<p>Hardship?</p>
<p>I think this whole thread is a put-on.</p>
<p>This seems to be but a new chapter of the same tired old book. I agree with ebeee and thumper (and hmom5 and rodney and pugmadkate). But it seems you do have the means to pay the tuition (your portion of the semester after all your dau's scholarship $$ should be about $5k-- which would be doable on your credit card). If you made an oversight in paying ontime- you should pay the late fee or the cr card charge, not the school. Seems to me they have been more than generous with you and your dau.</p>
<p>No, I am sorry to say I don't follow all your posts carefully enough to chronicle the 52" tv purcase. Last I recall you were quite pleased with the price you were going to have to pay. If you would like to post a link to the follow up discussion of your decision not to purchase it, I would be happy to read it.</p>
<p>No one is, IMO, "enjoying your hardship". They are just not believing it.</p>
<p>Did you book an al inclusive vacation? How are you going to get to the airport (coming and going from both your home and the carribean). Do you plan on eating while you are there? dinners outside of the meal plan (if you have one)?</p>
<p>I seriously doubt that you are going on vacation with an empty wallet!!</p>
<p>If you are late on a payment, you can call and maybe get the late fee waived and extra time to pay. Maybe not. If not, you owe extra money. Simple as that. Happens all of the time.</p>
<p>
[quote]
It is just me or some of you actually, for lack of better words, are enoying our hardship?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>DadII, actually, no. We're not enjoying YOUR hardship. Frankly it doesn't make the grade. It's far more satisfying gloating over those that are loosing their jobs, homes, retirement savings. More gratifying jumping in glee over the kids who have to leave school (even low cost state publics and cc's) because they cannot even afford the tuition. Far more fun to wait in the Mercedes parked outside the local community center turning away those who can't even get a free meal because the donated supplies have dried up.</p>
<p>Naw, your predicament is trivial in comparison. Better sources of amusement abound, and are destined to get far more enjoyable. Pay the bill, and the late fee and move on. </p>
<p>May your kids make the most of the opportunities they have. Please pray to whatever god(s) you honor that their children have the same opportunities, as a good many of their compatriots now do not.</p>
<p>I would NOT call Stanford and ask for additional time. Either put the payment on your CC[ , which you will be able to pay off in 3 weeks] or sign up for the tuition payment plan. Stanford will NOT be sympathetic to a plea of "we forgot to check when the tuition payment is due". Sheesh. Having the ABILITY to pay a penalty for an erroneous accounting assumption in this day and age is HARDLY a hardship. Not too many will feel sorry for you. You made a dumb mistake, as all mortals are likely to do from time to time.</p>
<p>Haven't been able to find your tv follow-up post, Dad II, but I did stumble across your ebay coupon thread. So maybe if cash was tight you should have also passed on that SB-800 Nikon camera flash that you bought last week b/c it ws such a good deal? <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1061379739-post13.html%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1061379739-post13.html</a> I dunno, maybe its just me who doesn't follow the inconsistencies in the "financial woes" vs the "I always wanted one of these and it was too good to pass up" threads.........</p>
<p>Wait-- more confusion-- in this thread about Black Friday <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1061321848-post7.html%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1061321848-post7.html</a> you insisted you would pass up everything except essential food and gas. Does the several hundred dollar (even on sale) Nikon Camera flash attachment fall under food or gas??</p>
<p>I am not that up on financial aid, we are one of the schmucks that have to pay full fare. But how does one only pay $10,000/yr and still have money to go on vacation and put money away on high yield CD? Did Stanford miscalculate, or are they just more generous?</p>
<p>Ya know, Dad II, on second thought you probably should ask Stanford to cut you a break and waive the late fee. You do have a talent with the sob stories and with getting blood out of a turnup. Go for it and let us know if it works.</p>
<p>^^ Stanford is very generous; isn't the policy free tuition for <100k?</p>
<p>I know Visa contracts used to prohibit "convenience fees" for using Visa; if you take Visa for $200 you have to take it for $5,000. I used to call Visa up when a merchant tried to charge me an extra fee for using it, but haven't done that in years.</p>
<p>Ah-- found the post a month ago where you decided to hold off on the tv and "downgraded" your apple vacation from the top of the line premium to a lower grade unnecessary vacation (I don't know their "6 golden apples" or "4 red apples" resort terminology-- I've never taken an apple vacation like this)-- but I also see that you pulled out a lot of your $$ out of the stock market a year ago before the rest of us got slammed with the 30% drop and losses <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1061271136-post80.html%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/1061271136-post80.html</a> Yes, we are feeling so sorry for your hardships.</p>
<p>Muffy--
Technically companies arent supposed to charge more for the use of a credit card, but they do somehow manage to find ways around that policy....</p>
<p>Ah and then there are poor schmucks like us who actually believe the financial planners who say you should have six months living expenses in readily accessible assets. So yeah, we could pay a bill ahead of time if we miscalculated when it was due.</p>
<p>Come on guys, why should we be shocked at this of all times? We are in the sorry situation we are as a Country because people were buying houses, cars, vacations, flat screen TV's, cameras and a whole lot of other thing they could not afford. I'm happy to hear DadII and family at least have a CD!</p>
<p>Most people here are not poor because of toys or vacations, we're education poor and just can't relate. And I for one am just a little jealous, we'll be paying full price for our three in the comming weeks and will not be vacationing in the Caribbean. We don't wish you ill DadII.</p>
<p>My current school offers short-term interest free loans to students; maybe your daughter could look into that? </p>
<p>Otherwise, suck it up and pay the fee to put it on your charge card, move to a payment plan, or just pay the late penalty--since you've said that you only pay $5000 a semester, it'll only be $50. Yes, that's a lot of money for a mistake, but not completely impossible to obtain. "I forgot" is not a reasonable excuse, nor is "oops times are tight because I went on vacation."</p>
<p>Another thing to be concerned about: does the school report this to credit rating bureaus? Your daughter's credit, and your own, may be affected if they do.</p>
<p>Vacation? People have kids in college AND go on vacation? Who'da thunk it?</p>
<p>Are these the same legendary folks who eat franks AND beans? At the same time even?</p>
<p>Is this guy for real? A Caribbean vacation? Is he paying full price for tuition? I certainly hope so--our vacation involves moving our student back to his dorm each year! I give him credit for being brave or perhaps brazen enough to make that post on this forum!!</p>
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</p>
<p>No...if I recall, his daughter got a great package and they pay like 10k per year or something.</p>
<p>Not to worry. Stafford funds and PLUS funds used to be was dispersed on the first day of classes. </p>
<p>If you have not applied for federal guaranteed funds for 2008-2009 you still have time. Or you can increase the loan. Processing is very quick. Once verified you can have the first disbursement in January 2009, then pay off that loan in February 2009. </p>
<p>:) Failure to pay means that the workstudy football players, who are now offseason, start earning their pay; By paying you and daughter a friendly visit. :)</p>
<p>I always pay tuition by credit card (no fee involved). I get a free plane ticket for every 25k points, so I view it as a free plane ticket home for my son every semester. Maybe I should be looking at it as a free vacation for ME every semester! I can so relate to the need for a 52" TV. Our 42" plasma over the fireplace looks absolutely tiny when we are viewing from the kitchen. For the time being our solution is to sit closer because I cannot afford to buy a new larger screen. Of course if my son flunks out of school this semester we might be ok with the new TV. One more alcohol violation could do it. We will have a chat.</p>