A week without my debit card - how do I cope?

This blog is to document how I 'survive' without my debit card for a week. This situation occurred because my bank (don't ask, won't tell) has sent my replacement card to Australia (where I used to live). To make things worse, my current debit card expires today, 30th April. I thought I would have until the end of today (12 midnight) to use my debit card. No, it has been deactivated already. While I have ordered a new replacement card, it will take around 4 to 6 working days to arrive. Hence, I need to live 'creatively' without my debit card for a week. I need to find alternative means or ways to pay for things like my phone bill, train tickets, groceries etc. This situation makes me realise that, perhaps, I can live without my debit card for a week or longer. Perhaps, you can live without your debit (or credit) card for a week or longer. We, as consumers, seem to have become so dependent on our bank (or credit) cards and we forgot that people (like our great grandparents) in early days used to live without any card. No debit card, no Visa card, no Master card, no Amex card etc. Another reason that triggers me to write this blog is to keep a record of my spending behaviours. I would like to know if I would spend less without my debit card. I would not label myself as a shopaholic, at least, not a 'serious' shopaholic who spends hundreds of pounds each week on clothes, shoes, skin care products etc. Maybe, I am more like a 'benign' shopaholic who spends £20 to £50 per fortnight. Everyone needs a hobby, right? One of my many hobbies is shopping. From today onwards, I will document how I cope with my daily life without my debit card for a week.

30th April - I visited the TK Maxx in Guildford. It is a brand new store as it was only opened last Monday. The official opening is tomorrow, 1st May. I spotted a brief case and knitwear that I like so I decided to buy them. I used my 'about to expire' debit card to pay, but it was declined. At this moment, I realised that my debit card has been deactivated. I was not panic. I used the cash I had in my wallet to pay for my purchases. Luckily my purchases were not that 'costly'. The total price was merely around £40. While I was leaving TK Maxx, I realised that I had a phone bill to pay this week, otherwise I would get a penalty. Without a debit card, I was not sure how I could do that. So I rang my telecoms provider and asked for advice. The customer service officer suggested me to use a friend's card or go to a branch of my bank to pay for the bill. She gave me the sort code and account number of her employer (i.e. the telecoms company). With this information, I found out that I could actually pay my bill online. With some cash and the internet, I managed to cope with the day.