Card Declined - 2nd May 2009

We had arranged to get my gatita a nice dress for the wedding. What a disappointment when I visited a few cash machines and my card was declined, read on…

After that fiasco we went back to the apartment and called up Barclays bank to see what has gone wrong. I made 2 phone calls, the 1st I got through to an attendant and was diverted to the correct department and waited for over an hour. With the second call I got through directly but after another hour on a queue I gave up and sent them an email hoping they get back to me asap.

I highlighted the importance of not having any money so let’s see how long they take to get back to me. Of course I’ll be on the phone 1st thing Monday to get things sorted.

I reckon the problem started about a week ago when I tried to purchase something and my card was declined for some reason. I told the attendant I would be straight back as I needed to go to an ATM to give her cash instead. At the first ATM my card was also declined so we walked down the street and finally my card was accepted so I took out some money but that was the last time I was allowed to take out any money. I reckon these failed attempts have blocked my card!

Ironically, I received an email from the Treasurer asking if I had couriered the documents over. I read it as I was writing the email to the bank and holding on the line. I won’t waste the money I have in hand until I get the bank issue sorted so my friend I’m afraid the GDA will have to wait a bit longer.

Luckily my gatita does have an account which I have been putting some money into, well something (it isn’t much) and she has been saving it for a rainy day. Its also an account we need so that at the time of applying for a VISA she can prove she can be self sufficient in the event things go pear shape she can stand on her own two feet for several months or at least to be able to purchase a ticket for a flight back to Colombia. Anyways she barely had accumulated £120 over the past 3 years but unfortunately we had to take that out of her account for this rainy day.
Seeing we are temporarily broke we decided to stay home and did some house planning. Don’t know if you guys know but I am buying a property which my brother has. It’s currently a shop but it has been arranged with land property services that it can be converted to a residential (and has been approved). I believe it’s an offer I can’t refuse. The house will become a 1 bedroom, the costs will be so low for me that I wont require a large starter mortgage, more like a loan and also as a first time buyer I will receive a substantial tax break. Anyways we measured the apartment to compare how big the kitchen, lounge and bedroom will be. It was good fun going over these things with my gatita.

On a lighter note check out the following videos taken at a bus stop, check how cool the advert is. I also took some videos of it at night although it’s not as clear as the daytime one but it does show the attractiveness of it. Can you imagine how long it would take in Gibraltar or Spain for such an advert to be vandalised or to have some graffiti over it. Anyways the links are below:

http://www.gibraltardarts.com/bus-stop-daytime.avi
http://www.gibraltardarts.com/bus-stop-night1.3gp
http://www.gibraltardarts.com/bus-stop-night2.3gp