1. I got a new credit card with better rewards 3 days ago.
2. I used the new card for a day without any problems.
3. We called when Doug got home from work so he could request a card on that account.
4. Yesterday I had several errands to do. Main one being getting groceries. I knew there might be better deals with the new ads but I wanted to try to avoid the crowds.
5. I stopped at a smaller chain grocery store to pick up a couple of their sale items.
6. My card gave some weird error message and after a few swipes I gave up and used my debit card.
7. My frustration meter registered a small blip.
9. I attributed the problem to it being a smaller store and that their machines didn't recognize the card because it has a "chip" in it. Whatever I went on my way unworried. (Soon that will prove to be a foolish feeling.)
10. Next stop was a big chain grocery store. I even had some coupons to use on top of their specials. I spent the next 30 - 40 minutes loading up my cart with the listed items.
11. With my coupons in hand I unloaded my cart and watched the total rise. Wow, did it ever rise! But alas when the specials and my coupons were accounted for the total was in the $160's. Not too bad considering I really needed to stock up and I also saved nearly that same amount.
12. I pulled out my shiny new credit card, only swiped a handful of times, and with confidence I flicked my wrist and completed another flawless swipe.
13. My confidence wilted when once again the card was denied.
14. Denied? What?! Couldn't be declined!!
15. My frustration meter shot up a couple of notches.
16. I explained to the cashier that the card was brand new and it should be fine and . . . .
17. Her response was to suggest that I call them and see what the problem was. She would "suspend" my transaction and we could come back to it when/if I figured things out.
18. OK. I agreed to do that. So there my cart sat - blocking the exit way at the end of the check-out lane while I called the bank.
19. Frustration meter going up.
20. I got an answer and worked my way through the automated answering system and got to a real person quickly. Fine. Things are looking up.
21. I gave the lady on the phone every possible piece of personal information, key password, SSN, etc. I explained that I was in the middle of the grocery store and felt really weird about someone possibly overhearing all this information. But at that point, what could I do?
22. I was put on hold for "just one second". Right. Try 15 minutes. Frustration meter heading way up. Once you are put on hold there is no way to get back to anyone until they decide to come back to you. So I waited, and waited, and waited.
23. After "just one second" read 15 LONG MINUTES LATER - the girl came back and asked if I reported the card stolen. WHAT? Of course not! I have the card and I'm trying to use it. Well you must have reported it stolen because that account has been closed. WHAT?!!
24. Frustration meter nearing maximum.
25. Staying calm (I was in the middle of the grocery store), I asked her if this was going to be able to be resolved so I could get my groceries or if I just should bail right now and cut my losses. She assured me that we'd get this worked out. But she needed to put me on hold to talk to her supervisor.
26. NO - WAIT I DON'T WANT to . . . . be . . . ... put . .. . . on . . . . . . . . . . . .
27. Rats!! I'm on hold and really frustrated.
28. I see the cashier glancing my way every once in a while. I smile and . . . . . well smile.
29. After about 10 more minutes a supervisor comes on the phone and we have to rehash all the previous information. I ask her if we can hurry because I have all my Thanksgiving groceries sitting in a basket. She assures me we can get this worked out.
30. So this whole incident began in the grocery line at about 11:35 or so. Now it was 12:05. Frustration meter was now registering maximum.
31. She managed to get the current card approved for $200 of purchases. I knew my groceries were $160 something. I specifically asked about getting some gas on the way home. She assured me that as long as the total was under $200 I would be fine. Just fine!
32. So I asked her to call my home later and let me know how we were going to permanently resolve this problem. I thanked her and hung up.
33. Whew! So glad I can get those groceries and some gas to get home and be done with this whole ordeal.
34. I went back to the line I checked out in and discovered that my cashier wasn't there. Where - was - she? Hello? Are you kidding me? So I talked to the new cashier about the suspended checkout. Her answer to me was a completely blank stare.
35. Frustration meter off the chart now!
36. My original cashier got off duty at 12:00. Now it was 12:10. I can't believe it! Unbelievable!!
37. So now what? My cashier was supposed to have a receipt of some kind that they could scan or punch in the numbers that would bring up my order. That was nowhere to be found.
38. There was a youngish tall cashier girl who was witness to the whole incident so far. She closed her line and offered to help me out.
39. How could she help? She had to completely check me out again. Yes, you read that right. Everything had to be un-bagged and re-scanned and re-bagged.
40. Frustration meter about to burst!
41. Nice lady and I worked well together. I tried to keep things light with her and told her my total was in the $160's and we would see if it matched up or not. Ha ha ha. How's your day? Etc. Etc. The process was worked opposite of any usual check out. I un-bagged the items at the exit end, she scanned the items and put them on the usual entrance spot, then I re-bagged them and walked them back to the exit end and into my cart.
42. Total? $177. Not an exact match, but what could I do at that point? I started to exit when I remembered why the total didn't match. My coupons.
43. I thought about forgetting about it - but I knew it was about $10. So . . . I quickly grabbed the same nice tall youngish cashier and told her about my coupons. Well those were neatly (NOT) stored in a zippered bag at the original cashier's station.
44. Frustration meter lucky to still be intact with no furious outburst or meltdown tears.
45. I searched the bag and eventually found my coupons. Guess what the total was? $11. 56. Took the new total down to just where the original total was.
46. I nearly ran out of that place so glad they didn't ban me from ever coming back.
47. Frustration meter started to go back down as I listened to the radio and drove straight over to a gas station.
48. So guess what happened when I swiped my card for a $25 purchase? The message came up that I needed to go see the cashier inside. I didn't need an anvil to fall on my head to figure out that that meant my card was declined. So frustrating!
49. Frustration meter cracking at all the pressure.
50. I used the $10 bill I got back for the coupons and put that much gas in the truck and headed home.
So if you finished reading this entirely too long blog post you know that my Frustration Meter Was Off the Charts by the end of this incident. I've decompressed and calmed and we have even worked out with the bank how we are going to resolve this issue. By tomorrow morning both Doug and I should have brand spanking new credit cards and those rewards that we rack up had better be worth this whole Frustrating ordeal.
