Paper or Plastic?

Last I checked, this was the 21st century. I rarely use my checkbook anymore -- paying bills online or via debit card is the way to go. I can't even remember the last time I had to order a box of checks. In fact, I don't even have a checkbook holder & hardly ever have check blanks in my purse. It's the rare place that doesn't accept Visa or MasterCard.

So when I went in to the county courthouse to pay for my car tabs on Monday, I was in for a double surprise. What should have been a simple procedure turned into me owing $200 more than I had budgeted -- and I still have to go all the way back to this out-of-the-way dinky town to give them a check. Because they don't take plastic. No, ma'am, they surely don't. Sigh. So I made the trip for nothing.

Somehow, I never received my Personal Property Tax form to fill out in November 2008, and was not billed for PPT on my car. So it looks like not only did I not claim my car as a taxable item, it also looks like I tried to dodge paying taxes on it. Seriously, you'd have to be an idiot to try to pull that. But apparently, people do -- and the woman at the assessor's office acted like I was one of them. I then pulled out my wallet and said, "Well, I don't have a choice, might as well just pay it now and get it taken care of." She looked at me like I was from another planet and said, oh, we don't take *those* - it has to be a check or cash.

Oh well. I'm just grateful I have the money to cover it -- although it wipes out the "New Dell Computer" fund. Donations to the fund can be sent directly to my PayPal address! =)

Stay cool -- it's hot out there.