I think we have too much available credit. I'm in the process of cleaning up our credit reports and I can't believe how much these idiots are handing out in credit. Come to think of it, when I applied for financing for our last furniture purchase (figuring, I'd get the $1200 worth of furniture for 12 months same as cash deal) they actually told me my limit was $15,000. I nearly peed my pants and told them I didn't need that much and I didn't want that much.

Every time I call my three cards to lower our credit limit to what I consider reasonable, a few months later, they jack it back up again. I need to cancel a few accounts.

O's got all his teeth (except for his 2 year molars) but he's still chewy. He chews on his fingers, and me and anything he can get in his mouth.

Every time I call my three cards to lower our credit limit to what I consider reasonable, a few months later, they jack it back up again.

Jackholes.

I just remembered that I did actually completely pay off one card about a year and a half ago. The company's response? To immediately lower my limit to $1200. When I called to ask why this had happened, the customer service rep said snottily, "I don't know what you're talking about. It says right here that that's always been your limit."

Not that I actually needed it any higher, or that a higher limit had ever been anything but trouble, but the whole thing felt like a smackdown for actually paying off the debt and the baldfaced lie and snottiness made me quite peevish.

Jackholes.

Yup. Like the company that I paid off 4K to last year and the bastards kept RAISING my interest rate to like 27%!!! I called them and said, "I haven't carried a balance with you guys this year and paid off $4K--what's with the higher interest rate?" She immediately apologized and said she'd lower it to 9%. I just checked online with my account--it's back up to 16% and I HAVEN'T USED THE DAMN THING IN 6 MONTHS.

It's crazy and weird and makes no sense whatsoever.

I'm sure that's how they make a lot of their money, taking advantage of the fact that most people are just too damn busy and tired to stay on top of it, obsessively check and recheck almost every month, and follow up on every glitch.

Perkins, I tried the Converse site and it worked for me. Pink gingham is, unfortunately, not one of the canvas choices.

That is very sad making. I've seen pink gingham high tops, but that is not what I want.

I'm sure that's how they make a lot of their money, taking advantage of the fact that most people are just too damn busy and tired to stay on top of it, obsessively check and recheck almost every month, and follow up on every glitch.

A lot of their money? That's how they make money. They don't want you to pay off your debt. Your debt is a little money farm for them and they harvest the debt. You pay off your debt and you've just destroyed the crops they harvest.

The economics of the credit world are crazy topsy turvy land, but you should never mistake it for the world of protestant thrift and never-a-borrower-be, and repaying-your-debts-is-a-virtue.

Hiya Bitches! I'm in Ohio. The cats are miraculously happy and quiet and have been all day. Very odd. My Treo is about to run out of battery power, and I need to get gas...so this is a cameo. Onward to Econolodge.

Fuck. I need a baby sitter Saturday night. Crap crap crap crap crap.

skip skip skip skim skim skim

Very belated YAY for team P-C with the parent-conversation. Also a Yay for Jilli with the (scarysounding) interview.

(((((Susan))))) I have no words.

I do not have a credit card. I'm fairly sure I have a terrible credit rating, and would not be able to get one. Having this confirmed scares me too much to actually try - but that's okay, because I don't want a credit card, because I don't think I can be trusted with one - I am very irresponsible with money. Very. It's scary.

'Course, this means that I don't think about making Big Grownup purchases like cars and flats and stuff, and I'm not seeing that changing anytime soon.

Meanwhile I've been home (and awake) for maybe 24 hours, and in that time I've spent £200. And I haven't even left the house! However, I should have winging their way to me Seasons 1-7 of Stargate, Season 4 of Alias and Seasons 1 - 5 of Babylon 5. And I think that's not bad, for £200 (including postage and packaging).

From Amazon, Stargate would have set me back £140 plus postage, Babylon 5 would have set me back £150 plus postage and Alias Season 4 isn't actually available yet. (And, okay, I may find it's very much not Alias Season 4, but I'm quite ready to take a chance.) So - yes, lots of money. But LOTS of DVDs.