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Steve December 1st 04 02:51 PM

Amazon Credit Card
 
Everybody probably already knows this but, you can get an Amazon
credit card (really Bank One) and they will give a $30 credit. There
is no lower limit on what you can spend it just has to be at least the
$30 credit. I did it and will probably never use the card again. How
does a company make money doing this?

Steve

Mike in Mystic December 1st 04 03:22 PM

The truth is that the average credit card debt per American household is
about $8,000 with an average interest rate of about 18%. This amounts to
$1440 in interest per year. I would guess that most of the people who
bother to get the card actually will use it. Even if their interest rate is
only 10%, that means they only have to have an average annual balance of
$300 for one year to make up for the initial credit. Personally, having
hits on your credit report for these types of things is not really a good
idea, so I would never get a card like this unless I planned to use it.
That's why I only have one credit card and it is locked in my file cabinet
and only used in extraordinary cases.

"Steve" wrote in message
...
Everybody probably already knows this but, you can get an Amazon
credit card (really Bank One) and they will give a $30 credit. There
is no lower limit on what you can spend it just has to be at least the
$30 credit. I did it and will probably never use the card again. How
does a company make money doing this?

Steve




Charlie Self December 1st 04 03:25 PM

Steve xxx asks:
Everybody probably already knows this but, you can get an Amazon
credit card (really Bank One) and they will give a $30 credit. There
is no lower limit on what you can spend it just has to be at least the
$30 credit. I did it and will probably never use the card again. How
does a company make money doing this?


On your "probably" and the fact that probably 90% of people who get such cards
go ahead and use them.

Charlie Self
"Giving every man a vote has no more made men wise and free than Christianity
has made them good." H. L. Mencken

Tom December 1st 04 03:26 PM

Steve wrote:Everybody probably already knows this but, you can get an Amazon
credit card (really Bank One) and they will give a $30 credit. There
is no lower limit on what you can spend it just has to be at least the
$30 credit. I did it and will probably never use the card again. How
does a company make money doing this?

Steve


I dunno. Are you on the Federal do not call list, and did you read the fine
print? Tom

Work at your leisure!

Leon December 1st 04 03:41 PM

In the last 8 years I have been paid back by 3 credit card companies about
$5,450.00 in rebates.
I average about 3% return on every thing I buy on my credit cards. The
trick is to always pay those cards off monthly. At the moment I get 1%
rebate on every dollar I charge and an additional 4% when I buy from a
grocery store, gas station, or drug store. And they love me.



"Steve" wrote in message
...
Everybody probably already knows this but, you can get an Amazon
credit card (really Bank One) and they will give a $30 credit. There
is no lower limit on what you can spend it just has to be at least the
$30 credit. I did it and will probably never use the card again. How
does a company make money doing this?

Steve




Vic Baron December 1st 04 04:51 PM

Well, Leon, you're using the credit card as it was originally intended - a
convenience NOT a chance for revolving credit. As long as you can maintain
that scenario you will be ahead of the game.

Vic

"Leon" wrote in message
. com...
In the last 8 years I have been paid back by 3 credit card companies

about
$5,450.00 in rebates.
I average about 3% return on every thing I buy on my credit cards. The
trick is to always pay those cards off monthly. At the moment I get 1%
rebate on every dollar I charge and an additional 4% when I buy from a
grocery store, gas station, or drug store. And they love me.



"Steve" wrote in message
...
Everybody probably already knows this but, you can get an Amazon
credit card (really Bank One) and they will give a $30 credit. There
is no lower limit on what you can spend it just has to be at least the
$30 credit. I did it and will probably never use the card again. How
does a company make money doing this?

Steve






Larry Jaques December 1st 04 04:54 PM

On 01 Dec 2004 15:25:08 GMT, otforme (Charlie Self)
spake the words:

Steve xxx asks:
Everybody probably already knows this but, you can get an Amazon
credit card (really Bank One) and they will give a $30 credit. There
is no lower limit on what you can spend it just has to be at least the
$30 credit. I did it and will probably never use the card again. How
does a company make money doing this?


On your "probably" and the fact that probably 90% of people who get such cards
go ahead and use them.


Recently, I was offered a Bank of America business card. The annual
service fee was only $100. Needles ta slay, I turned it down.

I tore up another credit card offer last week. Their interest rate
was 28.94% ! When I was growing up, I took a Business Law course in
high school. Back then, 28.94% interest was called "usury" and the
bank would have been keel hauled for it. I wonder if a certain group
of old-line Sicilians runs the CC companies now.

I keep one CC tied to my bank account for general purposes and one for
the business. The rest of my cards were cut up by me years ago and I
don't miss any of that interest payment crap at all.


-------------------------------------------------------------
give me The Luxuries Of Life *
http://www.diversify.com
i can live without the necessities * 2 Tee collections online
-------------------------------------------------------------

RonB December 1st 04 05:14 PM

They make money by suckin' folks who live off of credit into their web.

18% and up.



Charles Spitzer December 1st 04 05:37 PM


"RonB" wrote in message
news:k_mrd.80241$EZ.11943@okepread07...
They make money by suckin' folks who live off of credit into their web.

18% and up.


and by charging a percentage of each purchase payable by the merchants.



Swingman December 1st 04 05:42 PM


"Larry Jaques" wrote in message

bank would have been keel hauled for it. I wonder if a certain group
of old-line Sicilians runs the CC companies now.


No ... they're in Congress.

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 11/06/04



Charlie Self December 1st 04 07:14 PM

Larry Jaques responds:


Recently, I was offered a Bank of America business card. The annual
service fee was only $100. Needles ta slay, I turned it down.

I tore up another credit card offer last week. Their interest rate
was 28.94% ! When I was growing up, I took a Business Law course in
high school. Back then, 28.94% interest was called "usury" and the
bank would have been keel hauled for it. I wonder if a certain group
of old-line Sicilians runs the CC companies now.

I keep one CC tied to my bank account for general purposes and one for
the business. The rest of my cards were cut up by me years ago and I
don't miss any of that interest payment crap at all.


Ya want great interest rates, come to Virginia. This state is overrun with car
title and check lenders. Give them a lien on your car, and you can get a grand
or so. Interest rate, according to the local news, is 360% per annum. Same deal
with checks. If you're tight for cash, write them a check for up to $500.
Interest rate is 361% per annum.

And it is legal.

It is also known as screwing the already poor consumer badly.

Why the assholes in Richmond passed this one is anyone's guess, but my guess
has something to do with asshole politicians lining their pockets at the
expense of John Q. Public.

Charlie Self
"Giving every man a vote has no more made men wise and free than Christianity
has made them good." H. L. Mencken

Joe Gorman December 1st 04 07:17 PM

Charlie Self wrote:
Larry Jaques responds:


Recently, I was offered a Bank of America business card. The annual
service fee was only $100. Needles ta slay, I turned it down.

I tore up another credit card offer last week. Their interest rate
was 28.94% ! When I was growing up, I took a Business Law course in
high school. Back then, 28.94% interest was called "usury" and the
bank would have been keel hauled for it. I wonder if a certain group
of old-line Sicilians runs the CC companies now.

I keep one CC tied to my bank account for general purposes and one for
the business. The rest of my cards were cut up by me years ago and I
don't miss any of that interest payment crap at all.



Ya want great interest rates, come to Virginia. This state is overrun with car
title and check lenders. Give them a lien on your car, and you can get a grand
or so. Interest rate, according to the local news, is 360% per annum. Same deal
with checks. If you're tight for cash, write them a check for up to $500.
Interest rate is 361% per annum.

And it is legal.

It is also known as screwing the already poor consumer badly.

Why the assholes in Richmond passed this one is anyone's guess, but my guess
has something to do with asshole politicians lining their pockets at the
expense of John Q. Public.

Charlie Self
"Giving every man a vote has no more made men wise and free than Christianity
has made them good." H. L. Mencken


Well, we have you beat here in SC. Or we did a while ago. Out
investment counselor, while in the navy a while back, said there
was at least 1 company in the Charleston area charging 1000%, yes
that's 3 zeros. Since there is no usury law in SC as long as they
tell you how much the interest is they can charge what they want.
Probably doesn't say what size type they have to use to tell you
in though.
Joe

GregP December 1st 04 11:49 PM

On Wed, 01 Dec 2004 15:41:10 GMT, "Leon"
wrote:

In the last 8 years I have been paid back by 3 credit card companies about
$5,450.00 in rebates.
I average about 3% return on every thing I buy on my credit cards. The
trick is to always pay those cards off monthly. At the moment I get 1%
rebate on every dollar I charge and an additional 4% when I buy from a
grocery store, gas station, or drug store. And they love me.



They don't love you, they keep hoping you'll become a
revolving credit junkie.

Tim December 2nd 04 12:27 AM


"Swingman" wrote in message
...

"Larry Jaques" wrote in message

bank would have been keel hauled for it. I wonder if a certain group
of old-line Sicilians runs the CC companies now.


No ... they're in Congress.

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 11/06/04


Actually, you can blame the Supreme Court and the former Govener of South
Dakota for letting loose the reins on credit card interest rates. There was
an interesting program on this a couple of days ago on PBS (maybe
"Frontline"?).

Supreme Court ruled that the usury laws of the state where the person making
the credit decision was located ruled. So if an Ohio employee of a New York
bank makes the decision to grant credit to a customer in California, Ohio
law rules. Then SoDak's govenor, in exchange for the promise of jobs from
Citibank and other big banks, led the charge to repeal SoDak's usury laws
that capped interest rates on credit cards. Banks moved their credit card
ops to SoDak and other states soon followed in repealing usury laws.

Tim



Leon December 2nd 04 04:29 AM


"GregP" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 01 Dec 2004 15:41:10 GMT, "Leon"
wrote:

In the last 8 years I have been paid back by 3 credit card companies
about
$5,450.00 in rebates.
I average about 3% return on every thing I buy on my credit cards. The
trick is to always pay those cards off monthly. At the moment I get 1%
rebate on every dollar I charge and an additional 4% when I buy from a
grocery store, gas station, or drug store. And they love me.



They don't love you, they keep hoping you'll become a
revolving credit junkie.


LOL. After all these years and the thank you notes for being a good
customer, the sure sound like they love me. I do generate a lot of revenue
created by using their cards. I am of no risk and they get a percentage
form the vendor every time I use the card. this would probably be
considered the gravy end of this type business. Steady in come little by
little that is of little risk.



Fly-by-Night CC December 2nd 04 08:13 AM

In article ,
"Mike in Mystic" wrote:

The truth is that the average credit card debt per American household is
about $8,000 with an average interest rate of about 18%. This amounts to
$1440 in interest per year. I would guess that most of the people who
bother to get the card actually will use it. Even if their interest rate is
only 10%, that means they only have to have an average annual balance of
$300 for one year to make up for the initial credit. Personally, having
hits on your credit report for these types of things is not really a good
idea, so I would never get a card like this unless I planned to use it.
That's why I only have one credit card and it is locked in my file cabinet
and only used in extraordinary cases.


You watched Frontline this week dincha?

And, to top off the great offers, the banks can raise rates by any
amount at any time for any reason with just 15 days notice.

--
Owen Lowe and his Fly-by-Night Copper Company
____

"Sure we'll have fascism in America, but it'll come disguised
as 100% Americanism." -- Huey P. Long

Fly-by-Night CC December 2nd 04 08:18 AM

In article ,
"Tim" wrote:

Actually, you can blame the Supreme Court and the former Govener of South
Dakota for letting loose the reins on credit card interest rates. There was
an interesting program on this a couple of days ago on PBS (maybe
"Frontline"?).


Excellent show. Frontline is on my list of shows that I often arrange my
schedule around or tape.

Supreme Court ruled that the usury laws of the state where the person making
the credit decision was located ruled. So if an Ohio employee of a New York
bank makes the decision to grant credit to a customer in California, Ohio
law rules. Then SoDak's govenor, in exchange for the promise of jobs from
Citibank and other big banks, led the charge to repeal SoDak's usury laws
that capped interest rates on credit cards. Banks moved their credit card
ops to SoDak and other states soon followed in repealing usury laws.


Yeah and at the end he said that although the increase in S. Dakota's
economy was a great step forward, he felt uneasy with the realization
that he helped release the beast on consumers who are least likely able
to afford the tactics.

BTW, did anyone believe the head of the Comptroller of the Currency vs.
the SF district attorney concerning Providian? Or that guy who's the
head of the lobby organization for the credit card industry? He
certainly looked uncomfortable with the line of questions.

--
Owen Lowe and his Fly-by-Night Copper Company
____

"Sure we'll have fascism in America, but it'll come disguised
as 100% Americanism." -- Huey P. Long

John Emmons December 2nd 04 05:29 PM

Same governor who later killed a motorcycle rider after blowing a stop sign.
I believe he was sentenced to 6 months probation. Courts decided he was on
"government business" so the victim's family now has to sue the state to try
and recover their loss. In that program, and it was "Frontline" he says he
doesn't regret selling his soul to the Citibank, afterall, it brought some
jobs to South Dakota. Not to mention it helped him get elected to Congress
after he left the governor's mansion.

Nice guy.

John Emmons


"Tim" wrote in message
...

"Swingman" wrote in message
...

"Larry Jaques" wrote in message

bank would have been keel hauled for it. I wonder if a certain group
of old-line Sicilians runs the CC companies now.


No ... they're in Congress.

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 11/06/04


Actually, you can blame the Supreme Court and the former Govener of South
Dakota for letting loose the reins on credit card interest rates. There

was
an interesting program on this a couple of days ago on PBS (maybe
"Frontline"?).

Supreme Court ruled that the usury laws of the state where the person

making
the credit decision was located ruled. So if an Ohio employee of a New

York
bank makes the decision to grant credit to a customer in California, Ohio
law rules. Then SoDak's govenor, in exchange for the promise of jobs from
Citibank and other big banks, led the charge to repeal SoDak's usury laws
that capped interest rates on credit cards. Banks moved their credit

card
ops to SoDak and other states soon followed in repealing usury laws.

Tim





TBone December 2nd 04 11:37 PM



"Fly-by-Night CC" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"Mike in Mystic" wrote:

The truth is that the average credit card debt per American household is
about $8,000 with an average interest rate of about 18%. This amounts

to
$1440 in interest per year. I would guess that most of the people who
bother to get the card actually will use it. Even if their interest

rate is
only 10%, that means they only have to have an average annual balance of
$300 for one year to make up for the initial credit. Personally, having
hits on your credit report for these types of things is not really a

good
idea, so I would never get a card like this unless I planned to use it.
That's why I only have one credit card and it is locked in my file

cabinet
and only used in extraordinary cases.


You watched Frontline this week dincha?

And, to top off the great offers, the banks can raise rates by any
amount at any time for any reason with just 15 days notice.



Who cares, just zero balance the thing every month and the can raise the
rates to 90% and it still won't cost you a dime.
--
If at first you don't succeed, you're not cut out for skydiving



Fly-by-Night CC December 3rd 04 01:02 AM

In article ,
"TBone" wrote:

Who cares, just zero balance the thing every month and the can raise the
rates to 90% and it still won't cost you a dime.


You know that, I know that, practically everyone *knows* that - but few
actually live by that rule. Jeez, if $8000 is the _average_ credit card
balance of the American family just think about those who float much
higher than that who pull up the zero or just a few hundred balance
accounts to create that average.

--
Owen Lowe and his Fly-by-Night Copper Company
____

"Sure we'll have fascism in America, but it'll come disguised
as 100% Americanism." -- Huey P. Long

Charles Spitzer December 3rd 04 04:15 PM


"Fly-by-Night CC" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"TBone" wrote:

Who cares, just zero balance the thing every month and the can raise the
rates to 90% and it still won't cost you a dime.


You know that, I know that, practically everyone *knows* that - but few
actually live by that rule. Jeez, if $8000 is the _average_ credit card
balance of the American family just think about those who float much
higher than that who pull up the zero or just a few hundred balance
accounts to create that average.

--
Owen Lowe and his Fly-by-Night Copper Company
____

"Sure we'll have fascism in America, but it'll come disguised
as 100% Americanism." -- Huey P. Long


something like 20% pay off each month.



John Emmons December 3rd 04 05:07 PM

Not to mention that if you pay off your balance each month for a long enough
period of time, you'll become a non-welcome customer.

Folks who think that by paying on time, never keeping a balance, etc. makes
them "good"customers to the credit card issuers have got it completely
backwards.

Ironically, they're the worst customers.

John Emmons

"Charles Spitzer" wrote in message
...

"Fly-by-Night CC" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"TBone" wrote:

Who cares, just zero balance the thing every month and the can raise

the
rates to 90% and it still won't cost you a dime.


You know that, I know that, practically everyone *knows* that - but few
actually live by that rule. Jeez, if $8000 is the _average_ credit card
balance of the American family just think about those who float much
higher than that who pull up the zero or just a few hundred balance
accounts to create that average.

--
Owen Lowe and his Fly-by-Night Copper Company
____

"Sure we'll have fascism in America, but it'll come disguised
as 100% Americanism." -- Huey P. Long


something like 20% pay off each month.





Charles Spitzer December 3rd 04 06:32 PM


"John Emmons" wrote in message
...
Not to mention that if you pay off your balance each month for a long
enough
period of time, you'll become a non-welcome customer.

Folks who think that by paying on time, never keeping a balance, etc.
makes
them "good"customers to the credit card issuers have got it completely
backwards.

Ironically, they're the worst customers.

John Emmons


maybe. i used my credit card to purchase almost everything when i built my
house (lotsa airmiles). the balance was paid off each month with draws from
my construction loan from the bank. you think they didn't like having 3-5%
of mumblty-thousands of dollars?

"Charles Spitzer" wrote in message
...

"Fly-by-Night CC" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"TBone" wrote:

Who cares, just zero balance the thing every month and the can raise

the
rates to 90% and it still won't cost you a dime.

You know that, I know that, practically everyone *knows* that - but few
actually live by that rule. Jeez, if $8000 is the _average_ credit card
balance of the American family just think about those who float much
higher than that who pull up the zero or just a few hundred balance
accounts to create that average.

--
Owen Lowe and his Fly-by-Night Copper Company
____

"Sure we'll have fascism in America, but it'll come disguised
as 100% Americanism." -- Huey P. Long


something like 20% pay off each month.







Mark Jerde December 3rd 04 07:18 PM

Charles Spitzer wrote:

maybe. i used my credit card to purchase almost everything when i
built my house (lotsa airmiles). the balance was paid off each month
with draws from my construction loan from the bank. you think they
didn't like having 3-5% of mumblty-thousands of dollars?


Believe it or not you're a "deadbeat." They want more than just the fee.

"But other consumers, like actor and author Ben Stein, use plastic purely
for convenience. While it would appear that Stein -- who says he charges a
small fortune every month on his credit cards -- is the ideal customer, in
reality, he is what some in the industry call a "deadbeat." That's because
he pays his balance in full every month."

Full article.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontl.../synopsis.html

I used to be a deadbeat too until the layoff in 2001. Things are better now
and I hope to be a deadbeat again in a few months. ;-)

-- Mark



TBone December 3rd 04 08:21 PM

This is complete BS. Credit card companies make money every time you use
that card regardless of how quickly you pay it off. I use my credit cards
for just about everything and zero balance them every month for the past 20
years and I still get flooded with new applications and phone calls for new
ones to this day. Not exactly what would happen to a non-welcome customer.

--
If at first you don't succeed, you're not cut out for skydiving


"John Emmons" wrote in message
...
Not to mention that if you pay off your balance each month for a long

enough
period of time, you'll become a non-welcome customer.

Folks who think that by paying on time, never keeping a balance, etc.

makes
them "good"customers to the credit card issuers have got it completely
backwards.

Ironically, they're the worst customers.

John Emmons

"Charles Spitzer" wrote in message
...

"Fly-by-Night CC" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"TBone" wrote:

Who cares, just zero balance the thing every month and the can raise

the
rates to 90% and it still won't cost you a dime.

You know that, I know that, practically everyone *knows* that - but

few
actually live by that rule. Jeez, if $8000 is the _average_ credit

card
balance of the American family just think about those who float much
higher than that who pull up the zero or just a few hundred balance
accounts to create that average.

--
Owen Lowe and his Fly-by-Night Copper Company
____

"Sure we'll have fascism in America, but it'll come disguised
as 100% Americanism." -- Huey P. Long


something like 20% pay off each month.







John December 3rd 04 09:09 PM

However, you can often negotiate with the vendor to get a discount for
CASH, so saving 3-5% out of YOUR loan is worth it for the
convenience??

John

On Fri, 3 Dec 2004 11:32:11 -0700, "Charles Spitzer"
wrote:


"John Emmons" wrote in message
...
Not to mention that if you pay off your balance each month for a long
enough
period of time, you'll become a non-welcome customer.

Folks who think that by paying on time, never keeping a balance, etc.
makes
them "good"customers to the credit card issuers have got it completely
backwards.

Ironically, they're the worst customers.

John Emmons


maybe. i used my credit card to purchase almost everything when i built my
house (lotsa airmiles). the balance was paid off each month with draws from
my construction loan from the bank. you think they didn't like having 3-5%
of mumblty-thousands of dollars?

"Charles Spitzer" wrote in message
...

"Fly-by-Night CC" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"TBone" wrote:

Who cares, just zero balance the thing every month and the can raise

the
rates to 90% and it still won't cost you a dime.

You know that, I know that, practically everyone *knows* that - but few
actually live by that rule. Jeez, if $8000 is the _average_ credit card
balance of the American family just think about those who float much
higher than that who pull up the zero or just a few hundred balance
accounts to create that average.

--
Owen Lowe and his Fly-by-Night Copper Company
____

"Sure we'll have fascism in America, but it'll come disguised
as 100% Americanism." -- Huey P. Long

something like 20% pay off each month.








John Emmons December 4th 04 06:21 PM

The only thing that's complete BS is your assumption that your personal
experience is the standard.

John Emmons

"TBone" wrote in message
. com...
This is complete BS. Credit card companies make money every time you use
that card regardless of how quickly you pay it off. I use my credit cards
for just about everything and zero balance them every month for the past

20
years and I still get flooded with new applications and phone calls for

new
ones to this day. Not exactly what would happen to a non-welcome

customer.

--
If at first you don't succeed, you're not cut out for skydiving


"John Emmons" wrote in message
...
Not to mention that if you pay off your balance each month for a long

enough
period of time, you'll become a non-welcome customer.

Folks who think that by paying on time, never keeping a balance, etc.

makes
them "good"customers to the credit card issuers have got it completely
backwards.

Ironically, they're the worst customers.

John Emmons

"Charles Spitzer" wrote in message
...

"Fly-by-Night CC" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"TBone" wrote:

Who cares, just zero balance the thing every month and the can

raise
the
rates to 90% and it still won't cost you a dime.

You know that, I know that, practically everyone *knows* that - but

few
actually live by that rule. Jeez, if $8000 is the _average_ credit

card
balance of the American family just think about those who float much
higher than that who pull up the zero or just a few hundred balance
accounts to create that average.

--
Owen Lowe and his Fly-by-Night Copper Company
____

"Sure we'll have fascism in America, but it'll come disguised
as 100% Americanism." -- Huey P. Long

something like 20% pay off each month.









Larry Blanchard December 5th 04 03:14 AM

John Emmons wrote:

The only thing that's complete BS is your assumption that your personal
experience is the standard.


His experience may not be the standard, but it's the same as mine :-).

--
Homo sapiens is a goal, not a description.


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