Comments on: Stop Asking Me If I Want To Apply For Your Silly Credit Card

By: an annoyed employee

an annoyed employee — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 19:27:54 +0000

I hear ya! But I’m on the otherside Where I work it’s mandatory we ask and we are require to get an application filled out per 1000 customers or we’ll be fired. Just recently everyone had to sign a piece of paper acknowledging it. A retail company I work for previous to my current job was the same way, you had to get an application filled out for every 2o something hours you worked or you weren’t written up and or fired. Neither retail pays good wages nor do they give enough hours and yet they threaten with that! also in times like now where everyone is struggling, jobs are being lost, and the banks are being bailed out….CREDIT SHOULDN’T BE SHOVED IN PEOPLES FACES! Citi financial is the creditor for one of the retails and they’re among the bail out list. WTF?

By: An Interesting Conversation About Store-Branded Credit Card Applications

An Interesting Conversation About Store-Branded Credit Card Applications — Thu, 08 May 2008 19:12:41 +0000

[...] As I’ve written about before, I’m not interested in credit cards, especially high-rate store-branded credit cards. But, I’m also not interested in being a jerk, so I politely declined her offer. But, I [...]

By: SavingDiva

SavingDiva — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 21:09:26 +0000

I have to admit that I’m one of those people that LOVE their store credit cards! I have one for Macy’s that I don’t use very much (it started off as Marshall Field’s), but I pay it off immediately after I make a purchase. I also have a Victoria’s Secret credit card that I only use when I receive a $10 off coupon (I use it to buy their delicates laundry detergent–$10). However, my true love is my Banana Republic card. I used it about once a year until it switched to a Visa in November. Now, I’m earning 2% on all of my purchases and have received 2 free sweaters (through my reward gift certificates).

However, I totally understand why you wouldn’t want to open a store card. I side with the retail clerk though. I worked retail in college and we were forced to ask every customer if they would like to open a credit card. I knew it annoyed the customer, but I would have been fired if my boss heard me not mentioning the credit card…

By: » Roundup: Happy New Year Edition! on Blueprint for Financial Prosperity

Sun, 30 Dec 2007 21:51:28 +0000

[...] doesn’t want to apply for your stupid credit card, so stop asking. In fact, neither do I – so save some trees and stop sending me letters. I’ll [...]

By: Sam

Sam — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 14:20:07 +0000

“Will they die a natural death if when the “expiration date” is up and you never activate the new cards?”
No, they will not die a natural death. If you really want to close you have to call. Keep in mind that this hurts your credit score since part of it is “utilization ratio” i.e. the ratio of debt to available credit. Same debt, less available credit, lower score. Still, if you really want to close, you shall call or even write.”

I thought this was true, but I cancelled both of my credit cards this year and my FICO score went up, I’m now at 804. I’m not saying the above isn’t true but I think it depends on the rest of your credit history.

By: kitty

kitty — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 17:51:49 +0000

“And engineers must be special and better than the rest of us normal people.”
I don’t think we are special. We are, though, for the most part logical, practical, and have strong math background so understand high interest. Additionally, most engineers don’t need to dress up for work. I imagine there are some engineers who overspend, but at least in my experience there are very few of them. For example, I work in a research lab where there are mostly scientists and engineers. Even though the average salary in the building is probably over 100K, as I walk through the parking lot I see mostly Civics and Corollas, some old, some new, some very old. Also if I wear a suit to work, I am asked “do you have an interview?”. So sometimes I am at a store and I look at a jewelry item or a fancy dress that I like (and, by the way, could afford) and think to myself “yes, it is lovely, but where would I wear it to?”

By: paloma824

paloma824 — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 19:47:49 +0000

@Justin– I’m glad you’re asking those questions, and I appreciate your honesty.
I do find it amusing, however, that you praised honest dollar for his very apt analogy comparing credit cards to alcohol, but then a paragraph later, encouraged NCN to take “baby steps” with credit cards, to promote personal growth. That’s like telling a recovering alcoholic “Why not just start out with a strawberry daiquiri and then work your way up to the scotch. C’mon, be a grown up like the rest of us!” I’m not sure how familiar you are with AA and similar programs, but from my limited experience, I’m pretty sure they have their members work toward an alcohol-free existence.

Regarding the actual credit cards, I find the comment that you are “frankly surprised that readers of personal finance blogs are unable to handle the responsibility” to be condescending, in the same manner that I find people who say “all credit card users are irresponsible and mired in debt!” to be condescending (sorry, NCN). I’ve noticed that in order to feel “okay” doing what they know is best for them, a lot of people need to believe that all other methods are faulty, and that the people who follow them are, in some way, faulty themselves. I’ve realized that credit cards don’t work for me. Even when I had them, I hated them. I hated using them, I hated paying them, I hated dealing with them. I believe the most responsible thing I’ve ever done was to realize that that was okay, and to move to a plan that worked for me. But that’s just me – I have friends who love their rewards cards, do quite well with them, and take vacations on their rewards miles. Good for them. I get my rewards from mypoints.com, my debit card, and my emergency fund, which is stashed in an online account that earns me decent interest as well as rewards points based on my monthly balance.
For my part, I liken financial well-being to physical health. Being physically healthy means you get some form of exercise on a regular (hopefully daily) basis. I love running, so for me, being physically healthy involves that. Many of my friends, on the other hand, positively hate running with a passion. But just because they prefer the stair-climber or the elliptical doesn’t make them lazy. They’re still fit–they just don’t go about it the same way I do.

By: » Christmas Day Roundup on Consumerism Commentary: A Personal Finance Blog

» Christmas Day Roundup on Consumerism Commentary: A Personal Finance Blog — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 14:16:09 +0000

[...] Stop Asking No Credit Needed to Apply for Your Silly Credit Card. NCN is sick of cashiers who ask customers when checking out their purchases to sign up for a store credit card. Perhaps creating a button to wear while shopping, saying, “Please don’t ask me to sign up for your credit card,” will help get the point across. They ask because they get paid more when their customers fill out applications. I never had any problem saying, “No, thank you,” but I do more shopping online now, where it’s easier to close a pop-up window with an offer than have to tell a cashier that you will not assist them in getting paid more from their employer. [...]

By: Ingrid

Ingrid — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 04:01:26 +0000

I never want another credit card. I don’t have them and I don’t need them. I’m living a really nice life without them.I have everything that I need and a few things that I wanted. Been to Europe twice.

I know, amazing, right? How do I survive? How do I keep from falling over dead in the street?

I’m even happy. And engineers must be special and better than the rest of us normal people.

By: bmhumphries

bmhumphries — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 20:59:00 +0000

I am one of those who used credit responsibly and paid it off each month. I would put everyone on the card in order to get that coveted x% cash back. It was free money. I own my home, and have no debt. However. . .

Two months ago, I read Dave Ramsey’s book. (I don’t know why I have ignored him for so long!) He made a comment, and I cannot remember the exact number, that just the ease of spending that credit cards provide induce people to spend something like 30% (and I’m guessing at the number) more than they would have if they had to use cash.

As I thought about it, I realized that was exactly true of me. I was buying far more than I needed to get a couple of percent back. It was silly.

I am with you. I am learning to live without the “convenience” of credit. It really does cost too much.

Stephen Pollan in his book “Die Broke” instructs his readers to make spending as painful as possible. I agree. We need different hobbies than spending and collecting stuff.

Can I ask a question here? How do you go about canceling a credit card? I know you can just call, so I guess my real question is; for someone who is really “conflict adverse” is there a indirect way to cancel the cards? Will they die a natural death if when the “expiration date” is up and you never activate the new cards?

I love your blog! I’m in your camp.