banking

Banking here is a very slow business.

 

Forget internet banking or doing it all through the cash-point, step back in time to: long queues (especially at the end of the month); forms for every transaction, that have to be completed in duplicate; cheque books; and different queues for deposits, withdrawls, transfers, enquiries, balances and statements. The bank stopped posting our statements (they’re not really sure why, we get a different answer every time we ask!) so we now have to go to the bank to request a printout every month. Yesterday I was in the bank organising a transfer from our foreign currency account, this was my third attempt as the transfer can take over 2 weeks, and after success thought I would collect our statement.

 

I took my place in the queue and passed over the completed slip, the cashier took her time and then asked if the account was still active. I said that I thought so, she disappeared for some time and eventually came back with a blank statement, apparently we’d had no transactions this month. I then checked the cash-point – we can occasionally get mini-statements - this too came back blank. On my way home I realised that we had made a few transactions and checked at home, this was a bit worrying. Discussing this over lunch with a friend she said maybe it was to do with changing our account numbers, this was news to me!

 

Another visit today and apparently we were told about the change of account number in October last year. Even with the new number I still can’t get a statement. The man at the foreign exchange desk who knows me quite well (and even let me take our youngest to the staff toilet) was able to check my balance and reassure me that the money is all in the account – phew!!

 

I then popped to shoprite to buy a plastic doll for a princess birthday cake that I’m  making for a friend and discovered that I had lost my purse! This involved driving home trying not to look guilty as the police are very present and failure to have your driving license is a fineable offence. The purse was eventually found in the car and I returned to shoprite somewhat flustered to complete my shop!