Mexico makes me insane some times.
My local bank (Banamex, aka, Citibank) won't allow me to make ONLINE payments today. Because today is a holiday. Even when I change the pay-on-date to some time in the future, it gives me an error. Because *today* is a holiday their website (website!!) won't accept payment instructions. AAARRRRGGGHHHHH.
This has happened to me before. The calm, rational solution is just to log on tomorrow and make the payments. Which of course I will do. Fortunately for me, this country is not too hung up on receiving payments in a timely manner.
Case in point: when we first arrived in Mexico City, we received a bill from CFE. The Comisión Federal de Electricidad I enjoy having electricity in my home, so I was wont to pay said bill.
First attempt: Banamex. Fail. They do not allow payments to be made via their bill-pay service to this particular nation-wide public utility provider. Deep, calming breaths.
Second attempt: I was able to translate a way to make payments via the CFE website. I got far enough into the process to where I had to enter the account number as it appeared on my bill. Fail. That account number was not accepted.
Third attempt: The bill also says payments can be made at certain stores, in particular, WalMart. We just happened to be going to WalMart that week so I tucked the bill in my purse and readied myself for that process. This time I had Cecilia with me and after check out I asked her where I could pay the bill, thinking there would be some counter or machine or something. Surprise! You pay at a register. So we got back in the long line, with a cart full of groceries, 2 toddlers and a grumpy husband off to McDonalds to kill time, and waited to pay the bill. It was finally our turn, five minutes of the cashier *manually* entering all sorts of numbers from the bill and then the cocked-head look I am now so accustomed to. The bill. It was due the day before. We were one day late. I was prepared to pay any necessary fine. But nope! Because it was past due, they would not accept payment. At all. I was told to wait until the next month and (obviously) expect the bill to include the prior months charge. So ALL of that for naught.
Of course I waited, the next bill was double, but there were no fines. No penalties. Nothing. Why does anyone pay any bill on time? What's the impetus? Whatever. I sent Ceci to one of the local stores listed on the bill and just had her pay it for me.
Mexico!
