A billing error made me question my budget morals

I was looking at my bank app and saw my phone bill was half what it should be for months. My budget had extra cash now, and I was tempted to just let it slide. But I kept thinking about how the company might catch it later and charge me more. I finally told them, and they fixed it without any fees, which felt like a win for being honest. It taught me that a good budget includes doing the right thing, even when it's hard.

3 comments

3 Comments

raysullivan12h ago

Saw a story once where someone got a huge refund by mistake and spent it. Bank came back years later for it all. Always figured if it's not yours, it's gonna catch up. Good on you for fixing it.

blair_dixon8h ago

Banks typically have a short window to fix their own mistakes, like 60 days for electronic transfers. If they don't catch it within that period, the customer might not be obligated to repay. However, moral and legal gray areas exist, so it's smart to report it. Stories about banks reclaiming funds years later are rare and often involve fraud.

kellylopez10h ago

Your thought about it catching up is correct, @raysullivan. A friend once received an overpayment from her job and didn't report it for a year. She had to give back every penny when they finally noticed.