(I have deposited more-than-a-year-old checks and had them clear; I can understand why your DH did this, as well as him not noticing. Also, my next-door neighbors were getting old a senile, and didn't cash pension checks; they got a letter saying "did you get your check? it hasn't been cashed? but it was many months later, and it was several checks still on the DR table, not one check) when they took the money out of your savings account, did they give the "defective" check back to you? Shouldn't they have? Demand it be returned to you. (a lesson to us all--if we are giving a bank money back for a check, we should get the check physically returned to us) Unless they submitted it all over again? Here's what I think happened, if I understand this right. (some queries, though) 1. You give them a check, they give you cash. 2. They send the check to the central clearing house (the Federal Reserve?) to get their money. 3. The central clearing house gives the CU its money, and sends the check on to GM to get the money back from them. 4. GM sends the check--but no money--back to the central clearing house as "defective"'; the central clearing house is still in need of money. 5. The central clearing house sends the check back to the CU as "defective" and wants its money back from them. I would think the CU would have an account of money it would use to cover this; it pays the central clearing house, and the central clearing house is out of it. 6. the CU brings the check back to you, and says they want that money back; they take it out of your account. THEY SHOULD GIVE THE CHECK BACK TO YOU--it is your property, once they have their money back. At the very least, they should have destroyed it, but really they should have given it to you so YOU could destroy it. I'm thinking this is where the CU goofed, and I'd press this point. 7. You get a replacement check, and submit it, and the "you to the CU to the central clearing house to GM" chain works, this time. (can you get the folks at GM to send you a copy of their canceled check, the replacement one that supposedly worked just fine? Might be nice to have) Suddenly the old "defective" check is around. (Sometimes if a check is returned for "insufficient funds," the bank will resubmit it, just in case the money will turn up. They will bill the depositor $15, and then if it's returned twice, they'll bill another $15; the check-writer's account will get billed as well each time; this was unpopular, so some banks don't make a second attempt. I'm wondering if your "defective" check got slipped into the "insufficient funds" category and was REsubmitted? So, let's postulate: 8. The credit union resubmits the check to the central clearing house (Federal Reserve?) to get the money. BUT IF THIS IS THE CASE, then they should have RECREDITED your account when they RESUBMITTED the check. (because if they don't give you any money, then they shouldn't be getting any money from anyone else--it's not their money, it's yours, they're just the "pipe" to move it around) Did they? If you can get them to trace their records of when the check was submitted, can you insist that they DO credit your account w/ the money, on that day? 9. The clearing house (FR?) gives the CU the money, and sends the "defective" check on to GM. 10. GM marks the "defective" check w/ a confusing note that was *intended* to indicate that this check has been replaced w/another check, and sends it, but no money, to the clearing house (FR?) 11. The clearing house sends the check back to the CU, demanding its money back. 12. The CU comes to you demanding the money that it owes to the FR. So, did they "give you money" for that check twice (once in cash, once by crediting your account)? No, you say--but if this is what happened, then they should have. Or else someone put that check in the wrong stack somewhere--and I'd want to SEE that check, and I'd want to try to figure who where the "in lieu of" came from. So they should have given you money twice, and asked to get money back from you twice. Maybe if that's the chain of events, you can make them re-credit your savings account w/t he money they owe you from having resubmitted the check (treating it as though you deposited it all over again), and then they can take it back out again. Good luck!

I received this email today and figured it was another urban legend, so I checked it out on Snopes. Unfortunately, it's the truth. It's enough to keep me out of Dollar Stores forever. I've got enough junk as it is. Investigating Dollar Stores A news investigation on dollar stores (including Dollar Tree and others): They discovered the Crest, Colgate and other brand name toothpastes weren't the same as from drug, and grocery stores etc. The toothpastes were manufactured in many other countries and are not approved by the American Dental Association (ADA). There was even some from South Africa and the fluoride is ten times stronger than what we're allowed in the U.S. (prescription strength). They're allowed stronger because they don't have fluoridated water (like we do). So if we (or our kids) use it often and occasionally swallow it, we could be poisoning ourselves. The dollar stores declined to comment and a full investigation has begun. So stick to paying full-price at your grocery store, drug store, and send this e-mail to anyone who MIGHT shop at dollar stores. This is a true story. It has been confirmed on Snopes. http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/household/toothpaste.asp This is also true of food products, cake mixes, cereal, etc. Here is a link that might be useful: Dollar Store junk on Snopes

I was in your shoes not too long ago! Still not quite finished though. Check out the thread I linked. I asked about things to remember too and found this very helpful. How much are you responsible for buying? I took care of just about everything visible, so I had a long list! Check return periods before you start buying. I wanted to have some time left to return stuff after the GC started in case I got the wrong thing, wouldn't fit, etc. many places are 30 days, so I ordered most things 10-14 days before demo. I wanted it all on site to refer to specs if needed as well as not slow anything down. Lowes and HD have a more generous policy, so I got a ton of little odds and ends there, like outlets and covers, so I can return the excess. Also saved me when my $180 fan they promised would work with the switch I had in fact did not work, so at 6 weeks I can take it back! Here's what I ordered that I remember: ELECTRIC: recessed lights and housings (Ecosmart from HD, takes a while so order ahead), UCL (Environmentallights.com, took about a week), dimmers/switches/outlets/covers, GFI outlets (be sure any dimmers are compatible with the lights you have/buy), shallow metal junction boxes for hardwiring UCL and plugmold, blank covers for shallow junction boxes SINK: aside from the sink, GD, new GD connector, GD flange (wanted a nicer one than it comes with), strainer for drain, air switch, DW leak pan, sink grids/accessories, place for little veggie scrubbers, sink cabinet liner for drips CABINETS: door pulls, any interior organization you want attached by cabinet guys, garbage cans/bins for new design, any utensil holders/etc you want to use, drawer/shelf liner if needed MISC: paint, trim, flooring and subfloor if needed plus any prep materials, UV window film to protect new floors if needed, fan or pendants if needed, anti fatigue mat, walk off rug at door, fire extinguisher I also got some great microfiber cloths at Lowes for wiping the cabinets and a new mop, broom, and dustpan to motivate myself to keep it all clean (the old ones were 11 years old and cheap, so it was time!). Seems like I had a lot more here, but a lot of it was the cabinets, and then some was for the powder room, so this might be about it. Keep all the receipts together and stack it all neatly so you can still breath when it's all there :-) Here is a link that might be useful: Other thread about stuff to get

I drive a lot less then I use to running errands. I combine several into one trip and wait till I do have more then one errand before I go. I compare gas prices when out. I grow my own veggies all year long especially salad stuff like lettuce, tomatoes and peppers. I wish I could grow cukes but never do well on the cool coast. I have 3 compost piles. I freeze or can any extras. I bought a dehydrator at the thrift store and hope to try that. I shop at thrift stores and discount stores (Ross, Marshalls, TJ Max) for clothes and look for sales. Even the thrift store has a half price day. I only buy what I need like jeans when the old ones wear out. And I sew, turning old into new. I cut off the sleeves of long sleeve T-shirts when the cuffs wear out and turn them into short sleeve T-shirts. My Mom use to turn the cuffs and collars on dress shirts. She also use to cut a sheet in half when the center wore out and sew the two outside edges together and you have a new sheet. I buy certain items like paper products, canned goods, and meat in bulk at Costco. I split up the meat and use my sealer then freeze it. And we eat very little meat, about twice a week. I make a lot of non meat dishes. I read this somewhere that you can use half the amount it calls for in detergent or soap in your laundry and dishwasher and they get just as clean. I buy box color and do my own hair and also don't get massages/pedicures or manicures. I go to the cheap hair cutting chain places for a hair cut. I shop at Big Lots, Dollar Store. That is where I buy snacks and some canned food. Always check the dates though. I buy cleaning supplies and shampoo and other personal hygiene products there. I am not sold on buying a certain brand, just get the cheapest. I buy cheap shoes at Kmart and Payless Shoes. I an not a shoe fashion person so just look for ones that are comfortable and fit. I buy all my purses at the thrift store. I can't believe women pay $200 or more for purses. Sorry, but I think that is insane. We check out books and DVDs from the library. The only time I buy books is from the thrift stores or online discount places like Half.com or ebay. And we have a used bookstore locally that will give you store credit (1/2 book value) or buy them (1/3 book value) for your old books. Ones they don't take I send to my Mom or give to the library for their sales. We only go out to eat for special occasions like birthdays and anniversary. I make almost all the meals at home from scratch, no pre-made package food that you just pop into the microwave. DH says I am a better cook then most of the restaurants anyway. And after working in a restaurant during college, I am a little leery of eating out. DH and I, when I was working, brown bagged it for lunch and always had breakfast and dinner at home. He has been taking his lunch to work for 32 years. Imagine how much he has saved. We haven't been on a vacation for 8 years. We use that time to work on house projects. We do all of the work we possibly can ourselves like digging out the septic tank. We had to pay someone to put it in because we didn't have the equipment but we saved thousands doing the digging. We pay off the credit card (1) every month. It is the Costco AE card and we get cash back at the end of the year. A big way to save is don't have a lot of credit cards, it can get out of hand. I either live without or buy things on Craigslist that I want. I just got a 21 speed aluminum bike in great shape and only 2 years old for $60. It was $310 new. I also sell things that we don't need or want anymore on ebay and Craigslist. Why keep it if you don't use it. We also give a lot to the charities. DH likes to clean out the house from one end to the other every couple of years. We use ceiling fans and open windows when it is hot. No A/C. In winter we use the fireplace to take the chill off the main area and don't turn on the heat if we are not going to be around. We cut our own wood from the trees we have been growing for 22 years. And always plant more. There is probably more but can't think of them now. Two good books to read are The Tightwad Gazette I & II by Amy Dacyczyn. I got both copies at the thrift store for a $1 each. Remember Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. Clare