Frozen CC

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-10-2009
Frozen CC
12
Mon, 05-31-2010 - 9:22pm

We officially froze our CC today! Eeek. My DH is worried that it will ruin them, I didn't see anything about that on the internet. So let me know, however it is a bit late now:). We did it to stop the extras that happen regardless no matter how "good" we are trying to be. We pay off our balance every month but we find that we overspend on the cc oppose to cash. So, if it really works for our budget I will let you know :).


Has anyone else tried this technique? If so how long until you thought about unfreezing them? For us it was about 8 hours and we started to think about how nice Dairy Queen would be :) Lucky for us my Mom treated but obviously that will not be the norm!


Liz

student loan paid off 2010

Bathroom remodel loan paid off 2013

Pending Car loan to be paid by the end of 2014!!!!!

 

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iVillage Member
Registered: 08-24-2007
In reply to: mizliz23
Tue, 06-01-2010 - 7:42am

Wow, you really froze them?

Kate


empty purse

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2008
In reply to: mizliz23
Tue, 06-01-2010 - 4:30pm

Hey I done it several times.....only to drop the tupperware container in a big bowl of warm water and thaw them out.

Norma


"Patience is the best remedy for every trouble"- Plautus


iVillage Member
Registered: 01-23-2007
In reply to: mizliz23
Tue, 06-01-2010 - 4:54pm

Your CC company will be more than happy to send you new ones.

I usually go the "cut-em-up" route. Inevitably those same companies lower their rates and I need the actual card in order to transfer heftier balances. Oh, to see them gone completely!

Dee



iVillage Member
Registered: 12-10-2009
In reply to: mizliz23
Tue, 06-01-2010 - 6:01pm

I feel like it is a bit comical to see the cc frozen

Liz

student loan paid off 2010

Bathroom remodel loan paid off 2013

Pending Car loan to be paid by the end of 2014!!!!!

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-17-2010
In reply to: mizliz23
Tue, 06-01-2010 - 8:43pm
I do this sometimes and yes the cards will work just fine when thawed. It always takes me a week or so to adjust to not being able to pull the card out anytime there's something I want but I also do a better job of planning things out when I know I can't rely on the card last minute. Now I make sure I spend a half hour thinking about what we have coming up for the next week and what we are going to want to do and make a list accordingly.

 

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-26-1999
In reply to: mizliz23
Tue, 06-01-2010 - 9:23pm

I have accounts with ING and the envelopes that my quarterly statements come in are ING privacy envelopes with the "save your money" logo all over the inside of them to make them into privacy envelopes.

Years ago I carefully cut one of these envelopes up and used it to make a sleeve for my credit card (I only have one, I canceled every other card I ever had)...and when I don't need the card (for something like a hotel room), it lives in the "save your money" sleeve in a drawer on my desk. So when I want the card, I am confronted with the "save your money" message before I can physically get to it. I have to at least see the message, and I usually think about it. It's a bit helpful. Freezing the cards wouldn't work for me...I'd probably think of something to buy just so I could dump them out and run hot water over them.

To make the paper sleeve, I cut the paper to size and taped it, and covered it with clear packing tape so it is sturdy and doesn't rip or get dirty.

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-04-2008
In reply to: mizliz23
Wed, 06-02-2010 - 3:44pm

The hardest part is the first several months when you are trying to pay down the most debts and not use credit. So basically you are living within your means, and then below trying to paythings off.

We just lock our cards in a safe and never take them anywhere.

I sold my car yesterday so I can pay off one card completely and pay for DD's graduation expenses in all cash.

-Marie




iVillage Member
Registered: 01-23-2007
In reply to: mizliz23
Wed, 06-02-2010 - 5:05pm

I love your idea! May try that one.

Dee



iVillage Member
Registered: 03-11-2008
In reply to: mizliz23
Wed, 06-02-2010 - 8:34pm

I always read articles suggesting we freeze our credit card, but I never heard of anyone actually doing it. I wonder if one can put the container in the microwave to thaw the card quicker. Uh... I guess that kinda defeats the purpose. :P

Rebecca. I like the idea of the "save your money" sleeve.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 12-10-2009
In reply to: mizliz23
Wed, 06-02-2010 - 9:51pm

Congrats on the car being gone and a cc being paid off.


I think we will really feel the difference next month with out the cc. This month will be kind of like double duty paying cc off and living expenses for the month of June. Which is what we have been avoiding but it will be so nice to not have that monthy bill that is always bigger then what it is "suppose" to be. Today I went to get fruit and milk and I forgot that I didn't have my cc until half way through. I had to really rethink what I sould be buying which I am really glad I realize before I got to the cash register. Otherwise it has been good and we have not thawed them yet or gotten desperate yet. It is actually kind of a relief to have them more difficult

Liz

student loan paid off 2010

Bathroom remodel loan paid off 2013

Pending Car loan to be paid by the end of 2014!!!!!

 

Pages