On 08 Sep 2004 22:02:49 GMT, emove (SteveC1280)
wrote:

|Rockler's new Visa card gives a $20 certificate for every $2000 charged. Since
|I pay my kids tuition bills by credit card and the way SWMBO spends money, I
|could get some nice (free) tools at Rockler. Is there a catch I have missed?
|Do the certificates expire at midnight or something?

First, I question why you're shopping at Rockler. On my last two web
orders with them when I got the goods, my cc had been charged more
than the web order form indicated the charges would be. On the first
one it was only a buck and I called them and was told that there had
been a price increase on that item. I said I didn't give a rat's ass
about their after-the-fact price increase, I wanted the price the web
said it would be and they promised a refund to my credit card. Never
happened. After it happened the second time, they lost my business.

Second, after you get the card, they can always change the rules. I
have a GM card. It used to pay a 5% rebate good for GM car purchases.
You could accrue $500/year up to 7 years. They changed it to 1% and
won't allow me as a GM retiree to use it at all for employee
purchases. Consequently, I don't use the card and I don't buy GM cars
(although the new Corvette might change my mind)

I had a First USA card that paid in frequent flyer miles. Their scam
was to not credit your payments when received, and charge $35 late
fees. This was well documented on a web site, firstusascams.com. (I
think they were forced off the air.) There was a class action suit
and settlement over this one. They pulled it on me a couple of times
and when I called and challenged it they would reverse the charge.
They were depending on the fools that carry a balance and don't
reconcile their statements, thus never knowing they're being had.

The one we use now is Capital One. They pay in frequent flyer miles,
but they also changed the rules, effectively cutting the rebate from
2% to 1%.

I looked at Costco's AMex card. The big print says 5% rebates. The
little print says something different.

The fine print *always* has a catch.