by Tdarcos » Fri Feb 22, 2013 8:06 pm
pinback wrote:as TDR first suggested back when I was but a child, I will cut these fuckers up. I should have listened to him.
I SHOULD HAVE LISTENED TO YOU, TDR.
(I'm keeping one very-low-limit card for emergencies.)
When I was moving out of my place in Sterling, Virginia back in 2007 or 2008, I had to pick up a suitcase. I found a nice set, a soft case with an internal one and a shoulder bag, for $30 at Sears.
The cashier asks me if I want to sign up for a Sears card. Well, I'd had one a few years ago and when I ran out of money I couldn't pay it, so I knew I'd be turned down. Well, I hadn't applied for anything for a while and a turn down shouldn't show up too much on my records, so I said yes. I got turned down for the one from Citibank, but they did approve me for another of Sears' cards. Since it said on the application it was no fee - I wouldn't have taken it otherwise - I accepted it, and I walked out of the store with my luggage charged to the card they just that second issued me not having paid a dime for it. Plus they gave me a $15 credit for taking the card.
A few weeks later I get the actual card and discover it's not a Sears card, as I suspected, it's a Sears Mastercard, meaning it's a real credit card usable elsewhere. That's teriffic because it will help when I have to move so I can rent a truck to haul my stuff.
Next month I get the bill for the luggage AND a $59 a year fee. As it turns out, I kept my application, and sure enough, it's from HSBC Bank Nevada, N.A. and states the card has no annual fee. I send them a copy and I get a letter back saying they'll reverse the fee.
So I have the card for the better part of 5 years, and they've made money off me, because I do carry a balance sometimes when I buy something when I'm short. Well, in the entire time, I still have a $300 limit. I've never been late and I usually pay the whole balance off each month. The payment is due on the 8th of the month; my Social Security comes in on the 3rd. Well, their office is in Baltimore so it makes it - that's only about 70 miles away - but I'd prefer it was a little later in the month. And it would be nice if I had at least a $500 limit so that I could at least rent a car if I need it.
HSBC: No, I can't get a credit increase even though I've had it for five years. No, I can't get the date the payment is due changed to make it less likely I won't be late.
I saw a few credit cards from time-to-time supposedly offering credit limits over $500. I tried one, the sons-a-bitches weaseled out by saying the limit is "up to" $750, but turns out it's only $250. And the annual fee is more than HSBC would have charged me, had I not kept informing them every year on the anniversary of when they issued it that their contract said it was a 0 fee card. So I never used that new card, called them and cancelled it.
I check again, and Merrick Bank is also offering a credit card with a $750 limit. I apply, I'm approved, and it really is for $750. The annual fee is $72 but I can live with that. Plus, after the first year they change the fee to $6 a month. They'll also let me set the due date; first I want to make it the 12th, but the lady there says that if I have to worry about mail, why not make it the 18th. So I did.
I then called HSBC and told them what to do with their card. I knew better than to carry two cards; if I had two, I'd run a balance on both. I know myself too well.
After about 9 months of having their card Merrick Bank raised my credit limit another $200, and then later raised it another $200.
So I have one credit card, and it's with Merrick Bank because HSBC decided to be a bunch of bastards who felt that they were doing me a favor by giving me credit. When I found a better lender who offered better terms and more convenience, I moved to them. Merrick Bank has probably made more profit from me in interest and monthly fees in the about two years I've had it than HSBC did in the whole five years I was with them.
But the point was, I knew I could not trust myself if I had more than one card, even though the one from HSBC wasn't going to cost anything, I still decided not to get myself into too much trouble.
[quote="pinback"]as TDR first suggested back when I was but a child, I will cut these fuckers up. I should have listened to him.
I SHOULD HAVE LISTENED TO YOU, TDR.
(I'm keeping one very-low-limit card for emergencies.)[/quote]
When I was moving out of my place in Sterling, Virginia back in 2007 or 2008, I had to pick up a suitcase. I found a nice set, a soft case with an internal one and a shoulder bag, for $30 at Sears.
The cashier asks me if I want to sign up for a Sears card. Well, I'd had one a few years ago and when I ran out of money I couldn't pay it, so I knew I'd be turned down. Well, I hadn't applied for anything for a while and a turn down shouldn't show up too much on my records, so I said yes. I got turned down for the one from Citibank, but they did approve me for another of Sears' cards. Since it said on the application it was no fee - I wouldn't have taken it otherwise - I accepted it, and I walked out of the store with my luggage charged to the card they just that second issued me not having paid a dime for it. Plus they gave me a $15 credit for taking the card.
A few weeks later I get the actual card and discover it's not a Sears card, as I suspected, it's a Sears Mastercard, meaning it's a real credit card usable elsewhere. That's teriffic because it will help when I have to move so I can rent a truck to haul my stuff.
Next month I get the bill for the luggage AND a $59 a year fee. As it turns out, I kept my application, and sure enough, it's from HSBC Bank Nevada, N.A. and states the card has no annual fee. I send them a copy and I get a letter back saying they'll reverse the fee.
So I have the card for the better part of 5 years, and they've made money off me, because I do carry a balance sometimes when I buy something when I'm short. Well, in the entire time, I still have a $300 limit. I've never been late and I usually pay the whole balance off each month. The payment is due on the 8th of the month; my Social Security comes in on the 3rd. Well, their office is in Baltimore so it makes it - that's only about 70 miles away - but I'd prefer it was a little later in the month. And it would be nice if I had at least a $500 limit so that I could at least rent a car if I need it.
HSBC: No, I can't get a credit increase even though I've had it for five years. No, I can't get the date the payment is due changed to make it less likely I won't be late.
I saw a few credit cards from time-to-time supposedly offering credit limits over $500. I tried one, the sons-a-bitches weaseled out by saying the limit is "up to" $750, but turns out it's only $250. And the annual fee is more than HSBC would have charged me, had I not kept informing them every year on the anniversary of when they issued it that their contract said it was a 0 fee card. So I never used that new card, called them and cancelled it.
I check again, and Merrick Bank is also offering a credit card with a $750 limit. I apply, I'm approved, and it really is for $750. The annual fee is $72 but I can live with that. Plus, after the first year they change the fee to $6 a month. They'll also let me set the due date; first I want to make it the 12th, but the lady there says that if I have to worry about mail, why not make it the 18th. So I did.
I then called HSBC and told them what to do with their card. I knew better than to carry two cards; if I had two, I'd run a balance on both. I know myself too well.
After about 9 months of having their card Merrick Bank raised my credit limit another $200, and then later raised it another $200.
So I have one credit card, and it's with Merrick Bank because HSBC decided to be a bunch of bastards who felt that they were doing me a favor by giving me credit. When I found a better lender who offered better terms and more convenience, I moved to them. Merrick Bank has probably made more profit from me in interest and monthly fees in the about two years I've had it than HSBC did in the whole five years I was with them.
But the point was, I knew I could not trust myself if I had more than one card, even though the one from HSBC wasn't going to cost anything, I still decided not to get myself into too much trouble.