Fan-freaking-tastic

[innerslytherin]

It is REALLY embarrassing to have your sandwich all ordered and ready and get up to the cash register only to have your card declined. Knowing I have plenty of money in my checking account to cover a meal at Subway, I ask him to try again, and it's declined AGAIN. So I left. Didn't have any cash, or I would have been using it. Went to the ATM and it said my balance was $70 but wouldn't give me any money. So I call the bank, and she says that whatever I bought yesterday has a hold on the card instead of just deducting the money. So I'm welcome to drive the sixty miles to my nearest bank branch if I want money, but that's the only way I can get cash right now.

This is the second time in less than a week that I've had trouble with a card, AND that the money has been there. I'm done with this. Stupid fucking cards. I'll go back to carrying all cash.

Comments

[mcgarrygirl78.livejournal.com]

I rarely use my bank card to make purchases because I fear things just like that. Stupid cards. I hope you get some lunch *hugs*

[innerslytherin]

I'm obviously going to have to go to that policy too.

I had cereal for lunch. LOL

[amorettea.livejournal.com]

This is a big problem with debit cards. The STORE where you used it last probably put a hold of double what you spent until they were paid. They are supposed to drop it within 24 hours but usually don't. Convenience stores where they sell gas are the worst for this!

There has been a big flack where I live (Montana) because we get a lot of tourists driving long distances and suddenly find themselves stranded in a small town with no money and no gas. I think it should be illegal to put a hold on more than the amount but I don't own any Congressmen so what does my opinion matter?

[innerslytherin]

Yeah, well, and I always tell them to run it as credit if they ask, but that never seems to matter, regardless of what the lady at the bank told me.

I can totally see that happening in Montana, too. Indiana's a smaller state with smaller spaces. Out there, people could vanish for days while their credit cards were being wrongly refused. >.>

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Yeah, my credit union has suddenly started doing this. It's really a pain in the ass, because they'll take out money for something, say $100, AND they'll put a $100 hold on the account.

My sister called and said, "WTF?! Do you expect us all to keep TWICE the amount we need in our account at all times?"

Makes me happy that I use mostly cash.

[innerslytherin]

Yeah, this is a credit union too. I wonder if it's just them or all banks. *sigh* I'm going to be using mostly cash now too.

[nemica.livejournal.com]

Is there any logical explanation to this hold of double sum?

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Not that I can tell. The credit union told my sister that they had switched to a "hard hold" system. First, though, they kept telling her that it was the vendor, and she explained that no, it couldn't possibly be the vendor, and that was when they went into the hard hold situation. Really stupid. I mean, once the money has been subtracted from your account, why would there be a hold for the same amount of money?

[nemica.livejournal.com]

Yeah, obviously this stuff about vendor is so lame.

Anyway I don't like credit cards and always have cash with me. Though the cards're useful when I travel in Europe.

And I must say I have no idea what credit unions are as here in Russia we only have ordinary banks and credit and debit cards, like Visa or Mastercad.

[kirasha]

*hugz* I'm sorry sweets. That sucks.

This is why I use cash for everything but online purchase.

I've come to the conclusion that VISA must have a list somewhere of certain places that it refuses if there's an outstanding hold on funds through the check card. I've had one vendor refuse the card telling me it's refused by the issuer when I can go online and see no holds and plenty of funds. Then five minutes later another vendor accepts the card with no problem.

[innerslytherin]

Yeah, and how freaking strange that SUBWAY would be one of those places? But my problem is I bank with a credit union 60 miles north of the city I'm currently working in. So I've gotten used to using my card for everything, even at McDonald's. No more. I'm going back to cash.

[mnemosyne-redux.livejournal.com]

We're cutting down on the number of credit cards we have. We have a couple for emergencies (and because grad students sometimes need to buy food AND books), but we've gotten rid of the unnecessary ones. We did have one for overdraft protection on our bank account, but apparently the bank decided that for each month we didn't use the card, we'd get a $19 "inactivity fee". *jawdrop*

I told that bank to KMA and cancel the account. (Of course, we're thisclose to moving our bank account because of the problems and inefficiency of the bank. Ugh.)

All that to say - I completely sympathize.

[innerslytherin]

Yeah, after the crap with Target taking money out of my checking account on July 13th to cover almost the entire balance due, and then not letting me charge something on July 26th? I'm not using the Target card any more.

So I'm down to one credit card that I use (ie pay the balance every month so I can pay at the pump), plus my debit card. I used to use the debit card for everything because it's real money rather than credit, but I'm done with that. I'll just pay cash.

Incidentally, if it's 5th 3rd that you're banking with, leave them as soon as possible, because they find as many ways to screw you over as they can. Intentionally.

[mnemosyne-redux.livejournal.com]

Heh. Ironically, it is 5/3 I bank with. I've never had a problem with them... until I got married. And now they're screwing EVERYTHING up. Argh. I love the tellers at my usual branch - they remember me and they're very sweet. But yeah. We're pretty much done with 5/3. We're going to pay our first of the month bills, go to his cousin's wedding, and then switch banks (don't want to do it in the middle of lots of stuff going on and needing to use our debit cards).

[resolucidity.livejournal.com]

Oh, God...that is embarrasing. I had one decline on me like that before and I just wanted to crawl in a hole and die. I had no idea they could put a hold on your card like that. Evil banks! POX on them! and H1N1, too!!
*HUGS*

[innerslytherin]

Yeah, I'm going to have to find a new Subway now, because that one's owned by a family of immigrants who is ALWAYS there.

[resolucidity.livejournal.com]

I was going to tell you not to do that, because they probably won't remember and will be happy to take your money, but since Subways are as plentiful as Starbucks, it may not be too much of an imposition to find a new one.
Still sucks, though. :(

I would have bought you lunch...if you weren't in an entirely different state.

[ubervirgin.livejournal.com]

Man that sucks.

The only thing worse than the holds on money is when you arrange to have money taken out of your account for a payment and it takes them about two weeks to take that money out.

I'm a blonde, stressed out college student. I am flighty. It is entirely possible for me to have a moment of senility and think I have more money than I actually do and fuck myself over.

I ended up having the bank that my mom and I use take away the "over-draft" protection, because even if you don't have the money in the account, they will push the charges through and charge you $30 for each overage.

Banks are dumb. I like my smaller branch better than the other ones near us. Fifth Third is the devil. They have to be.

Re: I would have bought you lunch...if you weren't in an entirely different state.

[innerslytherin]

Aww, thanks. *hug* Yeah, as it turned out? This was a blessing in humiliating disguise. I had a payment that I thought was already cleared, and it ended coming out later that night. When I checked my account I had NINETY-THREE CENTS in it. Fortunately I had money to transfer over, but still.

[jenw118.livejournal.com]

Ugh, yeah there have been sooo many times I've wanted to just cash my check at the beginning of the month and divy it up into little envelopes to forget debit cards entirely.

I've had instances with the local cab company where I pay using my card and the money does not show up on my account as being taken out, does not even appear and get withdrawn until two or three weeks later where I've possibly forgotten the charge should be there. Since then, the cab company has gotten way better, but still. I have little faith in technology, Like a previous poster, I would have bought you lunch too! I'm always looking for a Subway lunch/dinner buddy. None of my friends here like it.

[innerslytherin]

You know, I've just about decided to go back to cash, seriously. Once it's spent, there's no more spending. *sigh*

[astraea36.livejournal.com]

Paying in cash is better anyway. Credit cards are the devil! James has been telling me that for two years now! Now if only I could get Hubby on board with this frame of thinking!

[innerslytherin]

Well, yeah, but I was trying to use a DEBIT card! Still, I know what you mean. I need to use cash only.

[hellokitty138.livejournal.com]

Is Old National your bank? Curious, because I tried to use my Old National debit card yesterday in Old Navy to make a $12 purchase and it was declined, even though I had more than enough money in my acct.

[innerslytherin]

Nah, I'm with a local credit union. I have a feeling debit cards in general come with annoying policies.

[hellokitty138.livejournal.com]

Hmm. Guess it's just the evil of cards in general :P