If you've been keeping up with our testimonial commercials, you may have already met Raymon. Raymon, a former Marine and now a passionate solar salesman, joined Chime after decades of dealing with bank fees. Now he relies on SpotMe when he's waiting on his next commission check from a big sale – without worry about paying any overdraft fees.*
Here, Raymon shares how he uses Chime to manage his money better – and how you can too.
A rewarding career path with fluctuating income
After serving his country in the military, Raymon built a career as a solar salesman. He loves his job because he gets to help homeowners and business owners reduce their carbon footprint and their utility bills at the same time.
A career in sales certainly suits Raymon. He's one of the most passionate, energetic Chime members we've ever met.
"I love meeting new people," Raymon says, "and I love taking on challenges."
Sales is a job that Raymon excels at – "I'm really, really good at it," he says – but it's also a 1099 contractor job. That means Raymon can't rely on a steady paycheck; instead, he gets commission payouts, which depend on closing a sale.
With fluctuating income, Raymon's found that he sometimes doesn't have enough money in his checking account to cover a purchase. In the past, that meant he would be charged overdraft fees.
Overdraft fees add up
Overdraft fees have frustrated Raymon for years, ever since he enlisted in the Marines and started getting his first paycheck out of high school.
"When I first went into the military, I was irresponsible with my money," he remembers. "I was brand new, I was 18, and I was just swiping. And then something happened for the first time in my life: overdraft fees."
Overdraft fees had a real impact on Raymon's finances during his 10 years in the military. "Before my next paycheck," he says, "I was already in the hole $150 in overdraft fees!"
While Raymon has become more responsible about his spending and built a solid financial plan in the decades that followed, he's still had moments where he doesn't have enough money in his account to cover an expense – resulting in overdraft fees.
That is, until he signed up for Chime and got access to fee-free overdraft with SpotMe.*
From his first overdraft in 1995 to his last overdraft right before switching to Chime, Raymon estimates he lost $5,000 to overdraft fees. That's no small chunk of change!
An "aha!" moment with SpotMe
Raymon learned about Chime through his daughter and his girlfriend. His daughter had just gone to college, and Raymon often needed to send her money. And his girlfriend lived in another state at the time. It was easier to send money back and forth once they all had Chime.
"It came from two people I love and trust," he says of his Chime origin story.
For Raymon, the appeal of Chime was being able to easily send money to loved ones through Pay Anyone.¹ Outside of that, he didn't know about all of Chime's other helpful features. In fact, he first learned about SpotMe by accident, when he spent more than he had in his Chime account.
"One day, I think I had $15 on my Chime Debit Card," Raymon remembers, but he swiped his card for a larger purchase without realizing it. "And it went through! And I was like, 'How!?' That's how I found out about SpotMe – by Chime spotting me."
As Raymon discovered, qualifying Chime members can overdraft up to $200 without fees, on both debit card purchases and cash withdrawals.1
"It's like asking a friend for money," Raymon jokes. "I don't even have to make a phone call. It's like, 'Hey, Chime, can I use $50?' And Chime says, 'Yeah, sure!'"
Something to rely on in between commissions
Raymon says he saves so much money now with Chime because he doesn't have to worry about costly overdraft fees.
"I get to enjoy my money, period," he says. "I get to manage my money better – whether I spend it, pay the bills with it, or send it to someone."
SpotMe is especially helpful when Raymon's sales commissions are more spaced out than normal. He knows he can count on SpotMe when he needs a little extra in between those paychecks.
For instance, Raymon says he often gets a full tank of gas, even if he only has $10 left in his Chime account. Knowing SpotMe has his back for essential purchases like that is a game changer.
"It gives me confidence to be able to get up knowing that I have money in my account to go tackle the things I need to do," he says. "Knowing I have that security to get me through the week makes me a better salesman, a better person."
Banking that has your back
Hustling for your next paycheck can be challenging, but if you love your job the way Raymon does, it's worth it. But even the most ambitious entrepreneurs need a banking solution that has their back from time to time, and that's what Raymon has found with Chime.
Raymon's not the only one who's thankful to avoid fees like monthly account fees or overdraft fees. Learn how Chime member Corey started saving $900 in overdraft fees per year with Chime.
Real Member, Sponsored Content.