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What is your credit score?
- Thread starter iBreatheApple
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Sure, if you're OK with junk mail sorting and telemarketers, a credit card sounds great.
Seriously, I haven't seen one benefit that could not be achieved by common sense, lack of clumsiness, or sound fiscal management.
That would tend to make your credit score lower. The only way to get a credit score near the max is to have an insane salary, be massively in debt, and manage the debt by making all payments on time. If you are debt free, you won't have a max credit score.
Mine is 752 according to Quizzle, and I also have no debt... just paid off the mortgage this year. I expect it to drop as a result of paying off the mortgage.
LOL, now you bring up telemarketers and junk mail? What the hell do these have to do with credit card use?
Man, you're really pulling at straws now, aren't you? Apparently you're not aware of the privacy laws that US companies are finally regulated by. It takes a 2 minute (one-time) effort to add yourself to a gov't "do not call" list that telemarketers have to abide by. With junk mail, you simply tell the credit bureaus to not release your information to anyone without your consent. Again, a one-time effort that takes minutes.
You save 1% (or more) on everything you purchase. You will not achieve that benefit in the US by paying with cash, regardless of your common sense, lack of clumsiness, or sound fiscal management.
What do junk mail and telemarketers have to do with credit cards?
Common sense, lack of clumsiness or sound fiscal management won't help you when a product breaks and you're just outside of the original manufacturer's warranty.
Either you have been ignoring every post to the contrary or just refuse to accept it.
:face palm:
Per junk mail, yea, I don't get any of that with a cc because I opted out of those offers.
You seem to be trying to make up arguments now. The fact is that cash is a hassel.If you are responsible, using a CC gives you the exact same product for often times, cheaper, builds your cc score, has higher security when making the transaction, and offers a multitude of other benefits.
The only reason I would use cash is if I was going to a place that could not process plastic. But then I would be worried about losing it/misplacing my 'wad'
I agree with you, in terms of how things in the US work. Where he lives, not so much.
So, you're really going to argue that because the average idiot agreed to pay the 2-4% surcharge that is now worked into the overhead operational costs, that you're benefiting by saving 1%.
:facepalm:
Why don't we all cut off our right hands, then we can apply for prosthetic thumb, which would be a benefit, when compared to an already poor situation.
The solution is that everyone should start using cash and the marketplace would adjust and attract customers by offering a 2-4% reduction. But, I think you guys have been hooked by the extended warranty (what percent of items actually fail within this addition year) and 1% cash back (from the 2-4% increase passed to the consumer) garbage.
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Don't buy crap/low-quality stuff in the first place.
So Apple is crap/low quality stuff? Because the one time I used my AmEx extended warranty benefit, it was on an Apple product.
Yes, some products/models are horrible. There's been several issues with video chips on the mainboard, for example.
It was an iPad, but that's besides the point. How the hell I'm I supposed to prevent something like that from happening?
No amount of financial responsibility, common sense, fiscal planning, whatever, will stop something like that. That's when the credit card extended warranty benefit comes in handy.
To be honest, I'm a diehard Apple guy and I still don't see the use of an iPad (almost three generations later).
It kind of like the CC system, it's been added our lives, without added benefit. And, at some point it will be indispensable, until people protest against it.
So all that BS about how you don't see a use for an iPad somehow negates the fact that my AmEx card saved me an pricey repair? You just don't want to admit that credit cards have at least one benefit.
Well, I think the customer service/support/protection sucks in the US. The AMEX is nothing but a small band-aid on a crappy system. I'm OK with paying more tax (VAT) and getting better service/warranty.
Whether you have a credit card or not has absolutely nothing to do with whether marketers target you.
If you have sound financial discipline, properly using your credit card can save you money in many circumstances, and cost you nothing in any case. (I don't know about you, but I prefer more money to less, given the choice.) On the other hand, if you're not fiscally responsible, you'll ruin yourself with or without credit.
Sweet, I have a Chase Freedom and buy gas and also plenty of crap from Amazon.
I also have an Amazon Visa though and get 3 points for every dollar I spend at Amazon and 1 point for every dollar spent elsewhere and the points can be spent at Amazon (1 point = 1 cent).
Thanks to some recent large purchases and a promotion where I got bonus points if I spent over a certain amount, I have about 7,000 points ($70) to spend at Amazon.
I also have an Amazon Visa though and get 3 points for every dollar I spend at Amazon and 1 point for every dollar spent elsewhere and the points can be spent at Amazon (1 point = 1 cent).
Thanks to some recent large purchases and a promotion where I got bonus points if I spent over a certain amount, I have about 7,000 points ($70) to spend at Amazon.