I use my credit card for almost anything or in any establishment that accepts card. Sayang kasi points, hehe. Plus, I'm never comfortable with bringing cash around (check out the National Bookstore purchase - hahaha! It's such a shame I didn't have any cash with me that time and so I was forced to make my purchase up until about a hundred just so I can use the card).
If you must know, I am a VERY responsible debtor - not spending beyond my means, checking how much I've already purchased for the month every now and then, paying the balance in full, always meeting the due date. But of course, whenever the bill arrives, it's not a moment to be excited about.
Except for this one!
The letters CR beside each amount, I hope you can see it, means credit, not debt. So, look at how many credits this bill has. First, the Annual Fee reversals, thank you very much. And second, and the most surprising thing OF ALL, is the refund from Greyhound Lines in the US. That amount is for an unused bus ticket. Unused because I didn't know I booked a bus ride a day prior to my actual departure date for Reno. [I still don't know why that happened, but it must be because I didn't adjust my laptop date and time when I got there. Still!] So, when I was about to print the online ticket, it said the trip is no longer available, and it panicked me to the ends of the earth! I was just on my third day of vacation, and I didn't need that kind of stress! I couldn't afford to lose any cash, either. It was really a sad morning, if not day, for this third-world tourist!
Anyhoo, we, my friends and I, and soon my cousin, tried our best to have the ticket refunded. We called customer service, went down to two different Greyhound stations (at different days), asked for what we could do, etc. The agent at the station was extremely nice and accommodating, but the end point was they couldn't really refund my ticket right there and then, and their office is about to close, and I'd really need to get on the bus for Reno that night. He advised that I just buy a ticket again, and deal with the unused one later. No guarantee, though. The kind agent just helped me out by giving me a cheaper ticket (cut trips). I initially purchased a 70 dollar worth, but he managed to give me a ride worth 20 dollars less.
As per the agent's advice, I wrote a letter to Greyhound, explaining to them what happened. That the ticket wasn't really used given that I purchased the same departure place the next day. I enclosed all my boarding passes as well, and even mentioned that I was writing the letter while on another trip, aboard Greyhound bus again (which was true). I mailed the letter around April 18. I was in New York at this time, and wasn't really anymore up to do the request. I guess I've sort of accepted my loss at this time and wasn't as disturbed about it as before (and was extremely enjoying my vacation that the loss didn't seem as bad as it initially was). Good thing there's a post office near our subway stop and so I was always reminded to do it. And, good heavens, thank God that I did!
Because, after almost two months, I got the refund!!! It's like finding a lost treasure which you didn't expect to find anymore! Suddenly, the world is beautiful again! Hahaha! And you see, I even earned 20 dollars in that fiasco! Yeah, I take it as the universe's way of making it up to me for a mistake I couldn't really take to admit (haha!).
Oh, gosh, I couldn't stop looking at the bill, I tell you. And another thing I am SO happy about is that this refund came at a very good time. You see, I just paid my tuition this semester. And, ugh, it hurts to think about this, but I didn't get the bonus the school gave away because I took a half-day leave at that time to go to Ateneo. It's like losing something I didn't own in the first place, but losing it I felt! I wanna cry unfair, but I'll save it for another blog post. Yes, I'm that sad about it.
Anway, thank God for this refund. It must be the compensation I needed for essentially losing 5500 pesos. Now, if I can only find some more money to complete the 5k... :)
But, hey! I can't complain now! Mabuhay ang mga customer service departments sa States! Life's good!
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