Do You Have an Alternate Form of Payment?......

Imagine my embarrassment at the post office today, when my debit card was declined for a $3.02 purchase. Embarrassing enough that I didn't have that much cash on my person. Who CARRIES cash anymore? Actually, I had a $20 bill in my purse, but I don't take my purse to school. For obvious reasons when one deals with teenagers all day. Sorry, but that's the sad fact of life. I carry my driver's license and credit cards in a plastic case on a lanyard that I can wear around my neck in an emergency.

I was about to run out to the car for $3.02 in loose change that I throw into the console when I go through a drive-through (not that I do that much, mind you) when the person behind the counter suggested she swipe my card as a credit card instead of debit. It worked, and it didn't ask for a PIN or a signature or anything.

[Bluebird: I hate it when people say PIN Number. The "N" STANDS for number, people. It's like saying Personal Identification Number Number.]

I was thinking this was all related to our debit card troubles of the past weekend. We stopped at the mall to get Sullen Teenager a gift card for Christmas, but Hubby was nervous about leaving a flat-screen t.v. in the car unattended. [Our favorite kind of Christmas shopping is for ourselves.] Hubby offered me his debit card to buy the gift card with, but I was afraid they wouldn't let me use it without him present. He stayed in the car to baby-sit the t.v. There was no line, and I sauntered right up to the counter and gave them my debit card. And Hubby's PIN. Crap. It gave me another chance, and the transaction was completed.

We stopped to buy groceries on the way home, and I presented my debit card as usual. Declined. Declined again. Thankful that Hubby was along, I looked at him helplessly, and he gave me his debit card to pay for groceries. Declined. Declined again.

We stopped at the ATM [ditto saying ATM MACHINE] and used both cards with success. I figured it was just a fluke at the grocery store.

Then the embarrassment at the post office. For $3.02.

After the post office, I stopped by Target. Because I'm a slow learner when it comes to some things, I presented my debit card again for $236.59 in purchases. Approved immediately.

Seriously?