This morning I noticed my gas light was on in the van, so I decided to go get gas. Sounds simple, right? Apparently not...
We are on a cash only budget. We have no credit cards so that has never been a problem, but I found that it was easier to keep track of where our money was going and stay on budget if we paid for everything with cash. We have the envelope system going on. :) But I have had a hard time with getting gas. It is so easy to go to Chevron and use my debit card to pay for gas. But now I need to pay with the cash that is allotted to gas,and not use my debit card. Justin has filled up the van the last few times so it hasn't been a problem. Then today happened.
I decided to go to AMPM, because they have cash accepting islands (i really didn't know what to call them, can you tell?). So I pulled up and walked over to the island with my nice 50 dollar bill. Well guess what? The machine only takes 1's, 5's, 10's, or 20's. Wonderful. So I dig in my wallet trying to find a 20. No luck. I find a 100 dollar bill (grocery money) or a 5 (my coffee money). My only option was the 5. I figured I would put $5 in, and then try to fill up with gas when I didn't have Judah. I could make it for a bit on the $5. But the machine wouldn't take the $5 bill either. No idea why, it obviously wasn't my lucky day. So then I decide screw it (yes, screw it. If I was a swearing person I promise you I would have been swearing right now) I would use my debit card, pay the .45 cent charge that AMPM issues for using debit cards and then drive downtown and deposit my 50 into our account. Can you guess what happened??? Yep, my card declined. No idea why. We probably don't have money in our checking because we pay cash for everything.
So. I had to do what I had been avoiding the whole time. My option was 1. leave Judah in the van and walk over to the store to give them my 50 or 2. take Judah out of his car seat and into the store with me. I have to say that I was tempted to leave him in the car. I would have locked the doors, the windows were cracked, he would have been fine. But I really don't want to be "that mom" that leaves her kid in the car. So, I unbuckled him and we went in and gave the cashier my 50. Come back out, buckle Judah back into his car seat and proceed to pump my gas. Now I have to say I have never in my live hopped that it would take $50 to fill up my tank. But I was praying pretty hard at this point that I wouldn't have any change. Of course, my total came to $46.10. I was VERY tempted to just leave, but wasn't sure if it would mess up their whole system. So I unbuckled Judah (again) and went in for my change.
What a pain.
Not sure what I will do in the future. If Cohen was born I don't know what I would have done. No way could I have lugged them both in there. I like the cash option at AMPM, but I don't trust it very much. Since it wouldn't take my $5, I am thinking maybe the machines are finicky?
What did moms do before there were credit card machines at each pump? I need some good advice here. :)
11 comments:
I like the "envelope system", too. (but we don't use it) I know a mom that cleans out her car, washes it and fills up with gas every Monday. Maybe this would work 'cause you'd be expecting to lug the kids out for the errand. I don't mind inconvinience so much when it's planned.
About a month ago my debit card kept getting declined at Chevron so I had to take both kids out of the car and take them in to pay inside with my card..for some reason that pump was just messed up! Now I take a deep breath everytime I put my card in.
back in the "old" days...pre-debit cards...lol, I used to try and fill up when I didn't have the kids with me, or when Mike was driving, because you had to go inside and pay, OR, once in awhile you'd actually find a full service gas station where they pumped your gas for you and you paid the attendant directly. Otherwise, I hauled the kids out of the car and drug them in with me to pay. I found every drive-thru convenience I could when I had kids. My suggestion now is to keep your budgeted amount in your bank account so you can use your debit card, OR set up a whole separate account and put your budgeted amount for gas in that separate account. Just consider it your "envelope" for gas...you could even put the debit card for that account into an envelope marked "gas" and keep your receipts or a running total of how much is left in the account on the outside of the envelope. Hauling kids out of carseats is such a hassle! By the way...I hate getting gas at am/pm, although mike gets his there. I don't like paying that extra $.45 to use your debit card...it basically adds an extra $.03 per gallon of gas. Gas at the stations up on Hillcrest is generally cheaper than downtown, which is cheaper than Mt. View.
wow, that was a lot longer than i realized! sorry!
dude. that was a great blog. i mean the writing was just vivid and creative. props.
also, back in the day, gas wasn't $3 a gallon and those machines were real people.
though i will agree with you that that was a most inconvient expierence for you and i wish i could have been there to be a helper with running in money or entertaining Judah man.
:)
1. i'm glad you didn't leave our son in the car with the doors locked and the windows slightly cracked like a dog.
2. does that mean that GOD doesn't answer prayers if you gas didn't cost $50?
3. you have a cell phone. i have a cell phone. call me.
4. i love you.
cash card...i mean prepaid gas card....at chevron so you dont have to go inside if that is how they work now so sure? just a possiblity
or move to orgeon...which im sure is not going to happen hehehhehehehehe i like having you in shelton
I didn't realize that problem with the gas stations.
Now, I will be in charge of pump our cars.
Thanks for share your story.
True Confession!!
I have done the dreaded #1 on justins comment!
Alas, I'm a horrid mother. I admit it.
If I need to pay cash I always go to the full serve station. My kids are 6,6, and 3. There is no way that I would leave them in the car! Too many nuts out there. Those extra few cents are a small price to pay for security. It takes them ten minutes to get settled back in the carif I take them in (not to mention the begging for candy). I try to avoid that too.
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