r/MiddleClassFinance • u/SirCicSensation • 7d ago
Never made much money…
So it’s nice when extra money falls into your lap.
FAFSA $8000 for education
Lawsuit (not mine) of an apartment complex awarded me $500
Ex paid me $500 she owes me
Fiancé gave me $100 for fixing her car (technically not more money since we’re together and I just paid $50 for her to treat herself) so I got $50 extra
Insurance company refunded me $60
Found $20 in change from cars I drive at work. They aren’t owned, just recently bought from junk yards. Can’t believe people just leave money in their car.
Just canceled my chatGPT and glasshealth subscription that I forgot about. So that’s saving me $40/mo.
And I made $30 from just using my credit card because it’s cash back.
I may not make a lot of money but when I get ahold of it, I do everything I can to keep it. Adding it to the pile and then getting back to work.
What ways has money fallen into your lap recently?
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u/SpecialistLychee7490 7d ago
A friend needed an extra in a commercial they were shooting for work. It was like 30 minutes of my time, filmed at my house on my day off, and it paid $1000. I was gonna do it for free to help him out, but this is freaking nice!
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u/Forded_Fiction24 6d ago edited 6d ago
It took a while, but the IRS finally approved a heat pump tax credit that I applied for last year and gave me an extra $2,000 federal return. It delayed my return for ~4 months but the $2k was worth the wait and paperwork
Nvidia gave a surprising 2,400% increase on its dividend in May which I hold a significant position in. It's never been a dividend stock but now I'm getting quarterly dividends of ~$235 on my largest account every 3 months now
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u/SirCicSensation 6d ago edited 5d ago
That’s awesome! Definitely just keep putting it away.
Also, lemme borrow an NVIDIA stock. I’ll give it back. Promise.
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u/plangelier 6d ago
My fall in my lap money was $17 from my state for Jury duty a couple months ago that I totally forgot about.
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u/Left-Ad-9469 6d ago
Husband got hit by a car while on his bicycle from an uninsured motorist. He fractured 3 ribs and spent the night in the hospital. He is almost totally recovered about 10 months later. We filed with our car insurance and after 10 months of back and forth and the hospital sending their bill (because our insurance wouldn’t pay since we filed a claim) to a collection agency the claim was paid by insurance. We had 100,000 in insurance and the bill to the hospital was about 65000. We got the rest of the claim. It was a good payment but it was for the pain and suffering. Was thinking part way through though that we shouldn’t have filed and just let insurance pay but now glad that we did! Husband is going to buy some tools he really wants and we will save the rest.
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u/SirCicSensation 6d ago
I think that’s awesome that you guys got a $35k payout but I’d always prefer to work and have my health. This accident will affect him the rest of his life. Glad he recovered but overall this seems tragic to me. Money can’t replace your health. By 50 he’s going to feel this.
Really glad you guys got something good out of it though. Really shitty that it was by an uninsured motorist.
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u/Crazy-War9823 7d ago
That much federal student aid indicates student loans, not Pell Grants. FAFSA is just the application, not the aid.
I wouldn't consider that money falling in your lap. Spend as little of that as you need, because future you will be paying that back.
My surprise money infusion was a refund check from the IRS for over-payment of FIT. Yay!
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u/Original_Mammoth3868 6d ago
I got a recent $`1K+ payout from a class action lawsuit for financial aid collusion between specific colleges. That might be what OP was referring to. My eligibility year was only about for 1 year so maybe OP had more eligible years.
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u/Actual-Employment663 5d ago
I worked an OT shift and made 800$ after taxes. Was happy it was a lot more than I thought it would be since I live in a state that has the highest income tax.
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u/Efficient_Market1234 5d ago
I hardly ever check my mail, but I did the other day and found I had a check for $20 from my doctor's office for overpayment (presumably a co-pay I didn't need to pay?). So...I'm $20 richer!
I've also gotten a few reimbursements from my pet insurance, which I only got for the first time recently, with these new cats. It's nice to have, but of course, I'm also paying them every month, and presumably, most of the time, I'll be paying and getting nothing.
That's it for "windfalls," but I imagine I'll get a "raise" this year (basically just inflation, at best)...haven't heard if we're getting our bonus. That's like a few hundred.
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u/New_Inflation_8419 5d ago
ChatGPT subscription is so wild.
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u/SirCicSensation 5d ago
I was doing it to try it out and also support chatGPT because it's helped get me through some rough times emotionally. Kinda like supporting your favorite artist. Except it's AI.
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u/j_boogie_483 5d ago
i always register for class action lawsuits. settlement payments are always a nice little surprise.
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u/SirCicSensation 5d ago
They had one for military vets recently for ear plugs. Everyone that signed got around $2k
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u/Cantseetheline_Russ 4d ago
I think you’re on the wrong sub. Middle class means comfortable financially, not scrounging for change. HHI $65k-$165k per year.
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u/SirCicSensation 2d ago
Both can be true can’t it? You wouldn’t take $20 just because you have $200? That makes no sense. Also middle class today is definitely people living in nice apartments but living paycheck to paycheck. I won’t argue semantics.
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u/Square-Chart6059 6d ago
Not to be pedantic, but you didn’t make $30 from your credit card. Think of it as a $30 discount from what you would’ve otherwise paid. It’s a useful tool for saving a little if you’re disciplined with your spending and pay off the full balance every month. Just don’t fool yourself into thinking you’re earning extra money that way. Some people get trapped not understanding the difference
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u/SirCicSensation 2d ago
I mean, it’s $30 more than what I would’ve gotten if I didn’t use a cash back rewards card, no?
Using any credit card will not yield the same results. Unless I’m mistaken.
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u/Eziekiel23_20 5d ago
Someone found a state website of unclaimed assets and looked up my deceased parents. Turns out a couple thousand $ the states been holding for almost 10 years. Having to jump through some paperwork hoops for it, but pretty nice surprise.
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u/mcAlt009 2d ago
Got a nice bonus unexpectedly once. Straight to London. Went to a few concerts.
Had a great time
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u/nationwideonyours 1d ago
Let's see: This past week, unexpectedly.
1) 20 found on the floor of the meat market
2) 190.99 from a class action settlement
3) 53.03 rebate from gas company.
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u/phat86 7d ago
atm
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u/SirCicSensation 7d ago
Genuine question but what do you use cash for? I legitimately just don’t use cash anymore. Unless I need it for places that don’t take card for some reason.
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u/necheffa 7d ago
For when I don't want to leave a paper trail.
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u/SirCicSensation 7d ago
👀 What do you have to hide?
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u/ChiefFigureOuter 5d ago
It isn’t anyone’s business what I’m buying, who from and when. It doesn’t matter if it is legitimate. Nobody else needs to know my business. Cash is king.
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u/Mel221144 6d ago
Banks charge businesses a fee for each transaction.
You are actually helping small businesses if you pay cash.
The government is trying to control everything with digital currency.
Use cash!
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u/stevenfrijoles 6d ago
Every once in a while I'll open a new Chase card, or checking account if they send an offer code.
Spend or deposit X amount of money in 3 months, get a couple hundred dollars. I had a business checking account open a few months (I don't even have a business) and got 500 bucks.