Put That Damn Checkbook Away

Would someone please explain to me why anyone writes a check for a purchase at a store anymore? Debit cards are so much faster and easier. All you have to do is remember to deduct. I only write checks to pay bills anymore.

Do us all a favor and break out your debit card!

Cheap-Ass SOB

If you're a cheap-ass son-of-a-bitch like me, here's some websites I check on a daily basis:

Woot One deal a day, usually electronics
Barganist A variety of products and services
Dealhack "We are obsessed with finding the best deals for our users"

Freaking Hilarious

The Complaint Choir of Chicago is about to make its debut! And in case you're not familiar with a Complaint Choir (and I wasn't until I read the story) they're a group of amateurs who get together to sing about the things they hate about their city. "Drunks who pee off their balcony." Buses that "bunch up worse than granny panties." And, of course, the Cubs.



Read the Tribune story here

Can't wait to see the Chicago video! Better yet, let's start a Bloomington-Normal Complaint Choir!

Debit Card Blues

I suspected something was wrong when McDonalds declined my Credit Union debit card. OK, no comments about McDonalds. And when I prepaid my cell account yesterday and the payment didn't go through, I knew I had to call the Credit Union.

Oh, I was girded for battle. I was pissed. I was ready to close my account which would be a shame since the CU has been so good to me over the years.

Call #1
I had to use my landlord's landline (ain't that a mouthful) to call since, of course, my cell was not working. I got through the usual menu bullshit by pressing 0. (Works with most systems. Try it sometime.) Got a very friendly young man who looked at my account (WITHOUT asking my password) and then transferred me to the bookkeeping department. Oh, hell no. I KNOW there's money in there. After several rings -- I lost count -- the voicemail system kicked in. I couldn't leave a message. I didn't want to. I wanted this resolved NOW!!
So I hung up and called back.

Call #2
Kristen answered, DID ask for my password (kudos to her) and then transferred me to someone else. Before she did, I explained that my cell phone wasn't working (because my payment hadn't gone through) and leaving a message was not an option for me.
She then transferred me to Laurie who found that October 8th there were three failed attempts to use my card with a PIN. I remembered what that was. Lucy had was going to the cheapest place in town to buy cigs (shockingly the downtown CVS has the lowest prices) and offered to picke me up some, too. She told me when she got back that she had trouble with the PIN.
Anyway, Laurie told me the card froze with 3 bad attempts and she reactivated it right there.

So it looks like I'll be maintaining my accounts there a bit longer.