I finally got on the late bus and joined the rest of the folks switching from evil, corporate banks to friendly, local credit unions. I wish I could say it was because I’m a socially aware nearly-30-year-old, but really, it’s because Bank of America screwed me and my little business over so hard I nearly had to declare bankruptcy last year. D-i-c-k-s.
My experience with my credit union has been good thus far; I do, however, have one serious beef. I opened both a business and personal account, and the debit cards for each account are identical. Same color, same design, same name…there is no difference between the two other than the very last digit on the card. After one drink, I guarantee I’ll be spending my rent money on booze and booze money on photography supplies and I have enough trouble with QuickBooks without my bank deliberately sabotaging me.
My teller did give me a solid recommendation: “You could try putting a sticker on it, that’s what my mom does.â€Â Since we have a new banking relationship, he clearly didn’t know that I would rather walk out of the house without mascara (ha) than pay for camera supplies with a card sporting Charlie the freaking unicorn.
I was obviously losing sleep with this debit card design dilemma, because, well, GRAPHIC DESIGN. When Occupy Albany first moved in next door, I wasn’t offended by their politics; I was offended by their window displays. Luckily, they heard my anxious pacing and took their hand-made signs to the printer.
My way of handling the situation was to waste an hour of my workday with my favorite Sharpie and a ruler, obsessively customizing my business credit card to make it more easily recognizable when I’m fumbling to buy a $1.67 cup of coffee. Then, in true “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie†form, I had to customize all my cards, “So they’ll match!â€
I might as well have borrowed the unicorn sticker from the teller’s mom, because now my wallet looks like Rainbow Brite threw up all over my credit cards. Definitely more professional.
Lessons of the day:
- Less is more.
- Don’t leave a graphically-stricken Carlene alone with Sharpies, ever.
Hopeful
Apr 17, 2012 at 8:32 am
1/2 way thru your post, I was shouting “Sharpie!” – I write my co-pays on my insurance cards….kind of “old lady-ish”, but it helps a lot – oh, and things like my CSEA vision/dental and now GHI…I write my account number on the card. Why they don’t print them on is beyond me.
Tenicia Yeager
Apr 17, 2012 at 9:17 am
I can see your face as you work with that sharpie! I’ll def. be asking to see what all the cards look like now.
Andy M.
Apr 17, 2012 at 12:31 pm
I love Sharpies. I’ve used them for everything from labeling CDs to “repairing” scuffs on my shoes. Still not as good as in the olden days… Remember “El Marko”? Those things smelled great!
Shirneen
Apr 17, 2012 at 5:49 pm
Best Sharpie use ever….my friend’s 2 year old totally drew all over her baby sister’s face, arms, and hands as she sat in her car seat. Funniest thing ever! Have you ever tried to get BLACK permanent Sharpie wide marker off your skin?
Jon
Apr 17, 2012 at 6:46 pm
I’d ask you to show us the differences you went with, but that might cause some other unintended problems…
Hopeful
Apr 18, 2012 at 7:04 am
Shirneen – oh that’s awful! And on such tender skin. I always thought rubbing alcohol would remove it. How’d they get it off?
Carlene
Apr 18, 2012 at 9:00 am
@Hopeful & @Shirneen – I’ve found that Castile soap (Dr. Bronner’s) and a light scrub brush get Sharpie right off, pretty much painlessly.
Carlene
Apr 18, 2012 at 9:01 am
@Jon – Exactly, my friend, lol.
Carlene
Apr 18, 2012 at 9:02 am
@Shirneen – Oh, no! That’s hilariously awful.
GIA
Apr 18, 2012 at 12:28 pm
HYSTERICAL! So glad you finally moved to a credit union. And stickers do make a lot of things better, you would not believe the things I used to be able to get my kids to do for one sticker.