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Archive through March 20, 2007

The TVClubHouse: General Discussions ARCHIVES: Jan. 2007 ~ Mar. 2007: Free Expression...: The return of The Return of the Gripe Thread (ARCHIVES): Archive through March 20, 2007 users admin

Author Message
Grooch
Member

06-16-2006

Tuesday, February 27, 2007 - 5:55 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Grooch a private message Print Post    
I must be the only person who doesn't get new phone books. :-(

The ones I'm using are from 2002 at home and 2003 at work.

Office Depot catelogues are another story. I even called up a few times to get all the other names removed from their mailing list, to no avail.

Costacat
Member

07-15-2000

Tuesday, February 27, 2007 - 8:39 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Costacat a private message Print Post    
You can tell your phone company the number of books you want delivered, when they deliver. I have two phone lines, one (Verizon) cellular line, and one (Cingular) BlackBerry line. I get one set of phone books from the phone company, and none from any other "local" phone company (such as Cox).

I used to keep a copy of the current phone book in my office, and I'd have to go pick 'em up at the grocery store so I could lug 'em to my office (it helped to have a copy of my local book in the office, when I was trying to find businesses or whatever).

Chewpito
Member

01-04-2004

Tuesday, February 27, 2007 - 10:54 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Chewpito a private message Print Post    
Ive got the same phone book problem, but really gripes me is when they just toss them willie nilly out on the curb..and then nobody wants them and they sit there for days and somtimes longer... in the rain and look like trash. I also dont like when people dont pull their trash bins in after trash day...

Chiliwilli
Member

09-04-2006

Sunday, March 11, 2007 - 2:36 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Chiliwilli a private message Print Post    
Chinese Lawmaker Want Starbucks Ousted
Sunday, March 11, 2007 3:03 AM EDT
The Associated Press


BEIJING (AP) — A Chinese lawmaker revived calls for the removal of a Starbucks coffee shop from Beijing's famed Forbidden City, saying its presence was a smear on China's historical legacy, the official Xinhua News Agency reported Sunday.

Jiang Hongbin, a deputy from the northeastern province of Heilongjiang, said he submitted a motion to the National People's Congress, the country's legislature, to close the outlet immediately, Xinhua said.

Starbucks "can no longer be allowed to taint China's national culture," Jiang was quoted as saying.

Link

Why can't they ban them here? Starbucks is taking over all my favorite stands and they suck big time. I want a coffee stand that actually cares what their customers want and tries to provide it rather than saying this is what we got take it or leave it.

Laralyn
Member

08-04-2005

Monday, March 12, 2007 - 6:56 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Laralyn a private message Print Post    
oh Chill do i hear you. We have 4 starbucks within a couple of miles where I live. My two favorite coffee stands are now out of business. Starbucks...blech, i'll make my own.

Rosie
Member

11-12-2003

Monday, March 19, 2007 - 10:36 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Rosie a private message Print Post    
My gripe is against credit card companies and their business practices.

You know those lengthy notices they send out with your bill? Well, I actually took a look at one of the notices and was surprised to read that, if you don't carry a balance on your bill, they are going to put a minimum monthly charge on your bill. Granted the minimum charge is like a $1.50 or so but what the heck...

They also included that you can reject this by writing, what appears to be an autobiography, to the company. However, if you reject this monthly charge, aren't you also rejecting your credit card?

This is what I get for actually trying to read the notice?

I need an attorney to explain this to me.

Abby7
Member

07-17-2002

Monday, March 19, 2007 - 11:31 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Abby7 a private message Print Post    
that's ridiculous. i've never carried a balance on any of my credit cards and have never been charged a fee.

can you switch to a different cc company?

Rosie
Member

11-12-2003

Monday, March 19, 2007 - 11:34 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Rosie a private message Print Post    
I guess so, Abby. I've never heard of this either.

Juju2bigdog
Member

10-27-2000

Monday, March 19, 2007 - 1:40 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Juju2bigdog a private message Print Post    
Maybe they only charge the fee if you fail to charge something in that month?

Max
Moderator

08-12-2000

Monday, March 19, 2007 - 4:51 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Max a private message Print Post    
I'd say cancel that card and get one from a different company. I have a couple of cards that I rarely use and I don't get charged just because I don't have a balance.

Sheilaree
Member

07-19-2002

Monday, March 19, 2007 - 5:29 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Sheilaree a private message Print Post    
I hate that too, and you don't know why you got that fee too. I would think they would want people to pay off the credit card every month. I could understand why that fee if I pay my credit cards on time. Do they want people to go in to debt. Glad you brought it up.

Serate
Member

08-21-2001

Monday, March 19, 2007 - 6:10 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Serate a private message Print Post    
I would think they would want people to pay off the credit card every month.

Credit card companies do NOT want you to pay of your card every month - the only want you to may the minimum. The interest charged is how they make most of their money.

I've always said if I ever became stinking rich I'd charge every single thing, every purchase, and pay it off every month. So the credit cards wouldn't make money off of me!

Max
Moderator

08-12-2000

Monday, March 19, 2007 - 6:20 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Max a private message Print Post    
How interesting. Just after posting my reply to this issue, I got my mail with a new privacy statement and annual credit card agreement amendment from Bank of America. Right up front, it says the bit about a minimum finance charge. Guess what account is getting canceled today? I don't use that card anyway.

I have two VISA accounts I use every month and one American Express account. All three get paid in full every month. I use them for ease of making online payments and because each of them is attached to a rewards plan (United Airlines, Amazon.com, and Costco).

The VISAs are both through Chase and so far they haven't instituted this policy. If they do, I'll be shopping for a differen card company. Ridiculous!

Bank of America must really be looking to increase revenues. THey're offering special VISA accounts geared towards folks who undocumented, too. Those accounts carry an interest rate in the neighborhood of 24%. I guess they don't care how they get cash as long as they get it.

With the average debt that most Americans carry, I doubt they've begun losing money on credit cards. I mean, most people don't pay their balance in full or avoid using their cards, so they're making money hand over fist anyway.

THis is ridiculous.

Pamy
Member

01-02-2002

Monday, March 19, 2007 - 6:27 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Pamy a private message Print Post    
BofA, now known as Bank of Aliens, is giving credit cards to illegals and home loans...sounds like they are preparing to lose money and pass it on to their existing customers

Pamy
Member

01-02-2002

Monday, March 19, 2007 - 6:28 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Pamy a private message Print Post    
ps be careful which cards you cancel...it can affect your fico

Hukdonreality
Member

09-29-2003

Monday, March 19, 2007 - 6:53 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Hukdonreality a private message Print Post    
Credit card WARNING!

I went to a bank with a friend, who wants to consolidate her credit cards and small second mortgage. The bank manager told her that she picked the right time to do that. Apparently, by the end of the year, credit card minimum payments will more than double. There was some law passed in order to "force" the credit card companies to collect on their customers rather than allowing them to string along for years and years.

This could be a good thing or a bad thing. The bank guy said that he is seeing more and more who people can't pay off their cards now and with higher minimum payments, they'll be in real trouble. And bankruptcy is no longer quite such an easy option anymore. Laws were changed in 2006 which force consumers to go to credit counseling services first and work out repayment arrangements.

I'm afraid for young people today who don't understand the pitfalls of credit card use. I'm glad I just keep 2, and try to keep them very manageable!

Sheilaree
Member

07-19-2002

Tuesday, March 20, 2007 - 4:57 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Sheilaree a private message Print Post    
I just have 2 credit cards too, and a debt card. That is enough for me.

Karuuna
Board Administrator

08-31-2000

Tuesday, March 20, 2007 - 7:10 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Karuuna a private message Print Post    
You should never mass cancel credit cards - no more than one per year. Just stop using them, and slowly get yourself down to 2 or 3 at most.

Urgrace
Member

08-19-2000

Tuesday, March 20, 2007 - 8:36 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Urgrace a private message Print Post    
Cancelling a credit card decreases your credit score.

Escapee
Member

06-15-2004

Tuesday, March 20, 2007 - 8:42 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Escapee a private message Print Post    
Same with me Sheila, and one has a zero balance and I haven't used it for a couple of years. BUT it's there JIC.

Max
Moderator

08-12-2000

Tuesday, March 20, 2007 - 11:33 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Max a private message Print Post    
Karuuna, I haven't used my BofA card for almost two years, but kept it open anyway, mostly because I forgot about it. :-) But now, they're going to start charging you for NOT using it. Crazy stuff. My FICO is 781, so I think cancelling one credit card won't hurt too much. :-) I still have three I use regularly (and pay off) and one in abeyance just in case.

I don't think cancelling alone decreases your score. The score is a combination of things, part of which is what the ratio is between your income and your available (not necessarily used) credit. Since my income dropped a lot once I became self-employed, cancelling one card, which happens to have a very high limit, may actually help my overall credit score.

But then again, I'm no credit score guru, so I could be wrong. :-) Nevertheless, I'm not going to be paying Bank of America $1.50 a month just for the 'privilege' of having their credit card.

Sheilaree
Member

07-19-2002

Tuesday, March 20, 2007 - 11:38 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Sheilaree a private message Print Post    
Trust me I use mine all the time, but I pay them off every month. I had wonder about that $1.50

Rosie
Member

11-12-2003

Tuesday, March 20, 2007 - 11:40 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Rosie a private message Print Post    
Thanks Max for posting the "official title" of the notice. I didn't want to look through the notice again.

CC companies make more money if we do not pay off the bill in full. They get to tack on those finance charges.

This additional charge is definitely directed to those that do pay their bills in full every month.

I am thinking about telephoning them...

Karuuna
Board Administrator

08-31-2000

Tuesday, March 20, 2007 - 12:01 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Karuuna a private message Print Post    
Cancelling one at a time won't hurt you. But if you cancel several cards at one time, that will hurt your credit card score. (per Jean Chatzky).

Karuuna
Board Administrator

08-31-2000

Tuesday, March 20, 2007 - 12:12 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Karuuna a private message Print Post    
I can't find a link for that, I do listen to her radio show frequently.

However, I could find a few links that say not to close your oldest accounts even if you don't use them, since it can shorten your available history. Also, you want to have a large available credit balance, but only be using 30% of it. Closing cards can effect that adversely also.

I do agree that if they start charging you, it's wise to get rid of them. Just saying it's wise to do it thoughtfully!