The first swipe of the wife

I am a credit card person. In the Philippines, I owned at least ten (used to be fifteen) credit cards before I left. But to be clear, I DIDN'T OWE A THING. I just preferred using those cards for the convenience and freebies. My family also owns a transport business back home so I was able to maximize my cards in paying for fuels and other bus-related stuff. And oh boy, you can never imagine the perks I've enjoyed by merely using my credit cards.

So when I finally decided to immigrate here in Canada, one of my utmost concerns was this plastic card. I've built quite a good credit history the past years in Pinas (with over a million pesos combined credit limit) and I was afraid to start from zero again. And shaiks, paano ako mabubuhay ng walang credit card???

I am lucky though that my husband Ford, who has been living here in Edmonton for almost four years now, gave me an extension of his BMO credit card. It's truly an advantage that my husband was already able to settle himself here in Canada before I followed. Now everything's being served to me on a silver platter!

I actually got to test swipe my shiny new blue card on my very first day here in Canada (November 6). We went to Lucky Supermarket, a huge Asian grocery store, and Pod told me to pay for our purchases.

Honestly, I've never been that nervous in using a credit card again! Ang hirap maging newbie uli, especially if the system is quite different from what you have gotten used to.

You see, in the Philippines, one hands his/her card to the cashier and later on signs the charge slips. Here in Canada, a cashier will never be able to touch your card. The customer will be the one to swipe or insert his/her card to the machine and enter the PIN code (that's why the credit card machine is facing the customer side). That easy! And no signature is needed.

But inasmuch as it has its advantages, I realized that this can be scary too. I mean, anybody can use your card in this system granting that he/she happens to know/discover your PIN. No further identity verification is done. In some stores, they even just ask the customer to tap the card (no PIN). Whoaah, they are that trusting!

Oh well, perhaps I am just used to living in the Philippines where scams are rampant (sad truth) that's why I got so praning. Ford insists that what I had in mind (i.e. other people stealing my credit card and using it to shop) does not usually happen here. Sabagay nga, I am now in an affluent society where everybody's given the chance to earn well. Who would want to steal? 

Right now, I am glad that my credit card initiation process is over and I can now use it with ease and confidence. I am just wondering na lang kung kelan ako magkakaroon ng sarili kong card na hindi extension? Hahaha, I need to earn my own money soon! =)