Hanging out in Fooldom can improve your quality of life. It did for "FoolishMichael." He explained why in this post on our Consumer Credit/Credit Cards discussion board:
"Well, it finally happened. Today I officially became a statistic for the police blotter when I lost my wallet... complete with military ID, driver's licenses, credit cards, and ATM cards. Fortunately, there was no cash in my wallet.
"As I prepared to leave Seckenheim this afternoon [FoolishMichael lives in Germany], I put my wallet on the roof of my Jeep as I put my suit coat on the back seat. I would need my ID card to get onto the next installation and wanted to have it handy. Just as I was reaching for the wallet, one of my friends walked by and we talked in the parking lot for about 15 minutes. When I finally realized I was going to be late for another meeting, I jumped into the Jeep and drove to Darmstadt.
"Thirty minutes later, as I pulled into the next military installation, I reached into the center console for my wallet. All I found was empty space. It was then that I remembered that I left my wallet on the roof of the Jeep. Like an idiot with more hope than sense, I got out and looked on the roof, half expecting to see the wallet where I left it. It was not. The combination of turns and 160 kph driving ensured that my wallet was likely being pounded flat by countless German drivers on some stretch of the Autobahn.
"Fortunately, I was fully prepared because I read and heeded buckmizer's post [which is well worth reading in its own right].. A portion of the post:
"'Place the contents of your wallet on a photocopy machine, [and] do both sides of each license, credit card, etc. You will know what you had in your wallet and all of the account numbers and phone numbers to call and cancel. Keep the photocopy in a safe place. I also carry a photocopy of my passport when I travel either here or abroad.'
"I had diligently photocopied the front and back of everything I had in my wallet at the time and stored the pages in my office at work and home. Within 20 minutes, I had called all of the credit card companies and credit unions to tell them that I had lost my credit and ATM cards. I even called Equifax and filed a fraud alert using their automated phone system... Meanwhile, all of my money accounts are secure, and it was a relatively stress-free event. Thanks, buckmizer!!!!!
"To make the event even more interesting, about 30 minutes ago, I received a call from a German farmer who speaks a little English. He found my wallet on the side of the road adjacent to one of his fields... I am off to Pfungstadt to be reunited with my wallet and have a beer with a new friend."
Give our discussion board community a whirl and you, too, can learn valuable things, get answers to questions, and even make new friends. It happens all the time, and you can try our boards for free for 30 days.
Meanwhile, if you or anyone you care about is struggling with credit card debt, head to our Credit Center, which features tips on getting out of debt, along with guidance on how to manage your credit effectively. (We even offer a spiffy Motley Fool Visa card.)
Longtime Fool contributor Selena Maranjian does not own shares of any company mentioned in this article.
