Fees

   

     Back in the summer our eldest daughter was sent a letter from her bank advising her that after her nineteenth birthday, her chequing account would no longer be without a monthly fee; the rationale being that she was no longer eligible for a youth or student account and so her bank would now be charging her on a monthly basis. We met with our friendly neighbourhood bank rep who explained what her options would be once that birthday came and went. Unfortunately we weren't paying attention and yesterday she discovered the fees that had been diminishing her balance, small though they were. She was quite unhappy to see this especially when she noticed that there was a passbook fee additionally being subtracted from her account on a monthly basis. Our daughter has been working for almost three months now and understands what her time is worth on an hourly basis. Needless to say, a plan to revisit the bank was in order.
     I did some research on-line, looking for accounts that benefited people with disabilities and discovered that our bank, TD Canada Trust, waives the monthly fee on a minimum chequing account if the account holder is an RDSP beneficiary. We have been saving money for our daughter in a registered disability savings plan for some time now so I was pleased to see this option available. In my opinion every bank should make this available and even offer this opportunity to other disabled folks, even those without RDSPs.  It is hard enough to live with physical or mental challenges without having your hard earned money clawed back by a financial institution. We did revisit the bank and met with our rep. The account was set up and order was restored once again.
     While at the bank we did mention our views on free chequing for folks with the PWD designation. We have learnt a lesson and though it was not a terribly expensive one, it was a hard one. When you have special needs, every nickel counts, especially when pennies no longer exist. Our daughter and I would suggest that you check your bank accounts and make sure that you are not paying unnecessary bank fees. After all, should your money be in your pocket or the bank's?

Disappointment

     Air travel can be hazardous to your health. I am referring to the stress generated by missed connections and plans derailed. Such is the case with our intended journey today. Seven of us hoped to travel south to stand with our extended family as they sought to gather us all at a Council of Government meeting to change the intersection where our nephew and cousin Jordan was killed this fall.
     Severe rainfall delayed our incoming and outgoing flights so as to make it impossible to catch our connecting flight and therefore to make our meeting. The resulting choices were limited and probably would result in a long drive through the rainy night possibly on the very roads we had seen take our precious nephew's life earlier this fall.
     If his death has taught us anything it is that that risk is too great. Maybe we are holding our children a little too tightly these days but the potential loss could not be borne. So we sit here from home, missing our extended family, wishing we could be there to show our support and for them to feel our love, hoping to hear that something positive came from the meeting today. As Martin Luther King Jr. so eloquently stated, "There can be no deep disappointment where there is not deep love." He is so right!