I hate banks. Seriously.

So, I go to put gas in my new guzzler this morning and a note pops up on the screen "Please see cashier." Well, I was running late and isn't the point of having a debit card NOT having to go in and see the cashier. So I figured I could make it to work and just get gas at lunch time. Well, on my way to work I get a text message from Keith, "I just tried to get breakfast. Card doesn't work. How much money did you spend?" Seriously? BOTH cards not working. And getting declined at the gas pump is a whole lot less embarrassing than getting declined face to face with a cashier and a line of people behind you--and not having any cash in your wallet!

So when I get to work, I check my online banking. NEGATIVE $440. WHAT??? I must admit, I'm not the best when it comes to balancing a checkbook, but I have learned to "hide" money in there. So there's no way it could be negative, especially not THAT MUCH. So I'm looking at all the line entries and I notice that there are multiple duplicate charges. And these are not $4 and $5 charges, they are ATM withdrawals of $200, credit transactions of $93 and $118 posted TWICE, along with a few other small ones posted twice. Not to mention 10 NSF charges in the amount of $32 each. So I get on the phone with the bank.

My conversation with the bank goes something like this.

Me: "Hi. I was just looking over my online banking transactions and it appears that there are multiple duplicate charges made to my account that made it go negative and then accrue NSF charges."

Bank: "Yeah, our system ended up posting transactions twice on some accounts and we're working to get it fixed. Don't worry, those NSF charges will be reversed." (Oh, you better BELIEVE they will be!)

Me: "Really. Well, I need gas in my car and I can't use my card. Do you have any idea when this will be corrected."

Bank: "N0. It could be a couple of hours or a couple of days."

Me: "Well, it better be a couple of hours because if I can't get home tonight because I don't have any gas I WILL be sitting inside the branch until it's corrected."

Bank: "Maam, the braches close at 4:30."

Me: "Well, looks like you have until then to get it fixed. Thanks and have a nice day." Hang up.

Ugh. Can't we go back to the old days of hiding money under the mattress?