My old noggin doesn't run wide open as a rule and the holidays throw more load on a structure that's already not up to code. So, it came as no surprise that thirty minutes after I call the credit underwriters toll free number, informed that they are all on vacation and try back during normal business hours whatever they may be, it dawns on me that I filed a credit fraud alert on my SS number.

That's right, mind like a steel trap albeit rusty and wore smooth out at times. It takes until Wednesday and I call to find out I've been approved.

This whole credit thing has me quite perplexed. I try to obtain a GEMB card through Buds & I'm denied. They always list four reasons and the last is always: Not enough accounts paid as agreed. All of my accounts are paid as agreed including the GE money bank backed PayPal card that I have. I asked the bums again seven months down the road for a measly $1,000 line of credit and was refused and again the last of four reasons was: Not enough accounts paid as agreed.

The bitch is, if you don't use the GEMB card through Buds you have to pay 3% surcharge or write a check & wait for it to clear. Or, haul ya butt down to the USPS, buy a MO and mail it to them. If you use their card there's no surcharge if paid in the monthly cycle. It's not the end of the world, but it shore would be conveinent don'tcha know?

I ask Best Buy and they sling a card my way then I decide to buy the TV from Sears and they deny me credit. They had no problem selling to me. After GEMB denies me a second time Academy gives me 12K line of credit. Go figure.

And now, the rest of the story.

I'm attempting to talk w/store manager over the purchase of two handguns. They will go off sale at close today I'm sure. That represents a total of 40 samolas I'm losing out on while waiting to use my CC.

She's gonna tell me her hands are tied, yet if this was a local owned store I would be able to strike a deal while waiting on their card. I need that 40 bucks for ammo and I need the purchase on my new card.

I'm guessing I'm gonna end up talking to a regional manager and listening to the same song and dance. What ever happened to real managers that could make decisions for the good of the customer & the store?

Bunch of corporate lackeys...

Why don't you use your GE Moneybank Paypal card at Academy? Do you get some kind of special deal there using their store brand card?

Ah, there's the rub. Yes you do get 5 pnts per dollar spent in the store. 2500 points ads up to a $25 gift card. First purchase is extra 1000 pnts so that combined w/my intended purchase would earn me a gift card.

Might be small change to most, but I could use it so I want to use their card when in their store. Every little bit helps.

I have to rotate my cards so everyone gets a little use. A little farther down the road I'll start culling a couple that aren't used much anymore.

I rarely go to Gander Mnt coz of their high prices, especially on ammunition. I still use their card on occasions and next statement I'll have a $25 gift card from them. Holiday promotional special trying to encourage the use of their card anywhere.

They used to offer 5% in house. Times are hard and they scaled back. I'll probably scale them back as well at some time in the future.

Any extra cash isn't small change these days. I can't find any rhyme or reason to why some stores accept you and some decline. I have a credit line at Tires Plus but was declined for a Kohls card. I turned around a few days later and was accepted for a Sears card. None of it makes sense.

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Fast is fine;accurate is final

Wife and I have basically put the cards up. We only used one for $200 bucks over x-mas.

I was in a Academy early New Years Eve. I was there to purchase a 686+ and a M&P .45 ACP with safety. Bottom line I could not part with my hard earned money. I had 15 $100 bills in my pocket and could not let them go. They offered me there store CC. Plastic isn't a problem,,, I have more than a person should really have. Felt funny leaving without the pistols. But I still have my $1500 bucks.

O-Well

That 1500 clams might come in handy farther on down the road.

I was just going to buy a couple of cheap pistols that wouldn't see many rounds. In this day and time though I don't understand why they cannot accommodate my request. How hard is it to say, "Hey, this guy wasn't instantly approved coz he had a fraud alert, but we'll work w/him and hold a couple till next week at the sales price. Or agree if there's one or two left to honor the sale price next week.

Seriously, if they want me to use their Visa work around what should be a small snag. They want you to obtain a card so hopefully you'll come back more often, use the card for the small rewards and they want you to use the card for purchases away from the store so they'll get their cut off the merchant fee.

CC are great for convenience. However, when you don't have a lot to spend you wish to use them when you can to your advantage. I like to have a track record of using them and paying them off on time. The small $25 gift cards evah now & then help make up for the extra time invested in using CC.

You get no credit for using cash. It's all a game. I'm usually under 1% utilization and try to stay within 6-8% as a rule. I'm not going to be enticed to get in over my head, yet w/higher limits it looks good on my credit report. By 10% they're docking you for using the credit they gave you.
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Maybe I should click the "Free Credit Consultation" banner ad up at the top of this page. Ha, ha, ha. Nice try at profiling what might be of interest to me...
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Edit deuce:
The nice & friendly store manager just called from Academy Sports and told me that they would honor the sale price when my CC arrived.

All's well that ends well & I'll use that 40 bucks to buy some ammo from the Academy crew.

Truth, justice and the American way have prevailed...