finances are intangible and unimportant and have little to do with big life-changing travel: ask these guys --
http://www.bootsnall.com/articles/11-07/10-round-the-world-travel-myths-debunked.html
http://blog.homelesshapas.com/?page_id=31
http://www.vagabondquest.com/travel-links/
People ask hobos like these 'what about your things? What about savings? what about career?' and the answer is universally: 'so glad I'm not owned by them anymore!'

If travel is your sole reason for quitting, and not counterculture itself, then internet_jen linked you right - legalnomads is super-awesome. You might also try alittleadrift.com or uncorneredmarket.com

You can also check out wanderingEarl.com
- who's been a RoundTheWorld nomad since 1999.

Well, I like a little mischief now and then -- Sounds to me like it's time to go back to jai tai -with a copy of your credit card statement in hand- and collect on that second meal you paid for. Put that copy in the bill folder thing instead of your credit card, and include a note explaining to the manager the situation like you did here and call it good for payment.

"lawyers" are the services that follow your requests after death. Even crap like logging into FB and telling everyone you've kicked your bucket. Estate Lawyers. Obviously, it helps to pay them in advance and keep them posted on your passwords and what you want. But you can pretty much ask them to do whatever the hell you want, given enough money and planning.

I don't think the police can do anything. These scammers are very good at hiding their true identities. Flagging on craigslist is probably the best you can do. Sorry.

Ran into this a few years ago with a friend's father. And then NPR ran this story (the text synopsis isn't as helpful as listening to the audio file on the link) http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=104024294

Basically, as people have already stated, with your will or last wishes (or what have you), you should include username and password information, if you want your loved ones to have access. Certain sites have very strict policies and will NOT release information to the next of kin. Now, some people surely would welcome such a thing (I can imagine scenarios in which ones email is NOT an account they want their children reading). But, perhaps you would want them to be able to contact your internet social circles. So account and log in information for photosharing sites, music sites, etc. Heck, maybe you'd want someone to go tell your World of Warcraft guild that you've passed.

Many of us have multiple online social circles that may not be readily accessible to others, unless you leave written instructions and log=in codes somewhere safe.

Also, things as basic as YOUR CELLPHONE SECURITY/LOCK CODE, and your COMPUTER LOG IN information should be left somewhere. Otherwise, your family may not ever be able to retrieve family photos or other digital memories. (Of course, if you've an active sexting life or other things that you don't want shared, then maybe not). But it's something one really does have to plan for, or it'll all just be lost/frozen.

Waiting for Don DeLillo to address this topic in an upcoming novel before I make any moves.

I guess your online account IDs and passwords are akin to keys to a safe. You're best off leaving your trusted survivors the necessary information to get in (and instructions, if any, about what to do) if you're gone.

The one thing I'd request is that you have some way for trusted people to get access to your passwords to email, social networking, etc. A now-deceased family member was very active online, and the family wanted to be able to notify friends she'd made there and close down some of her accounts. They were also able to learn something about what she'd been going through recently, a concern in this situation, but fortunately it was fairly positive. (Though, obviously, you can make your own decisions about what you think about people going through your email). Incidentally, they also set up a separate memorial page on facebook as opposed to leaving her account up.

When you're dead, you're gone, but your loved ones still have to deal with it. Giving the right people control over your online identity can take some of the worry out of what they're going through.

Interesting question. I don't know the answer, but I read an article about this problem in The NYT this January called Cyberspace When You’re Dead. It might have some useful information.

I had an issue with Jai Thai back in April where another customer's order was added onto my bill and they had to charge it back and do a second charge with the appropriate items on it. I figured out that the bill was wrong right away and the bartender/server did the chargeback right then, but it still took almost two weeks to come off my bank statement (it was a pending charge). I agree with both Nim and Tom- I'd call my bank right away, report the double charge and that the restaurant staff is not cooperating with you and then, if you still need their approval, go down to the restaurant in person (with as many records as you've got and hopefully not during a rush time).

Is one of the charges listed as "pending"? Restaurants have to run your card first to create the charge slip, then have you add a tip and sign it. They submit the total amount to complete the transaction. It's possible for them to complete the transaction as a separate charge, leaving the pending charge. These eventually go away.

I had a similar situation about two weeks ago in a different restaurant on Capitol Hill. They tried running my card, but had trouble with their connection to the credit card processor. Eventually, they brought me an old-fashioned charge slip on which to add the tip and sign.

A few days later, I saw that I had four "pending" charges for the original bill amount, plus a completed charge for that amount plus the tip. The pending charges eventually disappeared.

If there is an erroneous charge on your account, you can dispute the charge by calling your credit card company. The CC company will do a brief investigation and, if it doesn't find evidence to support the charge, issue a chargeback and credit your account.

Hopefully, this will solve the problem. However, if the CC company doesn't issue a chargeback, there are legal options that are worth looking into to get your money back, even for relatively small erroneous charges.

Go back to the restaurant. If you want to get anyone's attention at a restaurant it's better to show up in person; phoning them won't get you anywhere. Bring any kind of documentation you can (e.g. bank statement). I'm not clear on whether it's a credit or debit card, but if it's a credit card, you should call the credit card company and ask them what to do.

Call you bank asap and report it. They should take care of it with few issues. You are their customer but jai thai isn't (probably).

Good catch,, btw.

Not particularly a planner, but this is a nice little webpage with tips for doing just that:
http://www.legalnomads.com/wds

I would hope most financial advisors could explain and help prepare for the risks of various financial choices, even if your goal is different from most of their clients.

However, you might want to consult an attorney if you are concerned with the legal ramifications of incurring or failing to pay certain debts.

Also, just so you know: 9,000 people are being collected upon recuperate unemployment wages because they weren't actively seeking work (including one lady for going to Texas while collecting).

It doesn't answer your question, but it does let you know you could get possibly get your wages garnished or even sued if caught.

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/article/9-000-people-busted-for-not-seeking-work-while-on-1403424.php

Sigh. As a taxpayer, I feel compelled to admonish you that if you have the funds for a three week overseas vacation, maybe you shouldn't be drawing unemployment.

But, I don't want to be a dick, so I won't.

Oops, too late.

Seriously though, the internet is on computers now. Unless you are going to Zamunda you should be able to spend a few hours a week looking at job opportunities on the internet, filing applications electronically and recording your activities with the State via computer.

I have a good buddy who was on unemployment for a long, LONG time and he did it all by computer.

You are sloppy losing your credit card so often. Perhaps you were a little careless when you did online business. Do it over a landline.

Any bank or credit union..call around or stop by.

Watermark Credit Union in Shoreline (on Aurora, by N. 165th) has safety deposit boxes.

Any bank anywhere?

1. Run Superantispyware.

2. Change your Amazon and Netflix passwords. It doesn't matter how secure Amazon is if someone knows your password. In fact, I would kill those accounts and open new ones, using a new email.

Paypal is great for this. I often use it even with friends in town. Fast and easy and you can transfer funds directly in and out of your bank account.

If her bank has any branches near you, go to her bank, and make a deposit into her account. If you have info about her name, address, etc., they should let you deposit money. They just won't give you any info about the account.

Otherwise, I would send a check. You can cancel it if it gets stolen, and be covered under fraud protection from your bank.

If you're referring to credit card donations, most processors charge a monthly flat rate and take a percentage of each donation - Network for Good keeps 3% of each donation, for example.

Another option is checking on your credit card company's website to see if they have their own nonprofit donation site - Capital One has one that supposedly covers all transaction fees, if you have a Capital One card. I think Amex also has their own site for donations, but I don't know if they do automatic monthly donations.

If you want to avoid the fees altogether, you could set up a monthly billpay through your bank. Whatever you choose to do, donate an amount you are comfortable with and can afford. Every little bit helps!

I'm sure the processing fees do favor big donations over small (that's certainly how it works for private business) but, there's a huge benefit to non-profits to be able to count on donations month after month. They can adjust their budgets accordingly and offer more services throughout the year, hopefully without running into a shortfall. If you want to give a larger amount of money each time, you might be able to set up payments on a quarterly basis. If that isn't available, I recommend just going with the monthly option.

Sounds pretty crappy to me, OMC. Did you sign anything anywhere along with your letter/application to the Y that gave them permission to contact your employer?

As far as suing goes, you can, of course, talk to an attorney, but suing is usually done to find remedy for loss of income or property. Has there been any because of this?

I don't know if any ethics were breached. Sounds like the Y is guilty of breach of etiquette and maybe a breach of confidentiality if no permission was given to contact your employer.

Try filing a complaint with Washington State Attorney General's Department of Consumer Affairs and send a letter to the Y stating your disappointment with them and that a complaint has been made to the Attorney General. That should make them at least a little uneasy.

And given your financial situation, you probably don't want to find another gym, but I think you should. By the way, since the economy is so bad, gym memberships are way down. Maybe you can strike a deal with one who really wants your business.

Good luck, OMC.