made, "costs way too much money" she said in a post to someone else...then she went on about some of the cool deals on gifts she got (purse, etc.). So you can imagine how ticked it made me to read this. She owes me money, asks me not to tell her MIL and then she brags about blowing too much money on PICTURES AND GIFTS!

So any suggestions on how to approach her again about paying me back? What do I say? How much time do I give her? Just need some help on what to do. It really would have been nice to have the $68 to add to what I had to pay for our Christmas dinner for tomorrow. *sigh*

 

[PamperedChefLayla]

Well, you did tell her not to worry about it right now since it was Christmas. If she does not pay you on her own by the 2nd week of Jan. That is usually when people recover from Christmas shopping then I would contact her as a reminder. But you left yourself open when you told her to get it to you when she could. Don't stress over it have a Merry Christmas with your family!!!

 

[raebates]

I can understand your frustration, but I agree with Layla. Also, she may have used credit to purchase all of that stuff she mentioned on FB. Don't let it ruin your day.

 

[patty42240]

You are right... not really stressed over it..definitely not letting it ruin my holiday but next time I will make sure I don't leave it up to them to decide when to pay me back. Merry Christmas!

 

[lockhartkitchen]

I had a client once, that her check bounced for over $100. I didn't give her the option of paying when she could. I needed the money. After numerous emails and phone calls with no results, I then left a message on her husband's phone (my husband did business with him) that I would be coming over and picking up CASH.This was more than an hour drive for me. I showed up, the wife didn't even come out. The husband gave me the cash. Needless to say, I've never contacted her for a show again.

 

[Jennie4PC]

you should get the returned check in the mail, if you have an idea when their payday is take that check to her bank and ask if there is enough funds in there to cover her check. If there is cash it.

 

[ChefLoriG]

you should get the returned check in the mail, if you have an idea when their payday is take that check to her bank and ask if there is enough funds in there to cover her check. If there is cash it.

Only bad thing about doing this, she won't get the overdraft charge back from the person, just the amount of the check.

 

[Jennie4PC]

thats true.

 

[pcchefjane]

I think I would mail her a letter this week and tell her the amount of the check and the charge you had to pay and that you MUST have the money back in your account by the 10th to cover your bills.

 

[patty42240]

Jane, I think that is what I will do. I am sure she will pay it as soon as she can and everything will be fine. This is the 2nd check I have had to bounce to my PC account since I started in April. I am going to have to change the way I take payments if this continues. Cash is always best of course.

 

[babywings76]

This has happened to me just a couple times. But it's enough to drive you crazy. The last one was a college student who called me one week after a party to tell me not to cash the check! I had just done so the day before her call. I was so frustrated. So she cancelled the check and I notified my bank right away to see if it hadn't gone through yet. (I use the ATM for deposits) It was too late and they charged me a fee anyway. The girl said she'd mail me a check but she never did. She did provide a credit card so her order could be processed, but I was still left with bank fees. So now I try to encourage people to use their debit cards rather than writing out a check.

 

[ChefMary412]

This happened to me too... it was my aunt's best friend and the check was for $150 or so. At the time I told her that I needed the money before she got the products. She got me the money fairly quickly though, since her daughter was the host and would have the products. SHe did not want her daughter to know.
It is stressful because it is money that we are basically fronting. I like the idea of waiting until the 2nd week of Jan. ANd writing a letter can make it look more official, like an actual bill.

 

[Intrepid_Chef]

I have had exactly three bounced checks in my career, two before I started with PC.One was from an old lady, who gave me a post-dated check for the 3rd. On the 3rd I cashed it and they said the account was CLOSED. I went to her and tried to explain, over and over, that she had written a check on a closed account. She wanted to know why I didn't cash it on the 3rd because before that the account was LOW. I said it was CLOSED, not LOW, as in NO LONGER OPEN. I never got my money back.The other was from a cousin, who wrote a check for a Partylite order. She said she didn't understand it because she was using a debit card on the same account during her trip, and nothing bounced. Again, I never got my money back.My stepmother then wrote me a check which she told me to cash on a certain day of the week. Since it was cashed earlier on that day than when she went to the bank, she got charged an NSF fee. She whined so much I paid her for it since it was " my fault" for taking it to the bank too early.Since then, I have always, almost without fail, taken checks to the bank on which they were drawn. If I can, I cash it, if not, I merely confirm that it is good. I figure that if my own family will do this to me, why wouldn't a stranger?

 

[patty42240]

I am definitely going to encourage cash or debit card for sure from now on. I got my money back today..she brought me what the check was for, the NSF fee and 5 extra dollars for the hassle I had to go through. The money came in just in time since my computer crashed yesterday and I had to pay to have another hard drive. It all worked out and I am really glad about that.

 

[jwpamp]

In the past 3 or 4 months, I started mentioning at my shows that I prefer Debit & Credit Cards -- and people have been using them! I still get the occasional check, but have also seen more cash.

I also have a little note on my Outside Order Forms (that I get from here) that say "there is a $20 Charge for NSF Checks". Since I started that, I have gotten none.

Okay, now that I knocked on wood...I do have a letter that I use for NSF Checks that states they have 10 days to pay (including the charge) and if they do not, I proceed with collection efforts thru the county court system.

They always pay.

It happens....you just gotta take care of it and move on! ;-)