To: n0abe@sio.midco.net

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Subject: From Ed and Edith Part V

X-Via: W6IM

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Part V -Dealing with being out of MONEY!



We got up and laid plans about how we were going to get enough cash together to get back home and still have a little mony for the 8 days we would be here. Just the night before we figured out what we had spent on fuel ant toll roads, counted the toll roads left and calculated the fuel needed and the added a big safety margin and though we were in great shape for cash. Well the fuel came in under budget just a little but the toll went way over budget and we ended up spending 500 peso's more than budget which means we need another 500 Peso's for the return trip. We added it all up and added a healthy safety margin and got the rest of our US dollars together and found out from George where there was a bank. We found we can not write a check anywhere and nobody takes credit cards to we probably have enough to get home but nothing for the 8 days we are here so it looks like the only hope is an ATM maching. S0 WE figured out what I had in Bank America and Wells Fargo savings accounts and asked several people if those cards would work in the ATM machine but no one knew and they did not know what it cost. I finally found a lady who said it cost about $2.00 and there usually was not a very big amount you could get. See had no idea if my cards would work. We decided to go to the open market which was on Wednesday, go to the bank and check out a charter tour place. The charter tour place would not take credit cards so that means that is not likely going to happen given our cash situdation. We got our US dollars converted into Peso's and then tackled the ATM machine. Well it was all Spansih and I think we could of figured it out but you went into this little glass room and the door locks behind you so no one else can get in. Pretty soon we noticed people waiting to get in. We let a lady in and about that time a fellow walked up and we told him our situation as he could speak English and he let us come into the glass room with him and we watched him and then he helped us. I put the old Bank America card in, hoped I could remember the PIN number and held our breath because if it does not work we HAVE A MAJOR PROBLEM! Yesterday I got an E-mail from Cuirt that really struck me funny as he offered to send us money. After all those year of Dad can I have some money growing up it seems weired to have number one son offereing to send money. When I read that E-mail I laughed until tears ran down my face. It seems like the tougher the going gets the more easily I can see the humor in it. As the ATM machine was grinding away I was about down to having number one son send money as I had investigated every other avenue I could think of. It sounded like banks down here will not give an advance on a credit card,



After what seemed forever suddenly the ATM machine starts spitting out Peso's what a sight to behold. The maximum was $1500 peso. I can get about 900 more Peso's and then I drop below my minimu balance before I get charged a monthly service fee but that ;will be a small prive to pay if I have to do that.



I don't carry a debit card on my checking account where there is plenty of money or where I can get on the Internet and transfer money in from my Money Market account because the law does not give you protection if it is lost or stolen like it does on a credit card. FROM NOW ON WHEN WE TRAVEL WE WILL TAKE THE DEBIT CARD ALONG AND HIDE IT IN THE RV where no one would ever find it and go find an ATM machine and get money and pay the fee. If there would be a major over-haul of several thousand and we needed more in the checking account we could get on the Internet most any place in the world and transfer money from our money market into the checking account. Another lesson as to how to make things work on the road. The people who live down here have money direct deposited into a bank down here and then they can write checks on that bank or use that Mexican banks ATM card. One bank in CA is owned by Bank Mex so you can have money in these CA banks and use your ATM card here at Bank Mex with no charge.

[MID: 1315_W0SD Sent Via: W6IM Date: 2002/03/25 02:32:25]