Monday, November 2, 2020

Give Me Some Credit, Will You

Thursday's surprise casino trip came about because we were headed to the Best Buy store in Casino Town, to procure the NEW LAPTOP that The Pony has been saving his previous casino winnings for. 
 
He had found a great deal online Wednesday night. Lucky for him, the store in Casino Town had one in stock, since we are afraid of having it shipped, what with the shady package thieves who pop up when you least expect them, here in our isolated enclave. UNlucky for The Pony, as we readied ourselves for the trip at 7:00 Monday morning (I had an early nurse practitioner appointment!), he discovered the deal was no longer good!

That was heartbreaking! The Pony would have saved $400 on that laptop! He had already run it by Genius, our non-resident computer expert, who said it was a great deal on a good brand, with all the special stuff The Pony desires for gaming. What a panic! The Pony got to searching, and found another model of the same brand, on special right then, that would save him $350. We were virtually dancing with glee at his good fortune. 
 
At 7:25, The Pony had everything ready to go to submit the order. All he had left was to enter our credit card. That's the easiest way. He had his wad of cash laid out on the coffee table, for me put in the safe, to hold until the next billing cycle, to use for payment.

DECLINED!

What in the NOT-HEAVEN? Our bill is paid off each month. There is a ZERO balance on it. The previous month's payment had been received, and the new bill had not yet arrived.

WAH WAH WAAAAA.... That's the sad sound effect like when a Let's Make a Deal contestant would choose the curtain with a year's supply of macaroni and cheese, rather than the new kitchen appliance showcase.

Since we were leaving at 7:30 to make my appointment on time, there was nothing we could do. Farmer H said that Best Buy should honor that price in the store, once The Pony explained that he'd tried to order online, for in-store pickup, and couldn't get it to go through. The Pony was a bit dubious. But Farmer H insisted, 

"They WILL honor that deal!"

Farmer H can be very persuasive in person, and in fact DID force the issue and get the laptop for the sale price. He sang the praises of the Best Buy worker, and also that of the Indian rep from our credit card company, whom he had to talk to when our card was again declined. He was NOT happy with the automated options and wait time to talk to a real person on the credit card end.

Seriously. I don't know what's the deal with our credit card. It's from a MAJOR bank. We've had it for 31 years! Always paid off the full amount each month. Once we even charged a TRUCK on it (which took TWO months for payoff; I stand corrected). This is the credit card that wouldn't let me buy The Pony's new phone out in Norman, Oklahoma, when we tried online to have it shipped to a SPRINT store. 

It's inconvenient. I know that a pricey new laptop might send up a red flag, except WE ARE ENTERING THE CHRISTMAS SHOPPING SEASON. And I've ordered computers and laptops on that credit card before. I told Farmer H that maybe I should have put in a notice that we'd be making a major purchase. Like when I'd put in that we'd be traveling on certain dates.

I didn't mind when the credit card people called me many years ago, to say that my card was being used in a town 30 miles away, minutes after I'd used it here in Hillmomba. I explained that Farmer H was up there using our card for building materials, while I was using it at The Devil's Playground. No harm, no foul. Neither of our purchases were declined. It was just their fraud division checking on it. I was pleased that they did so.

However... I don't like my purchases being declined for NO GOOD REASON. It's a pain in the rumpus, and could have cost The Pony a sweet deal on a laptop, had we not driven 90 miles one-way to purchase in person.

Farmer H never really gave me a good answer on WHY the card was declined. I'm guessing he didn't bother to ask, once he explained the earlier order attempt and decline, and gave the wrong mother's maiden name (for mine instead of HIS), and finally obtained authorization to purchase the laptop. I won't even bring it up as one of his MOST RECENT THINGS YOU'VE DONE WRONG topics, since he took care of it, and I did not have to deal with it.

What's the advantage of having excellent credit for 31 years, if you can't use it once in a blue moon when you need it?

4 comments:

Rae said...

I have had the same problem with a credit card that I use quite often, just to keep spending for "pandemic" supplies separate from other purchases. Have great credit, always pay more than minimum due, in full, when possible and the dollar amounts on said card were not significant. Was placing order with Target and it said there was a problem with credit card, tried using it on a different online purchase (also a place that I had been ordering from, fairly often) and also declined. Never found a reason as we checked on line and wanted us to approve specific entries/charges of which had somehow duplicated - ugh!! Just paid off credit card and will use our other card instead (of which I have never had a problem with). As far as the paid off card - I will wait until they threaten to close it if we don't use it and will place a small order and pay it off again. I can play these silly games too. Ranee (MN)

River said...

I hate the thought of cards being declined for no particular reason. The only reason I can think of is the banking end of things had a snafu or was being audited and purchases were on hold for a short time. Which is not good enough in my opinion.
I remember my bank sending me notification of my card being used in a different state, when I was visiting my brother in Western Australia. Nice of them to be on the lookout.

Sioux Roslawski said...

I'm glad that The Pony got his laptop. I'm sure it's the deluxe version, the version that can get dropped in a triangle tub when the user is doing goodness-knows-what... and the laptop will still come up a-clickin'. (What old commercial/brand did those last few words parody?)

Hillbilly Mom said...

Rae,
OH, NO! Now I will worry that we got charged more than once for the laptop! I will be calling the automated line every couple of days to check on it!

I was actually going to cancel this card about 20 years ago, because I didn't want to pay the annual fee. They said they would waive the annual fee, as long as we paid the balance in full each month. Heh, heh! NO PROBLEM! I guess by now they've figured out they didn't really outsmart ME!

***
River,
I do appreciate the call about the card being used in two different places at the same time. Even the order for the phone might be excused, since I was doing it from a hotel in Norman, Oklahoma, nine hours away from home.

Farmer H thinks maybe The Pony messed up the computer order by putting in HIS phone number on the order. The Pony thought maybe he flipped the secret code number on the back of the card, confusing 6s and 9s, but that was not it.

It was on the 29th of the month. Not a big buying day as far as I know. Not like when people get their first-of-the-month money, and might tie up the system. Or maybe a lot of people were charging, because it WAS the end of the month, and they didn't have money yet...

***
Sioux,
The Pony's laptop is NOT a Timex brand! He'd better not be taking it into the triangle tub. I need to keep closer tabs on him as he walks from his room, behind the short couch, to the master bathroom.

Tonight I heard a CLUNK shortly after he went in there, and I told Farmer H, "That better not be his cell phone falling in the water!" He has texted me since then, so I guess the phone is okay. Oh, and I also found out that The Pony TURNS THE LIGHTS OUT WHILE HE'S IN THE TUB! The photo of the toothpaste was taken with his flash, he said.