Night Out

This week has been difficult. I found out that somebody in Mass. was using my debit card number trying to buy things, but the fraud department at my bank shut the card down as they were trying, so no money was lost. Evidently, it's not my usual routine to be buying groceries in Mass.! I'm grateful that it was noticed right away, but it's not a good feeling to know that it even happened at all in the first place.

I thought long and hard about this. I'm not exactly a reckless spender, and I don't usually buy from sketch places. I mostly buy groceries and things needed for the house. I looked over the bank account and noticed an occasional purchase from Michael's, Aldis, and Barnes and Noble. Googling things told me that all three of these places had been compromised in the past, but not recently. Advice given was to not use your debit card to buy groceries, at gas stations, stores, online, or restaurants. Hmmm. I understand the online advice, maybe gas stations, but really? What are people supposed to use their debit cards on, then? Credit cards give you a little more protection, but then you have a big bill to pay at the end of the month and that's something I'm trying to avoid.

I started to wonder if I should avoid using my debit card at all. But I don't carry large sums of cash with me, nor do I want to. I don't want huge credit card bills freaking me out even if I can pay them off. And I don't want to be wondering every time I use the card if this will be the place to steal my number!

Bruce said, just use the card. You have a clean, fresh card and maybe 7 days penalty to wait for the new card to arrive. I'm thinking that maybe that's the best we can do.

So, we went out last night to relax. We went to the 318 to listen to Open Mic night. We had wine and some wonderful Apple Walnut Bacon Flatbread and it felt really good. Time to move on.