PLACE BAG OVER THE CREDIT CARD AND SWIPE AGAIN

If you’ve ever stood at a checkout line and frantically swiped your credit (debit) card again and again, only to see error messages, try this little trick:

Slip your bashful card inside a plastic shopping bag (typically hanging right next to the card swipe reader). Smooth out all wrinkles and ensure that the bag is tight and taut on the magnetic stripe side of the card. Now swipe your card/bag combo through the card reader. Success! The plastic bag adds just enough thickness to your card for a persnickety card reader to accept.

—Dave Prochnow

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