I love this guy. I really do. But should we happen to show up in LA without him, you might want to check the desert for his body….
Lets back up to China. At some point my wallet disappears. We figure it is in all the luggage or somewhere at my parents and are not really worried. When we left we still had not found it, but were hoping it was in the luggage somewhere. We get home and unpack, and never found it. 🙁 I could have possibly gotten pick pocketed. It had a little cash, all my CVS and store cards, and my license.
I am home late Tuesday night from the China trip and try to get things replaced but ran out of time. I have a passport and Sams Club card, what more do you need? 🙂 We leave late Sunday for CA.
At the hotel where we had dinner Paul leaves the debit card. We are only 20 minutes away when he remembers, we go back and thankfully it is there! You know that little voice that tells you “tiffany, take the card now and get a bunch of cash out of the ATM.” Yeah, that voice? I ignored it.
Monday we are driving all day, we stop to get gas in TX right by the border. The credit card machine does not work outside and so they are having you go in and PRE PAY with a debit card. We were not sure how much we needed so they had Paul leave the card with them and pump the gas.
This was about lunch time.
We ate dinner in New Mexico, and when Paul went to pay for dinner he couldn’t find the card. Instantly he realized he had left it 340 miles back in TEXAS. We start digging for cash. We come up with money for dinner and have $80 left on us. I also have 2 checks left in my checkbook and only my passport for ID. It is also 8pm. That was also the ONLY card that we have on us.
We have no idea what the name of the place was that the card was at. There was also NO WAY I was driving back to get it. We sit there for a few minutes completely stumped. I am envisioning us sleeping in the suburban in the parking lot until they can send us a new card days later. So we do what any rational people do and drive to a Walmart. I am figuring there has to be a way for us to wire ourselves money.
At this point, I need to add that not only has he lost the personal debit card at this point, but a week before we left for China he lost the business card we have as well. We had not gotten the replacement for that yet when we left on this trip. I am starting to do the math on what cash we have left. We can sleep in the truck, and with $80 I think we will be able to have enough gas to get to LA. Where then I could just write Paul’s Mom and check for cash until the replacement card gets there. The kids are not excited about this option.
We call Woodforest, our bank to see if anyone has been using it and if they have any suggestions. No one used it and as much as I have complained about Woodforest, they really made every effort to be super helpful. We were able to get our card number and they helped us figure out online how to wire ourselves money.
Inside Walmart, we were still trying to figure out what options we had to get cash. If I was a person at Walmart listening to the story I was telling them, I would have thought I was crazy.
“Um, I need to get as much cash as possible. No I don’t have a license, we are out of town and lost our debit card. But I have CHECKS! My husband has his license but yes the name on this is mine….”
I would have laughed at me!
I was finally able to wire Paul $800 + a $70 fee. This took 2 more hours, and the nice lady at Walmart kept the service desk open an extra 30 minutes for us. VERY NICE of her! We were also able to find a hotel that would rent us a room without a debit card, we put a cash deposit. And no, we didn’t tell them how many kids we have 🙂
I can’t make this stuff up. No one really can do this many dumb things. I just wanted to share my evening with you guys so that next time you are traveling you will think to yourself, “Wow, we better have cash and a back up debit card, and NOT leave the one we are using in a gas station.”
See how I am there for you?!
P.S. I love my husband dearly.
Part comedian, part Dad, part athlete. He will boss around your children while they play ball.
Just as angelic as she looks, this girl could easily raise a Village by herself, and all the children would grow up to be President.
Self proclaimed, she would be a webkinz dog. Because, "they're cute, and puppies are too. And they're sweet and they always get along with other puppies."
This mini-Martha Stewart can handle ANY craft you send her way. She isn't all bows and rainbows, she's got karate kid moves!
Not "Pick-Me-Up" like caffeine, she wants you to pick her up! AND NOW!
Anything that can be destroyed WILL be destroyed!
Practically Perfect in Every Way for now! Nicknamed "The Panda" she is rolly polly and lives by the motto, "the little one, is KING!"
The resident Labradoodle, Miller got his name because Mom won and got to name the baby! Need something chewed up? He'll take care of it. Especially if it's expensive..
I can’t imagine! I freak out if I’m 10 minutes from the house and think that I have left my debit card somewhere! I usually deal only in cash, but always keep the debit card just in case…
How do you manage to keep all these deals and coupons in order, and yet do all these crazy things with your credit cards.
I know huh? 🙂 I think part of the problem is that we only ever have one card. We really each need our own, and I think it would actually work better. But we are constantly handing the card back and forth and I think that causes each of us to never know where it is.
I am praying for you. They say what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.
Tiffany, I’m convinced that the Ivanovsky’s need their own reality show! I love reading your blogs. You have a wonderful sense of humor…and I thought things like this only happened to our family. 🙂
Have a very safe trip.
Wow!!!
Here’s a neat (maybe you win something) website from Cracker Barrel: http://www.crackerbarrelsummerspin.com/
Stop!!! I cant take it, I’m praying for ya’ll… But I am rolling on the floor… Be safe and God Be With You All…
Don’t feel bad. This kind of thing happens to us all the time. You just have to laugh and go on.
I am totally convinced that I need to meet you. I thought these sort of things ONLY happened to me. I live in The Woodlands, I have 4 kids I am saying that God is soooooo good because as much craziness as I get myself into…but really things just happen, God always helps me out !! Praying for you and we are hitting the road tomorrow with hotels that I got on Priceline. I hope it all works out ok.
Oh my gosh! That is horrible but at least you are able to laugh about it now but yeah I would definitely have been totally freaking out!!! Glad everything worked out ok!
Too funny! I’m about to travel alone with 4 kids and I havent told the hotels how many kids we have. Like I’m really going to get an extra room for one of my kids ages 6,5,3,1. Hope the rest of your trip is event free
I’ve talked to several hotel mgrs over the years and most have told me that since the kids (all six) are mine they have no problem with me having them all in one room. They’ve even asked if I want a roll away. Now I do tell them this before I make the reservation.
Bless your children for putting up with you and Paul! 😉 They’re going to have so many fun stories to look back on and laugh about when they’re older with their own families.
Your telling me! Just think how much they are learning on what NOT to do!
Seriously girl, I love ya like a sister but GET YOURSELF A FREAKIN’ CREDIT CARD. You could get one of those air miles ones, or a hotel points one, or a Discover card that gives cash back, or a State Farm one like we have that we pay off every month and get enough cash back to pay all our insurance bills. Or at the very least, an extra debit card. Only you. 🙂
LOL! I know! We are ‘trying’ to do the ‘right thing’ and not have a credit card… On the list of things to do when I get home! I am emailing you about the State Farm card.
Thanks for this post, it was a great read! 🙂 OH and I love the “P.S.” at the end! 🙂
Don’t you have “Moneybags” with you? See if she can spot you til you are in LA 🙂
Oh my goodness! I can’t imagine all that you went through! I love Paul’s picture – you can just see how disappointed he is.
I can’t tell you how animated your stories are and make you feel like you were there. I didn’t know if I should cry or laugh but all I can say is…wow! My husband and your husband must be related…lol! Anyway, I truly love to read your blog. This will be the talk of family night for a while I’m sure. Safe travels and try not to lose the cash before you get home!!!!
Hi tiffany
I live in brawley Ca, about 2 hours east of san diego, We have been in similar situations! Please if you need a place to stay or just to stop and rest
we would love to have you and your family over! (I would love to meet you)
Evalia Barrie
Your awesome thank you!
Tiffany – You are the Erma Bombeck of the 21st century. You really need to right a blog.
Oh I LOVE Erma!
write
You guys better split the cash in case someone gets their pocket picked again! And having a credit card is not wrong, running up a huge balance you can’t pay is wrong. Using it responsibly is good for your credit score.
Y’all slay me! As I read this Im picturing the Griswalds in the family truckster.
Don’t be to hard on Paul. Unfortunately I am the “paul” of our family. It drives my poor husband crazy that I am always loosing and/or forgetting things. I feel for ya Paul. And for the rest of you who lovingly put up with our kind of crazy!!
LOL! It was actually kinda funny, because I know that i am really anal and can freak about stuff, but this time I just stood there and shook my head. He kept apologizing and we all just hugged him and said we can fix it. I can’t tell you how much more exciting my life is that i am married to him! So THANK YOU, for being crazy also, because you make life fun!
We were in LA last weekend, my husband is taking phlebotomy classes, it was about time to check out so I’m trying to take as much luggage as possible in each trip so I don’t have to make 4 trips with my two girls 5 &3 runnin thu the parking lot and such. So while I’m fussing with the luggage in the trunk, trying to keep track of my girls I locked the keys in my trunk! It was a feeling of complete hopelessness! To top it off my 5 yr old keep telling me this is the worst day ever over and over again! So not helping me! I had to call a locksmith took them 2 hrs to get there and $134 it seems things like this happen to me too! We leave again Friday to go back hoping for a better trip for us! And you too!
Tiffany and Paul,
I am so glad you were able to find a way out of the crazy situation. That would actually have made for a great reality show episode. I can’t even imagine having to go through all of that with the kids in tow. I had fun seeing you at Save Up and hopefully our paths will cross again soon! 🙂
Maria
Oh dear! We have been in similar situations. We have 8kids. My husband once left his wallet on the counter renting skis 1st day of vacation. Thankfully I had insisted on 1/2 the money and thankfully I had a card he did not have to cancel. He is like the absent-minded professor. I think on trips both your family and mine should have a checklist after potty and or gas stops. Do I have the card I used? Do I have the wallet? Do I have my ID? Do I have my keys? Are all the children in the car? Are all the pets that came back in the car? Better safe than sorry. Have a fun time and every once in awhile just take a deep breath.
I can relate. I left my purse at home before heading out to Disney with my grandson. The purse had my money, credit card, driver’s license, etc. Thank God I had some money on me (my emergency money stuck in a separate place) and the Tickets and my special Disney Card with my points. Let me tell you it is harder to get in Disney without proper id than fort knox! My daughter overnighted my pocket (cost $56!) just to find out it doesn’t deliver on Sunday! I had to wait til Monday (why they charged her extra for 2 day service???) Fortunate, my daughter was able to fax my work id and the hotel let us stay the nights with my points.
And THIS is why hubby and I have decided to keep separate accounts each with our own debit card. We do not own a credit card – I would not go that route if I were you, especially if you have already learned to live life without one. We have our 2 separate accounts (I believe I read on here somewhere that you work outside the home so you receive a paycheck, right?), plus 1 other checking account that we use as savings (aside from our ACTUAL retirement savings). The key is to designate the other checking account between you as savings, this way you can transfer money back and forth without any charges that you would if it was designated at the bank as savings. Then when something like this happens you have the other persons card and their account, quickly call your bank and tell them the situation just in case charges to that account are made. Transfer whatever funds (via the handy dandy smart phone) to the account you will now be using as the primary for the rest of your trip. We each put what extra money we can to the “savings” account each month and try to build it up as high as possible for the rainy day, all vacation expenses come from that account so that no bills or actual living expenses are hindered by a vacation. We TRY to make it a goal to keep $10,000 in that account. Now it has gone to almost zero when my hubby and I were laid off, or when we had 2 AC units go out within 6 months of each other, or had to get the house ready to sell quickly and had to put hardwoods in our townhome to replace ruined carpet and knew that hardwoods would help the house to sell better. All these things did not set us back because we had the cash set aside. Anyway, I digress as the savings account has nothing to do with your situation, but just saying it is better than getting stuck in a credit card. Even if you say you will pay it off each month, it is too easy to have that to fall back on if you have a rainy day or other unexpected expense then that is when things get bad. But you DO need 2 debit cards that is too many lost/forgotten debit card times!
Your stories remind me of the old Lucy show, the things that would happen when then went on vacation were hilarious. I love it that you can write about them and let us share
Tiffany, you need to punch a hole in the debit card, put a string around it and tie it around Paul’s neck…. I don’t even have a debit card… I am a cash or check type of person…lol Hope things get better….
Seriously good idea!