what to do when you're abroad and the atm eats your card
I was at an ATM in El Calafate, Argentina when I made the dumb mistake of taking my cash and leaving my card. Genius.
The bank had already closed and I had just taken out enough money to pay for my hostel. I was off on a three day bus journey up to Bariloche first thing in the morning. The trip was paid for, but I had no cash.
Here are a few tips I have to share after this experience:
#1: There’s no crying in baseball
Actually, I don’t care. Go ahead and cry. I know I did.
#2: Take your card!
Try avoiding my mistake. ATMs are different everywhere. Some places give you your card back, then your cash. Or they’ll flash lights or make obnoxious beeping sounds so you know to take your card with you. Some places (Argentina) give you the cash and in very small writing in the corner of the screen ask you if you’d like to make another transaction. Very easy to miss. My advice: don’t be dumb! Always take your card. Wiser words I’ve never spoken.
#3: Talk to someone at the bank
If you’re still reading, it’s probably because you’ve failed to take my advice in #2. If this is the case and if the bank’s open, talk to someone about what happened. They might be able to help you.
#4: get some cheap food with whatever cash you have
I had 7 Argentine pesos (USD1.70). I was looking for the biggest bang for my buck and settled on a sad bag of cookies that did a pretty good job of tiding me over for a couple of days. Of course, now I feel like if I ate a cookie I’d barf, but I am grateful to the little suckers for keeping me alive.
#5: The first town you get to with a bank, ask for a cash advance on your credit card
If you have a credit card, of course. I have one (but no pin - hence the hassle), but I was stopping at small towns on my trip to Bariloche and there were no banks to be found. But on the third day I made it to Bariloche. Banks galore!
#6: If that doesn’t work, you can cry again. Go ahead, I’ll wait.
Apparently banks in the city of Bariloche don’t give cash advances. #&@^$!!.
#7: Keep an emergency stash of US dollars
Here are a few tips I have to share after this experience:
#1: There’s no crying in baseball
Actually, I don’t care. Go ahead and cry. I know I did.
#2: Take your card!
Try avoiding my mistake. ATMs are different everywhere. Some places give you your card back, then your cash. Or they’ll flash lights or make obnoxious beeping sounds so you know to take your card with you. Some places (Argentina) give you the cash and in very small writing in the corner of the screen ask you if you’d like to make another transaction. Very easy to miss. My advice: don’t be dumb! Always take your card. Wiser words I’ve never spoken.
#3: Talk to someone at the bank
If you’re still reading, it’s probably because you’ve failed to take my advice in #2. If this is the case and if the bank’s open, talk to someone about what happened. They might be able to help you.
#4: get some cheap food with whatever cash you have
I had 7 Argentine pesos (USD1.70). I was looking for the biggest bang for my buck and settled on a sad bag of cookies that did a pretty good job of tiding me over for a couple of days. Of course, now I feel like if I ate a cookie I’d barf, but I am grateful to the little suckers for keeping me alive.
#5: The first town you get to with a bank, ask for a cash advance on your credit card
If you have a credit card, of course. I have one (but no pin - hence the hassle), but I was stopping at small towns on my trip to Bariloche and there were no banks to be found. But on the third day I made it to Bariloche. Banks galore!
#6: If that doesn’t work, you can cry again. Go ahead, I’ll wait.
Apparently banks in the city of Bariloche don’t give cash advances. #&@^$!!.
#7: Keep an emergency stash of US dollars
You can exchange these anywhere. Just get to the bank before they close. Which is 1pm in Bariloche. #&@^$!!
Seriously guys, can’t something work in my favor??
In the end, perhaps my most important bit of advice:
#8: Make friends
I don’t think I could have gotten through this without the amazing people I’ve met along the way. The Irish couple who bought the sobbing girl a drink. The Norwegian lady who shared her dinner with the now no longer sobbing, but thoroughly sugar-happy girl (eating nothing but cookies for an entire day can have a curious effect). Then there was the wonderful American girl who had the genius idea of doing a Paypal transaction so she could take out my money for me.
So that’s how I have money today. Not with a credit card, not with American dollars, but with the help of my new friend. And the Internet. Thanks, Internet!
A pin for my credit card and a new card is on the way. Until then I'll just enjoy Bariloche. There are worse places to be stranded, let me tell you!
8 comments:
Tough luck, Lavache!! What's there to see in Bariloche?? Glad to hear that there was a happy ending.
Wow, that is quite the story! I think you have arrived! You are a serious traveler, the real deal. I'm so happy to hear that you got through it. Yay for cookies...and friends...and a good cry!!
Oh honey! I'm so sorry to hear that happened! I wish I would have been there to help you! You always amaze me Maria, you and your craftiness. Where are you now?
You poor thing! Hope that everything goes much, much better from here.
ooof! Tough luck, and probably the worst thing that can happen to a traveler. This happened to me once, but I was in my hometown, where I simply went to the bank the next morning to retrieve my card. I guess the closest I came was when my wallet was stolen when I was abroad--and you're right--friends, tears, and creative eating were all key!
I'm glad you survived, and I hope this is the worst travel luck you've been dealt!
You guys are wonderful. Thanks so much for your support and kind words.
"I have always depended on the kindness of strangers." Blanche,
A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee Williams.
Yes! I almost included this. Thank you, Tennessee Williams!
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