This morning, without thinking I did something that quite possibly I shouldn't have done. In the last couple of weeks, we have received 3 bad checks in payment for Hubby's labors. This is an entirely new problem for us as we seldom get bounced checks. I don't think that in the last 10 years we've received 3 bad checks. The thing that bothers me, is that none of these checks are for major amounts of money. They're all between $50 and $75. Evidence, I'm afraid, of more people living paycheck to paycheck.
One of the bounced checks is from a person who needs more work done and Hubby had been waiting to hear from him. The check cleared the bank on the second deposit so we did get our money, minus the amount we pay to our bank for the bad check. Hubby figured he'd address the issue when he got the go ahead to do what he says needs to be done. This morning we got a call from another contractor who was hired to do the work that Hubby advised. Seems this contractor didn't tell the customer, who he hires to pump the septic tank out when he does any work. I'm starting to leave the room while Hubby is on the phone and I hear the name of the guy who bounced the check. I turned and asked Hubby "Isn't that the guy whose check bounced?". The other contractor heard me.
Once Hubby was off the phone, he mildly, with a smile on his face told me I shouldn't have said that. At the time I was somewhat involved with the feeling that I had goofed so I didn't really stop to think about it. Now, after having thought about it I want to ask "Why not?" This is a contractor that we do a lot of work with. He's going to be doing much more expensive work than we did. If we had a check bounce from this guy, who is going to pay us? If it's the contractor shouldn't he be informed that he might be paid with a rubber check? Why, when he's not making that much right now, should he be burned this way when we have the information that this guy has checkbook balancing problems?
When Hubby went to see the job, the customer told Hubby that he'd called his regular septic system company and they were too busy to come out for a few days. I was puzzled by that because that isn't how the contractor in question usually does things. Didn't think much of it at all until the check bounced. Does this mean that the first contractor wouldn't go because he'd been paid by rubber check? I could call the first contractor and ask, but he isn't likely to tell me. I'm beginning to think that's not the right attitude. Why should we allow these people to get away with this?
In the last four weeks, Hubby has done six jobs. Three paid with rubber checks, of those, one person is going to be prosecuted. Two people charged and we're still waiting. One person actually paid us and that money was used to put gas in the vehicle necessary to go do the other five jobs. We now have the money from two of the bounced checks, which just equal what was spent on gas. Excuse me...my Hubby took himself to these jobs, in the dead of winter when it was cold and in two cases dark out. Where I come from, since these people could again flush their damn toilets when he was done, they ought to be grateful enough to PAY him.
The third contractor involved here, the one that heard my statement, hasn't called back to schedule the pump out. Hubby thinks maybe he's going to hire someone else. My whole attitude on that is, I'd rather not run up our own expenses when we aren't sure that we could pay them. If we don't get the job, we don't have to use money needed for something else to put more gas in the vehicle. Just maybe we can save the gas all ready in there for a customer that might actually pay. Now there's a thought.
