I can't connect to xbox live?

it says there's a problem with my payment option but my credit card is up-to-date and last year they were having a couple gold membership sales (i.e. 1 year subscription 33% off and 3 months for 25% or something like that) so i bought those up. it hasn't been a year and 3 months though. i was wondering what it is. it connects me. i click update profile, select my credit card, then it will put me on but it won't say i signed in to xbox live but i can see marketplace and all that BUT it doesn't show my friends. and when i go to account management it says i have no subscription plans. any idea what this could mean? should i just make a new xbox live account?