I am financially frozen every January, ever since I seriously started using money, and this year is the biggest freeze ever. December was great and we really enjoyed ourselves. We went to the usual round of parties, the office, our families, then at our friends and finally at the neighbors. A good time was had by all. The wine and beer flowed, the presents made the rounds until everyone was satisfied at what they ended up with. My kids did exceptionally well from Julie and me but it cost plenty… Ever priced new bicycles for teenagers?

The office, as usual, closed between Christmas and New Year so I had a chance to catch up with the household chores and maintenance jobs and by the 30th of the month, I leaned back feeling pretty pleased with myself. I had a whopping overdraft at the bank, but December was bonus month and December 31st was bonus day and I was almost there.

No news is bad news

The last day of the year passed quietly. I checked emails, collected the kids from school and generally sat around drinking coffee in front of the computer and waiting for the bonus announcement to arrive. It has done this faithfully for the past 12 years or so. It comes in the form of a joyous looking email. Another cup of coffee and more waiting. No incoming mail. Now black thoughts started invading my one-track brain. What if…? No bonus? Is that possible? But it was a very good year. Then my mind moved to possible solutions. A Payday Loan solution?

I have used this a few times before, always in the month of the anniversary of the car purchase. That’s the month they hit me with the license, the insurance and the annual service all in the same couple of weeks. I used a Payday Loan to get through that and it worked pretty well. Could I use a Payday Loan to get me through January this time?

Bad news confirmed

I was right. No bonuses for 2008. Yes, it was a record year but everything collapsed in December. Financial chaos, stock exchange melt-down, back to 1929 and all those fancy meaningless terms they harvested from the newspapers.

So I am about to apply for a Payday Loan to help settle some of the debts incurred by holiday cheer. I am sure the company will still be here at the end of January and will pay the salaries so I can re-pay the loan. What I need to check now is how much I can borrow and if I can renew it for another month on the due date so that I pay it back over more than one month.

Good news at last

Yes, the Payday Loan will help out in every way it can. They are courteous, friendly and eager to be of assistance. How nice it is to know that there is an alternative to fighting with the bank. Pity about the bonus though.