REJECTED

At our home the money comes in one big installment from the savings account on the first of the month. On the 30th of the month there are no trips to the gas station (aka treat store), no grocery stops, and no splurges to McDonald's, but a day later, WOOOHEEEE, I am rich again (well, you know, rich for me)!

I have an excel spreadsheet that some months I diligently input my spending data, but other months I fall behind and live by the online account balance check (probably more of the latter, unfortunately). In February, I checked my account on the 24th before a much needed grocery trip-- $150.00 were left in the account so I thought I was doing pretty well with just 5 days left in the month.

On Friday the 28th, at about 1:00 P.M., I was bustling the kids into the car from a "playdate" at a friend's house, and figured that with Kindergarten Registration at 1:30, we really didn't have time to go home for lunch and make it to registration on time. I figured that since 4 days before I had $150 in the account and had only spent about $65 at the grocery store, I was safe to stop off at Arby's for a quick lunch--it is only minute or two away from the school.

So, we go inside. The kids ask for a kid's meal and I say, "Alright, today we can do it because you are going to KINDERGARTEN registration, yeah!!" When my $12 is rung up the teenager behind the counter informs me, "It didn't go through."

"Oh, that is strange. Let's try it again."

Then, "No, it was declined again."

"Oh, okay," I mumble, as my kids are already diving into the curly fries. I quickly fumble through my wallet to find a credit card!?! Hello, using a credit card for a food purchase? I am not feeling much like a winner at this point. "I think this one will work," I say.

Strange thoughts are racing through my head. I mentally tally the money I've spent the last few days and can't figure out what the problem is. Where did my money go? Has someone been hacking the account? This teenager must think I am really irresponsible. Did anyone in line behind me hear him say I was declined? AAAHHH!

Unfortunately, these issues are not resolved until I haul the crew home about 2 hours later. I bound to the computer. Login to my account. Nervously bite my fingers as the my account is being retrieved.

The verdict: on top of my little grocery trip (yes, $65 is little for our family), D has filled up his tank (about $45), and a utility bill that I recently put on automatic deposit was also run. I had $3.16 in my account. Yikes. I really deserved to be rejected-- how embarrasing!