Last Monday I went to USPS (United States Postal Services) to mail an important document home. I gave my debit card for the payment, but to my dismay the transaction failed. To make matters more embarrassing, I did not even have enough cash with me to pay for the service. I felt terrible. I couldn’t even cancel the order as the order was already placed and was fed into the system and I had to pay. I inquired for nearby ATM and requested the lady at the counter to wait and I will quickly go and get the cash from the ATM. I reached at the ATM only to realize that ATM machine was out-of-orderL!!! I wondered how and what would be the best way to get quick cash; I was very confused whom to ask for help in such a critical state. I was pacing in the hallway of the building and I instantly ran to the Center for International Studies hoping to see Kayoko – the ISO coordinator and one of my fellow international students. To my relief she was available and only person whom I could have asked to borrow five dollars. She was truly a savior for me.
The next day, I headed to my bank and got the debit card issue fixed. As it turns out I needed to reset my pin number. What a relief it was to get this sorted out. Never before had I been in a situation where despite of having money, I was not able to use it. These easy quick electronic facilities can be very frustrating at times. I learned an important lesson– to carry at least 20 to 30 dollars extra so I can be prepared should something like this happens again.
The next day, I headed to my bank and got the debit card issue fixed. As it turns out I needed to reset my pin number. What a relief it was to get this sorted out. Never before had I been in a situation where despite of having money, I was not able to use it. These easy quick electronic facilities can be very frustrating at times. I learned an important lesson– to carry at least 20 to 30 dollars extra so I can be prepared should something like this happens again.
Hi Aarti,
ReplyDeleteYou should be able to charge your card as credit at USPS(if the debit card is a Visa/Mastercard). Also, in case you didn't know already, you can get cash back at major pharmacy/grocery stores with any purchase. This is how I usually get cash without having to look for ATM.