Brian @ My Next Buck is always trying to recruit me for his Friday Financial Foul Ups. I always tell him, “No.” That’s what this blog is for. You don’t have to wait till Friday to hear about how I’ve screwed up.
Last week I had to go downtown to meet a client. I didn’t have cash to pay for the parking garage. (WHY DO SO FEW DC PARKING LOTS TAKE CREDIT CARDS? Oh right, because it makes it that much easier to skim the cash…) That meant I had to pay $5 in ATM fees because there wasn’t a bank ATM around. I had to use one inside of a CVS. That’s $3 the ATM’s bank charged me and $2 my own bank charged me. It’s kind of a dumb thing to pay, but I probably go to another bank’s ATM only 4 times a year. I’ve been much better about using my debit card incessantly or taking out cash beforehand.
The other thing that was positively moronic, was that once I paid for the parking, I did not turn in the receipt right away. I’m still going to try and put it in, but I don’t like looking like a bad brownie at work. Timely expense reports is one way to look good so I’m not 100% sure I want to highlight my mistake. But since it’s for $17 and that’s basically 2 lunches, I kind of want that money back.
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At CVS, instead of using those uber-expensive ATMs, I just buy either candy or chapstick. Much cheaper & more useful.
Parking cost $17? And within 7 business days isn’t considered timely? Oy.
I hate it when I get stuck in a pickle like that. The few bucks I have to pay in ATM fees really bother me. – One thought for the future. I think CVS gives you a little cash back if you pay with a debit card when you buy something. Maybe you and I should try this next time.
Less is more. I thought about buying some gum or candy at the CVS on debit, but the truth is, I didn’t want it. There was nothing I wanted at that store that day. (And it’s unseemly to have toilet paper in a grocery bag walking into a meeting.) For some reason, completely irrational as it is, I didn’t want to buy anything when I didn’t need it or want it.
In downtown DC, garage parking is insanely expensive for a 2 hour meeting.
Years ago, my friend told me she keeps $20 in her car for emergencies. She figured if it got stolen or lost, it was not a lot of money, but it may be useful. Since that time, I hide $20 in my car for emergencies. I have never needed to use it for an emergency, but it has come in handy at times to avoid ATM fees. The key is to replace it immediately.
I hear you on expensive parking in DC. Once I pulled into a parking lot and had my jaw drop when I saw they were charging $8 bucks for half an hour. Then I had to make that awkward u-turn to get the heck out of there!
@TH
I keep $10 bucks in my car for emergencies. Usually its gas. Sometimes I will run low before the month is over and I live around gas station that charges .10 cents less per gallon if you pay with cash.