YOUR COMMENTS

To Mary and Tom, I'm sorry you will no longer have this particular option if case of an emergency.

But as you can see, there are plenty of people who are full of advice about how you should manage your life without knowing a single thing about your circumstances.

First, I want to thank you both for your service, its a shame how we treat or soldiers and veterans.

Second, I wish you and your family best of luck and pray you will not have the need for an advance anytime soon.

Lastly, I think you hit the mark in that the "nanny state" likes to protect those who don't take responsibility for themselves. They love nothing better than imposing their ivy tower liberal ideas on others and then pat themselves on the back for all the good work they have done at someone elses expense.
- Greg Carson, Londonderry

How sad that the Google ads on the right of this page are for PayDay Loans! There's your answer Mary and Tom, click on one...good luck!
- Don, Manchester, NH

So who is going to make up for the lost State and local revenue? Who is going to pay for the increase welfare rolls, oh yeah, we will you dolts. I hope everyone enjoys their tax increase.
- Anne H., Salem, NH

Mary and Tom, most of us have been in the emergency oh crap what do I do situation in the past, unfortunately these things happen.. I made the decision to not use credit cards, loans etc a few years ago. I instead have an "in case" fund in a separate savings that I add $20 whenever I have the extra money. Its something to consider setting up for yourself.If in the past you could afford to take out a short term loan from Advance A to pay for an emergency, then you could probably find the extra money to set aside. We also save change here at home, pack lunches for school and work, and buy store brands as much as possible. These small changes and bits of advice really do work, and itll save you so much more over time.
- Stephanie, Concord, NH

We have used the services of Advance America on a couple of occassions over the last two years. Once to get the car fixed and once to pay rent, we had to fix the car so my husband could get to work and we had to pay for an emergenct at home.

I dont think the politicians have any idea what it's like to struggle in the real world, if they did they wouldn't have all that free time to spend in Concord trying to help me.

We are very concerned what we will do now if we need some cash for an emergency, we now have no place to turn. And unlike the politicians who have rich relatives and friends to borrow money from we don't - we are both only children without living parents. We are on our own and I'm guessing we are not the only ones.

We made an agreement/contract with the loan company to borrow money for a short period of time, in both cases less than three weeks, and to pay a reasonable fee, a total of $20. We paid the money back because we only borrowed what we could afford not what we "wished we could afford."

So instead of "protecting" my family as a responsible borrower you are protecting the deadbeats who took money knowing they really could or chose not to pay it back. I guess that makes since in a world where everybody can expect money falling out of the sky from the federal government - although since we don't take public assistance we'll never see that money either.

And for the guy who claimed these companies are taking advantage of soldiers, my husband and I are both in the military right now and everyone knows if companies do what he said the companies are made off limits by the commander. Only the deadbeats get called out by the commander for not paying their bills.

Thanks for saving me from myself and leaving me and my family no other option. You're so kind and where do I come visit you to borrow a couple of dollars since you took my only option away.
- Mary and Tom, Manchester

My ex was in the six-figure club and even HE would rob Peter to pay Paul constantly! It doesn’t matter what you earn, it’s HOW you handle your money! He had to have everything to keep up with the Jones’s in our big McMansion filled with Ethan Allen furniture and with the euro-trash sports cars in the garage. Imagine the repo guy coming to your house in an affluent neighborhood. Seriously.

I am happy to say that now that I’m on my own, no bill collectors call me, I have not bounced one check, and am happier with my St. Mary’s Bank (credit union) than I was with Bank of America. We had to fight over $700 in overdraft fees once when they switched from Fleet and messed up our accounts. $400 was refunded, the rest was my wasband’s fault… along with foreign ATM fees even though BoA ATMs are everywhere.

Yes, there are services like Advance America for folks who have nowhere to go, but you can easily get into a downward spiral as “A” in Manchester mentioned. Sometimes one bounced check can mess you up for months. I know, I lived it.

Simplify your life, reign in on spending, pay down bills that you can one at a time, and pay yourself first. If you can afford eating out, a pack of butts, a case of beer, or what have you, you can put that 20 bucks in the bank for your financial freedom in the future. If we all take responsibility for ourselves, we won’t need all these bailouts and stimulus plans. I don’t care if I have to hold three jobs or scrub toilets or flip burgers, I will NOT take a handout.

We the people can do it.
- Enough Already, Manchester

Geesh these payday lenders charge more interest than the mob. I'm not sad about this one bit.
- Tim, Manchester, NH

These "legal" loans sharks won't be missed. What ever happened to the old practice of having the mney in the bank before buying the item? People need to get back to basic budgeting and deciding what is a need and what is a want.
- Mike Dionne, Concord

To all you people whining the government should stay out of this and you can make the decision whether or not to pay the high fees, you will be the FIRST people to complain when you have realized that you have been ripped off. And then you'll ask why didn't anyone do something about this. Its about time someone did something about these "loan sharks". The majority of these business are owned by the big banks-preying on the people they turn down for bank loans....Bye thieves!!
- Steve V, Londonderry

alot of this is really about people becoming more responsible for their own spending..unfortunately most people arent willing to be responsible, if they were, they wouldnt have to have the government step in. There was such a time, not so long in the past, that people budgeted for bigger purchases, or vehicle maintanence, and they didnt have the option of these "quick fixes". They made it ok, so perhaps its time everyone rethink the way they do spend, if you dont need it, dont buy it, and if you do need it, wait until you have the cash to pay for it.. then you might find yourself in not so much of a bind when a true emergency pops up.. its just a thought though
- Stephanie, Concord, NH

To those of you who do not like the fees the large banks charge - look into your local credit unions. Much more "fee friendly" and there are no ATM fees if you withdraw from another credit union!
- Catherine, Manchester, NH

I guess the State and local munis won't mind losing the business tax, and property tax income. What about the landlords who rent to these locations who will now lose their rental stream? Too bad for the 50 people and landlords. If these were state jobs there would be outrage despite state jobs producing more waste than revenue. Oh well. Best of luck to the 50 state residents who will now burden the state and local rolls. What else will mommy NH ram down our throats?
- Emma L., Manchester, NH

This law should have coincided with a regulation forcing banks and credit unions to offer similar loans for the poor.
- Jim, Manchester

Finally! These people present themselves as helping out the less fortunate, but, really are only helping themselves! Nice profit! I was stuck in a revolving door situation because of this and had the hardest time finding my way out. I was desperate and desperate people do stupid things. The last time I "borrowed" from them (after almost a year of this)I asked for an extension and was told yes, but, I was subjected to daily phone calls, 4 and 5 times a day! "Can you pay today?" I told them when I could pay, but, the harassing phone calls continued...she even told me she was going to call me everyday! One Friday morning (my payday)about 9am, I checked my bank account and sure enough, they had gone in and taken my money out! It left me broke for the next two weeks, and bounced checks started flowing in! Thank God, I didn't go back in to borrow, the cycle was broken, but, it really was a vicious circle and put me in a lot of debt.
- A, Manchester, NH

If no one had utilized these services to begin with the "payday loan" companies would have gone out of business soon after opening their doors.
At what point do we stop thinking for ourselves and have the government decide what is best for us.
Once we hand that right over to them at what point does the government STOP deciding what is best for us.
Is the government now going to shut down the same thing H&R Block offers - the tax refund loan? What a joke - you take someone who overpaid their taxes, giving the US Government interest free access to their money until they file and then they are so impatient for this refund they pay to take a loan on their own money... People - Adjust your withholding and put the money in a Savings account!
- Deborah, Manchester, NH

I wholeheartedly agree with every one of the comments posted here. TD Banknorth is out of control and does not represent the people it serves. Charging overdraft fees on pending charges instead of when the charge posts. The reality is that the banks can't make any more intelligent investments with your money than you can so they compensate by flat out penalizing you for any slip. In fact, the banks make more money on fees like this then they do on investments. It's despicable and it's a fact. Look it up.

Also, good riddance doesn't quite capture the sentiment. Many of these payday loan places congregate around military bases (according to the article, the one here is based out of S. Carolina. So are a whole bunch of Marines.) This makes for an easy target when you have high school students who suddenly find themselves with a steady paycheck and the ability to buy a car but at ridiculous interest rates. The catch is, if you default, they go to your command and have your wages garnished. Base indoctrination, regardless of where you get stationed, always includes a line about don't shop at the dealerships around the base and a primer on usury laws. Same for the payday loans places and yet they seem to be flourishing. These 'companies' are out they preying on our armed forces. That not only makes them predatory but also plain un-American.

My only hope now is that they bulldoze those buildings lest they become the next target for graffiti.
- AJB, Nottingham

PJ, Weare. So PJ, you are complaining that TD Bank won't let you steal money from them? That is what it is when you write a check on a account that does not have the funds. You pay a fee, it does not seem to stop you as you imply this happens often to you. I think you would appreciate the fee rather than jail time. It is tough to have to obey the rules.

Leno, Raymond
- Leno Hebert, Raymond

I talk to people all the time in my industry who are in the middle of job changes and/or being laid off. Believe me, these types of businesses are THE LAST thing they need. If someone is so cash strapped that they need to borrow against next week's paycheck, even at 36% APR, these rates reamain predatory.
- Chris, Bow

Good!
Another predatory lender we don't have to worry about!
Because they can no longer rip off New Hampshire residents they are moving... well don't let the door hit you on your ass on the way out. Hopefully others will soon follow suit. 521%??? That's outrageous... but during this type of economy people are in more need of help and then get trapped by such predatory practices and it ends up putting the borrower in even more debt... so the payday loan doesn't really help anyone but the lender.
- B. Firman, Manchester

I certainly agree that these people are loan sharks. Period. My issue is that I don't believe that others have the busniess to make laws to allegedly protect me. This is a value issue and if I choose to pay that interest rate, that's my business. Does it make those people feel better that they assume their choices are better than mine. Yes it is becoming Massachusetts. Pretty soon we will lose more individual rights as the do gooders think they can "help" me...LOL
- Steve, Franconia

Well Janet, maybe you can explain that reasoning to the people running to the government because of mortgages they can't afford.
- Jon, Hooksett

This action tells you everything you need to know about whether or not Advance America thinks they will receive justice in a New Hampshire courtroom.
- Steve, Manch

Now, if we could only get the State Lottery Commission out of the business of "preying upon poor people" we could all feel really self-righteous!
- Mike P., Manchester

50 jobs unnecessarily lost due to government meddling. I hope Lynch sends his rapid reaction team....oh wait those employees didn't line his pockets during the campaign.
- Alex Klemac, Deering, NH

Good riddance! Profits of $3.4 million on revenues of $8.1 million = 41% net profit, on the backs of the people that can least afford it. As for the lost jobs, sorry, you were working for a loan shark.
- Bob, Bedford

If I want to borrow moneu and pay back 2, 4 or even 4 times the amount thats my business. NOT the governments. What ever happen to Live free or Die!!! I guess you can Live free somewhere else, and die trying in NH. I do not want the government making my decisions, I can make my own. Seems officials can't run the country let alone the state. Too bad - never trusted them before and will not trust them now.
- Janet, Londonderry

More of Gov. Lynch and his band of clueless Democrat's in the NH Legislature proving how righteous they are by telling you how you should live your life regardless of the impact - on your life

Companies like Advance America are the lenders of last resort for people who have NOWHERE else to turn, but typical of the self-righteous they don’t provide a real world alternative.

One of the sponsors of the bill said when asked what alternative would the lower wage workers have if they needed a loan, “They can borrow the money from a relative.” How warm if fuzzy it must be in the world of that Democratic Legislator where everyone has a rich uncle or a family that all have jobs and money to lend at the drop of a hat?

Yes these companies do charge a fee to let someone get an advance on their paycheck, often something like $5-10 for every $100 advanced. But when you have an emergency and need a few hundred dollars a few weeks in advance people are willing to pay that fee. Like when you might need to pay the rent to keep your family from living on the street, refilling your child’s prescription before the next paycheck comes in or something outrageous like getting your car fixed so you can actually get to work and earn a living.

So another great social injustice cured by Gov Lynch and his nanny state legislature, they have managed to put 50 people out of work, vacate 24 business locations all paying rent and taxes and prevented those who most need access to cash the ability to get it in the real world. They must be so proud.
- Greg Carson, Londonderry

I stopped having anything to do with banks years ago. I have all my accounts at a Credit Union (Lockheed). They are far more likely to work with you on overdrafts and the like. They also charge far less in other fees and interest on loans. If more people moved away from banks to credit unions, the banks would have to change their ways. There are a number of credit unions in the area that are as good as Lockheed, and the membership requirements have changed so almost anybody can join regardless of employer.
- Steve, Nashua

These places are just plain and simple loan sharks!! 300% loans target to the poor people to begin with. They should be out of business.

As for the banks, the state should look into that too. TD Banknorth enters checks BEFORE deposits if they hit the same day just so they can charge the $35 fee for each check. They also look at the date the check was written so if you pay someone with a check and ask them to hold the deposit until payday - they do and then TD Banknorth goes back and sees you didn't have enough to cover the check on the DATE WRITTEN they hit you with $35 fee. even if the check was not presented for payment until there was funds to cover the check. They are also screwing the public in an unhonest fashion. I had to re-arrange my auto deduct bills when TD changed their policy after paying $140 the week they started this because they took the payments before my direct deposit payroll!! Oh yeah they would not refund the money either!!! So much for FREE CHECKING !!!!
- PJ, Weare

Don't write checks for money you don't have and overdraft charges are moot. As far as NH becoming another Nanny State, let's let the government decide "what is best for me". If an adult agrees to a knowing deal, who is the state to intervene? The people that need a quick few bucks will get it other places. Live Free or Die is going away in NH. The down country Massachusetts people wanted our lifestyle and now it's going away.
- Bruce G, Lancaster

Payday lenders.... you won't be missed.
- mark, hooksett

A limit of 36% APR on an unsecured loan. And how much is the interest for a *secured* loan through a pawn shop, typically only 1/4 the value of the item being pledged?

What is the APR when a bank that promises "overdraft protection" re-arranges checks from the order they were received, in order to ensure that every single check written on Tuesday gets whacked with a $29 "service charge" on Friday, and only after the charges have been collected do they post the paycheck deposit?

I'm glad I'm not in that situation any more, but I felt more "hostage" to the bank than I ever did to a payday lender.
- Kevin, Lancaster

Good Bye Shylocks and Good Riddance!
- Arthur Lapalme, manchester