Buying tabs for your vehicle, camper, boat or any of your toys.  It seems like everything needs tabs.  Luckily or unluckily, some of our tabs are due at the same time so we have limited trips to the DMV.  I had to get two sets of tabs so I headed off to the DMV office in West Duluth.  I spent a good half hour of frustration there because I didn't have the knowledge that I'm going to tell you, so you're good to go when it's your turn at the DMV.

First battled was traffic due to the construction on Grand to get there, then I was greeted by the sign in the picture.  Apparently, now you need proof of insurance and the sign basically states if you don't have it, don't come in until you do.  Well, I had proof for the vehicle I had driven there, so I went in.  The staff was friendly and everything went smoothly, I told them I understood I could only get one set of tabs because I didn't have the other car's insurance info and she said, "if you can get the policy number and exp. date and write it in here, we can process it for you".  Great, I thought I'd just step to the side and call my insurance company, which is a dinky little office in Duluth.  I went through the umpteen series of prompts that took me to a recording that told me NINE callers were waiting in front of me, really????  Nine???  I tried calling the Corporate phone number and that didn't get me any further.  Not wanting to wait, I left thinking I would come back one I had the correct proof of insurance.

Once in the car I had the bright idea to call my husband Homie and see if he could run out to his car and get the info for me since I was at the DMV office.  Nope, he was with a class and couldn't, but he thought he could look it up on the computer.  Sign. Great. Do it, look it up on the computer and let's git r done! Smart guy, he got the numbers I needed and I headed back into the DMV office. However, as I stepped up to the desk, I realized  I had used my last check on the previous purchase of tabs 20 minutes ago.  Now what?

Ah....an ATM.  I don't use them often but thought I could handle it, which I could have had known my PIN number.  Five long agonizing embarrassing minutes, three guessed pin numbers and 4 receipts later, I was in.  But I didn't want $20 increments, (or to pay a $2 service fee), I only needed $42.  Exhausted with the process so far, I gave in and took out $60 because I had to and stepped up to the counter.

When all was said and done, I walked away with my two sets of tabs, an extra $18 cash in my wallet that I would have preferred stayed in my account and a blog to make sure you don't make the same mistakes I did.  Bring your insurance information and check book or cash since they don't take debit or credit cards.  Unless of course you know your PIN number and are ok paying an extra $2 service fee.

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