I start off this post readily recognizing that my complaint here is unusual, and that I should actually be pretty thankful. However, when it comes to cash flow I’m a bit anal retentive and want to have all of my ducks in a row. So is any wonder that I find myself gnashing my teeth around the twenty-fourth of each month? NINE DAYS after my rent was due and PAID? And my darling landlord still hasn’t cashed the check?

It frustrates me because I’m wary to move money into the savings account until this large sum has cleared. I also start running through the many things that could have happened to that check while taking the treacherous ride through the US Postal Service. And I’m a bit of a control freak. OK, the problem is mostly in relation to that last one…

But this fear is truly grounded. When we were first married and made the move from Ohio to New Jersey, Matt ran into a bit of a snafu with a previous employer. It seemed the previous employer had overpaid him, and requested that Matt cut a check for the difference. He, being the world’s nicest person, went ahead and did just that while I snarled in the corner about how if they were going to be so stupid as to let money flow out of their pockets without looking they should have to reap the consequences, and we should keep it and do something fun! Like go on vacation! But the moral compass of the family cut the check and months and months went by.

We completely forgot about the check that was floating around somewhere in south central Ohio in the haste of oh, you know, the usual… a wedding, honeymoon, new jobs, moving across the country. And then we went to close out our bank accounts in Ohio only to be hit a week later with ENORMOUS bank fees because ex-employer decided to finally cash the check and we had closed out our bank account.

We somehow wrangled our way out of that extremely expensive situation with only a few financial scratches. But can a price be put on my increased paranoia? I think not.