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Well this has been an interesting day to say the least. We finally left Vegas around 11:30 after the Direct TV man finally came and got his work done. He was supposed to be here at 8 - came 10:30. On the road. Very, very windy gusts up to 35/40 mph. Was fine until small auxillary awning over windows on big slide got caught by wind and unfurled as we were traveling down road. Exciting to say the least. As was Bills standing on ladder in dirt by side of road to fix it. Then got a phone call from the lady watching our house. Pouring in Indiana and leaking in bathroom. Told her we'd call her back when we got parked. Then stopped to get gas. Credit card denied - AGAIN! - This has been an ongoing (15 days) problem. After we left home they sent us new cards and PO won't forward them so they got sent back to cc company. So they cancelled them. Called cc co. okay to use, 2 days later denied again, called again, Oh okay its fixed. 2 days later denied, Oh okay we'll overnight you new ones. Okay 3 days later denied again. Computer doesn't recognize when overnighted. Any way every 2 days this repeated. When we got settled here this aft. called them again. Okay fixed - until we went out to dinner and it was denied again. Unfortunatelly we put all the rest of our cards in bank in IN. Only have this one with us. Never again. Another call and now it is supposed to be okay cause they will send new cards to our son's address, but we don't have to get them or activate them, as long as the new ones are delivered to an address we will be able to use the ones they overnighted to us a couple of weeks ago. Will believe it when it works for more than 5 days in a row. Aren't computers wonderful.
We are in Lake Havasu, AZ for the first time since our son died here almost 2 years ago. Will be seeing our daughter in law and grandkids for the first time since funeral. It will be hard for all of us. Tomorrow......

that will be such a hard time but how neat to see the grandkids again they do change so in just a couple of years!! Cry a bit then enjoy the family...
Now are you coming through Quartzsite? If so give us a call or a pm or what ever
Sheila

Carol and Bill,.... hugs,...

I can't imagine the emotional impact of reuniting with DIL and GKs. But as Sheila just said,... shed the tears and then love those grandkids and enjoy the visit as best as you can.

I pray you have had a loving reunion with your DIL & grandchildren. (((Hugs))) to you both.

Thinking of you today, Hope the visit with your family will help the healing you all must need. Enjoy those grandchildren !!

Hugs to you all,

Carol

Just saw this - big hugs to you - hope that the joy of seeing the dil and gk's helps you to get past missing your son and that pain.

And boy do I hope the cc company gets that mess fixed. What a pain in the you know what - and inexcusable.

enjoy your visit with the grandkids and I certainly hope the cc thing gets worked out.

I know what you are going through. Took a trip a few years ago, had my money in my debit account thought that would be a great way to handle my expenses. After fueling up the first time, my pin and password were cancelled due to possible fraud activity. Called my bank, was told everything was fine. Took my nephew out for dinner, went to pay the bill, card was no good. I was so embarrassed. Because I could not go to the bank best they could do was open the card and allow me to stop at banks along the way and take out cash. That costs me plenty of money to do that. The bank said charge on the credit cards and just pay from the account. But many times needed cash to do what I wanted. So will take further safeguards such as calling CC company's before I leave, call my bank and report to all I am leaving and that any charges out of the state of Florida will be mine. Didn't know until then you had to let them know when you left home. Also they informed me never to use a Debit card for gas, they can hold a lot more from your account than the cost of the gas. Only happens with Debit cards. So even here at home I never use a debit card to keep the gas company's from holding my money. Cards are good but they can most definitely be a pain.

Hope your visit though is a good one.

Actually, I've not had a problem with gas stations holding more on debit cards - but yes, they could. Where you'll see it more - is hotels and motels - and the problem is how banks handle debit cards (which is different than how credit card companies handle credit cards).

Without going into detail - a retail establishment will put a hold on a credit card when the number is first swiped. Gas stations will often do what their maximum pump amount is - often $50, $75 or $100. So if you purchase less than that amount, here's where the problem comes in. The credit card company quickly (same day to next day) releases the extra amount after the actual charge amount from that establishment comes through. However, banks have been known to take as much as a week to 10 days to release the held amount. Sometimes with my business- where we authorize exactly the purchase amount, then charge it - people using a debit card will see the amount twice if they look online and call and say we double billed them. That doesn't happen with a credit card - but we'll have to tell them we charged once and the auth amount will go away - eventually.

Hotels/motels, will often at checkin take the credit card given and auth an amount as much as double (or even more) the amount of the stay. This is to protect them if there are damages, or someone extends their stay, etc. The motel/hotel usually doesn't actually charge the card until you check-out. At that time, if you used a credit card, the auth amount would disappear and only the amount charged would show up. However, with a debit card, you'll have the same problem as above. Say you were staying at a motel for 3 nights at $50/night. They could auth possible $300 instead of $150. You check out, have no extra charges, they put through the $150. The credit card company will show only the $150. The debit card will show the $150 and ALSO the $300 (which was the hold amount) because they don't drop the auth amount as quickly.

So, be careful when using a debit card any place where it will be used to authorize first - unless you know you have the money in the account to cover it until the bank releases the money back to you.

That's a very simplified way to explain it-

As to letting them know if/when you start travelling - that's only necessary if you normally don't travel. They look for abnormalities to try to keep the losses they incur from the use of stolen cards, etc. So if you never travel, and all of a sudden you are all over the place, the card would be flagged until they could reach you and make sure you made the charges.