my new debit card

Last week, I received an SMS from HSBC saying that my debit card was being issued and would be delivered to me shortly. Since I didn’t receive any e-mail message from them recently and I don’t recall ever requesting for one (I’m content with my one and only ATM card), I just ignored it and figured they made a mistake. Then last Sunday, I received a call from a courier company saying that my card was with them and they just needed to confirm the delivery address. Still confused, I gave it to them and they told me I could expect to receive it the following day, which I did.

The accompanying letter said that the new Visa Debit Card would be replacing the existing ATM card so I should destroy it immediately (it would be deactivated in a few months, anyway) and use the new card instead for withdrawing from ATMs. The good thing is I can also use it to purchase items instead of having to look for an HSBC ATM whenever I need cash (I don’t have a credit card, remember?). I know I can withdraw from other banks’ machines but it costs up to Dhs2 for each transaction…no way will I waste that much!

Sure, it’s like a credit card, but I have no intention to swipe it every time there’s something I want to buy. I’ll still have good old paper money in my wallet, but at least I won’t have to carry that much anymore. And most probably, the only times I will use it to buy something is when we go to the supermarket. That way, I’ll be sure I won’t be cheated out of the little denominations of fils that the cashiers never return.

Yeah, yeah…I’m stingy...but at least I’m watching where my every hard-earned dirham and fil is going.