Credit Advice (seriously)

[TheConfessor]

It is also possible that they are gearing up to offer some features that might be useful later, kind of like what happened with telephones when they went from rotary dial to touchtone: the pound key and the asterisk key had no functionality at all when the touchtones were first introduced, but 'they' knew that there would be wonderful things that would someday be available, and so 'they' sold touchtone phones for years that had a pound key and an asterisk key that really didn't do anything other than make it possible for them to display an even dozen keys.

If "they" ever come up with a use for the asterisk key, it had better be really great. I use the pound (octothorpe) key quite often, but I can't recall the last time I ever used the asterisk key.

[themanintheseersuckersuit]

It is also possible that they are gearing up to offer some features that might be useful later, kind of like what happened with telephones when they went from rotary dial to touchtone: the pound key and the asterisk key had no functionality at all when the touchtones were first introduced, but 'they' knew that there would be wonderful things that would someday be available, and so 'they' sold touchtone phones for years that had a pound key and an asterisk key that really didn't do anything other than make it possible for them to display an even dozen keys.

If "they" ever come up with a use for the asterisk key, it had better be really great. I use the pound (octothorpe) key quite often, but I can't recall the last time I ever used the asterisk key.

When I call into my office voice mail I have to hit the asterisk key to enter the voice mail system, I have to do the same thing when I access my cell phone voice mail from another phone

[SportsFan68]

If you do not use a card regularly, you increase the risk that the credit card lender will reduce your credit limit, or even close out the account entirely (new credit card rules that go into effect next year will specifically prohibit a lender from closing an account based upon the fact that the customer does not pay any finance charges, but will specifically permit a lender to close an account based upon the fact that the customer has not used the card for three months).

Thanks for this info. I suspect I'll be down to two cards next year.

No: you want THREE cards. I would recommend a MasterCard and a Visa (both useful just about anywhere) and a Discover card (for the rebates).

We both have MasterCards and Visas that we use regularly, both providing very favorable rebates in certain situations (MasterCard for gasoline and Visa for Cabela's).

I haven't used the Discover card since last year and now wonder if it's already canceled. On your advice, I'll reactivate it if it's been deactivated and start using it at least once every three months and tell SteelersFan to do the same with his.

[ToLiveIsToFly]

I should clarify that my autopayments are not handled through my bank, but through the individual vendors. My cell, cable, insurance co., etc.

I don't do auto-bill-pay because DirecTV and T-Mobile send me bills that are just plain wrong all the time. My method is that whenever I get one bill, I go online and check all my bills, and pay any of them that have a nonzero balance.

[ulysses5019]

I loved the Adventures of Asterix. And his buddy Obelix.

[Jeemie]

I follow 1 to the letter.

My utilization is 0%, and has been for some time.

Unless utilization is figured on average daily balance instead of a balance that I carry.

[secondchance]

I've several times been sent replacement cards that I did not solicit for cards that had not yet expired. That were not set to expire for several years. The # on the replacement card was the same. The code on the back of the replacement card was the same. I do not for the life of me know what made the new card "different". In each case, the credit card company sent me a letter 1st, with my right name, at my right address, which hasn't changed since the mid 80s, saying "we are going to be replacing your card". This of course lead me to expect the new card to have a new set of #s, front & back, but they never have. These were always active cards that were being replaced, too.

Are they changing what the magnetic strip does in some important way, but a way that does not need a change of card # or code-on-back?

Yes-- that is most likely what has happened. They may have added some new functionality (quite possible something you are not interested in, but something New! and Improved!) such as ATM access for you to make cash withdrawals from ATMs (which, um, I would not recommend that you do) (unless you have a Capital One card, in which case you should make such withdrawals several times a day, because we make a TON of money from them). It is also possible that they are gearing up to offer some features that might be useful later, kind of like what happened with telephones when they went from rotary dial to touchtone: the pound key and the asterisk key had no functionality at all when the touchtones were first introduced, but 'they' knew that there would be wonderful things that would someday be available, and so 'they' sold touchtone phones for years that had a pound key and an asterisk key that really didn't do anything other than make it possible for them to display an even dozen keys.

That reminds me of when I was a kid and all the grocery store products started coming out with those strange little squares of vertical black lines on them, which served no useful purpose whatsoever. We were told that one day they would come in handy...

[secondchance]

It is also possible that they are gearing up to offer some features that might be useful later, kind of like what happened with telephones when they went from rotary dial to touchtone: the pound key and the asterisk key had no functionality at all when the touchtones were first introduced, but 'they' knew that there would be wonderful things that would someday be available, and so 'they' sold touchtone phones for years that had a pound key and an asterisk key that really didn't do anything other than make it possible for them to display an even dozen keys.

If "they" ever come up with a use for the asterisk key, it had better be really great. I use the pound (octothorpe) key quite often, but I can't recall the last time I ever used the asterisk key.

I've used the "star" key twice today; once to repeat the phone prompts while listening to instructions on a recorded message, and then while changing to caps during a text message.