Possible Sunset on the US?

[Steveboy]

The bank wouldn't give me a credit card!!   So I never had any any problems, always bought my food with cash, though sometimes I resorted to bartering 

[andrewfi]

The world is teeming with people who claim to pay off their credit card bills in full each month. However the reality is that most do not. If they did pay off their bills then the credit card industry would not exist and we'd all use charge cards and debit cards. Charge cards in the US are dead - less so in Europe, but many USAians might not recognise the cards as being charge cards coz they don't say Diners CLub or American Express. Debit cards are often linked to an overdraft or similar credit anyway.

A generalization is just that, a generalisation, and I know that the general statement is valid.

[d672]

Actually we buy virtually everything with our credit cards, including food.  We pay bills with our credit cards.  The reason is simple we get points/air miles for every TL we spend on credit card.

One simple difference is that when the credit cards bills come in each month they are paid IN FULL on their due date.

Problems of course arise if you don't pay them off in full.  Credit card interest rates are usury.  If you need to borrow money there are much cheaper ways.  Of course spending money you don't have on credit cards is stupid...

 This  ^^^^

 I use my credit cards as much as possible to earn air miles. Fuel alone is a big expense for me and I need to pay it off every month or my creditors cut me off. Why not pay it through the credit card and get the miles instead of with a check or debit card?   Right now I have enough points saved up for 3 trips to Europe. Free flights are always nice!   

[Contrarian]

Americans are also poorer and more in debt than in the year 2000. 

Debt and poor money management skills are a big problem in America.

Like Reagan used to say it's "Sunrise in America".  Time for a renewal and Trump is just the leader we've been waiting for.

Actually, that was Morning in America. 

And 1984 was a different country.  Look at all those white people.

Walter Mondale, demonstrating why he is a loser, promptly complained: “It’s all picket fences and puppy dogs. No one’s hurting. No one’s alone. No one’s hungry. No one’s unemployed. No one gets old. Everybody’s happy.”

Mondale carried exactly *one* state, his home state of Minnesota, in the 1984 election.  Once he lost the election to replace Paul Wellstone, he gained the "distinction" of being the first person to lose federal elections in all 50 states.    I'm sure Mondale is a fine human being, but if you're running as a whiny douche against the Emperor of Ice Cream, you pretty much have to expect to get clobbered.

The narrator is Hal Riney, who also did Reagan's Bear in the Woods ad, as well as some other highly successful ads for Bartles & Jaymes and Saturn cars.

B/B

Do you have a problem with "white people"? As far as I'm concerned white people are the backbone of this country and the left can pucker up and kiss my a$$.  Let me take it a step further and specify "white anglo-saxon protestant" white people.  Those with Judeo-Christian values had the initiative and drive to invent stuff, build stuff and make this country great in the first place. Sure there are some minorities who contribute; mainly hard working asians, some hispanics and a  few others. If 12 to 20 million illegal Mexicans suddenly had to leave we would adapt. Contrary to their assertions. 

Now Trump is welcoming to all Americans and contrary to the lies of the left he's not a radical Muslim, IOW gays, women and minorities need not fear if they are here legally.

Furthermore what was wrong with a country that had more unity? And what are the real reasons the left pushes "diversity"? Because like all subversive Marxists, they wish to destroy this country and turn it into another Soviet style shithole, but worse.

Trump has plenty of women in his new cabinet, he's got Dr. Carson and probably a couple other great people to come. This won't stop the narrative of the left in their efforts to "divide and conquer".

Confederate, there were many good aspects to the Soviet Union.  I wouldn't call a former superpower a "shithole".  Have you been to Russia and or the fsu?

Okay, bad choice of words.

[yankee]

Actually we buy virtually everything with our credit cards, including food.  We pay bills with our credit cards.  The reason is simple we get points/air miles for every TL we spend on credit card.

One simple difference is that when the credit cards bills come in each month they are paid IN FULL on their due date.

Problems of course arise if you don't pay them off in full.  Credit card interest rates are usury.  If you need to borrow money there are much cheaper ways.  Of course spending money you don't have on credit cards is stupid...

I agree with the above.  We also have zero debt.

[B.B.]

Actually we buy virtually everything with our credit cards, including food.  We pay bills with our credit cards.  The reason is simple we get points/air miles for every TL we spend on credit card.

One simple difference is that when the credit cards bills come in each month they are paid IN FULL on their due date.

Problems of course arise if you don't pay them off in full.  Credit card interest rates are usury.  If you need to borrow money there are much cheaper ways.  Of course spending money you don't have on credit cards is stupid...

 This  ^^^^

 I use my credit cards as much as possible to earn air miles. Fuel alone is a big expense for me and I need to pay it off every month or my creditors cut me off. Why not pay it through the credit card and get the miles instead of with a check or debit card?   Right now I have enough points saved up for 3 trips to Europe. Free flights are always nice!   

Agree.  Why pay in 100 cent dollars now, when I can pay in 98.5 cent dollars 30-60 days out?  Or accrue points  for free flights, hotel rooms, etc.  For a lot of my FSU flights I'm paying for coach and flying in business.  Ro when I use my hotel card, I'm paying the "cash & points" rate, and staying in a suite or a nice corner room.  Plus, when I'm at the Kiev Hyatt (or any Hyatt) breakfast is free for me, plus with the spread they put out at the cocktail hour I could, quite literally never have to pay for a meal when I'm there, assuming I didn't want to.

AFAIC, I don't need to spend a dollar where there isn't some side benefit that accrues to me. 

Of course, if you don't pay off in full each month, as I, Les, and others do, then it doesn't make sense, but that's for other folks to worry about. 

B/B

[B.B.]

Who wants to be married to a guy with a wallet full of maxed out cards and who sold his soul to the bank.

I remember a woman who couldn't believe people in the US used credit cards to buy groceries. She equated it to them being so poor they needed credit to buy food.

That sounds like either a lack of familiarity with economies with mature and sophisticated credit markets, or simply a lack of familiarity with such markets.

B/B

[Omega1982]

I asked the woman to give me some examples, and this was her response.   


James, you must know better than I do how your country's economic , political and social situation had worsened since 2000. You know how people in the world feel about America's international policy, its foreign affairs and general attitude. The wrath of "Democracy" brought hundreds of thousands of terrible deaths upon innocent people in the world because of America's politicians' ambitions. The economy is in deficit that will take many generations to recover. Black lives still don't matter as much as the white ones and arabs are used to scare the children with. I think you know.

[Contrarian]

I asked the woman to give me some examples, and this was her response.   


James, you must know better than I do how your country's economic , political and social situation had worsened since 2000. You know how people in the world feel about America's international policy, its foreign affairs and general attitude. The wrath of "Democracy" brought hundreds of thousands of terrible deaths upon innocent people in the world because of America's politicians' ambitions. The economy is in deficit that will take many generations to recover. Black lives still don't matter as much as the white ones and arabs are used to scare the children with. I think you know.

why are you still wasting time on this woman? for the airfare alone to get over to her you could go to Hawaii and go snorkeling with some cute beach bunny you hooked up w/ if you had the gift of gab like some others. 

she sounds like an FSB political agent who hates America. Dude, good bye and good riddance to her. Next! (why guy's get hung up on one tiny ornery fish in the sea I will never get when there's so many other tasty sweet ones!)

[AvHdB]

James, you must know better than I do how your country's economic , political and social situation had worsened since 2000. You know how people in the world feel about America's international policy, its foreign affairs and general attitude. The wrath of "Democracy" brought hundreds of thousands of terrible deaths upon innocent people in the world because of America's politicians' ambitions. The economy is in deficit that will take many generations to recover. Black lives still don't matter as much as the white ones and arabs are used to scare the children with. I think you know.

Are you sure you are not communicating with Steveboy? Otherwise get her to join RUA she will fit in well.

[andrewfi]

 
and yet, notwithstanding all the special snowflakes here, Usaians rack up huge balances on credit cards, buying groceries on tic.

Just because one or two of you reckon that 'the only reason' you have credit cards is to read the articles. Whoops wrong cliche, get air miles does not mean that nobody else looks at the pictures.

So, please excuse my scepticism at the idea that you special snowflakes manage to have good enough credit histories to have the high limit cards that enable enough spending that collecting 'free' airmiles is viable without actually racking up the credit required to get the cards and limits.

[Maxx]

and yet, notwithstanding all the special snowflakes here, Usaians rack up huge balances on credit cards, buying groceries on tic.

Just because one or two of you reckon that 'the only reason' you have credit cards is to read the articles. Whoops wrong cliche, get air miles does not mean that nobody else looks at the pictures.

So, please excuse my scepticism at the idea that you special snowflakes manage to have good enough credit histories to have the high limit cards that enable enough spending that collecting 'free' airmiles is viable without actually racking up the credit required to get the cards and limits.

People do rack up good credit histories with properly serviced debt. Then pay it all off and take advantage of the perks using those cards. I just have debit cards and no debt. I try and keep things simple.

[Steveboy]

I asked the woman to give me some examples, and this was her response.   


James, you must know better than I do how your country's economic , political and social situation had worsened since 2000. You know how people in the world feel about America's international policy, its foreign affairs and general attitude. The wrath of "Democracy" brought hundreds of thousands of terrible deaths upon innocent people in the world because of America's politicians' ambitions. The economy is in deficit that will take many generations to recover. Black lives still don't matter as much as the white ones and arabs are used to scare the children with. I think you know.

I think that would be the general response from many Russian women. The women I know all think along the same lines, its only the stupid ones who watch "Sex in the city" who think otherwise..

[d672]

and yet, notwithstanding all the special snowflakes here, Usaians rack up huge balances on credit cards, buying groceries on tic.

Just because one or two of you reckon that 'the only reason' you have credit cards is to read the articles. Whoops wrong cliche, get air miles does not mean that nobody else looks at the pictures.

So, please excuse my scepticism at the idea that you special snowflakes manage to have good enough credit histories to have the high limit cards that enable enough spending that collecting 'free' airmiles is viable without actually racking up the credit required to get the cards and limits.

 I don't know how your credit cards work over there but here is how mine work. I got both of my airmiles credit cards at my banks, I also have chequing and savings accounts there. My credit card limit on one card is only 5,000.00, the other only 2,000.000, so no high limit here.  But after I use it to pay for something, all I have to do is get on online banking on my Iphone and transfer money from one of my bank accounts to my credit card account and it is instantly paid off. I can max it out, top it off again and be using it again in 5 minutes. You don't pay any interest on any of your credit card purchases if you make the payment before the due date, so the only actual expense in collecting those airmiles is the annual fee for the credit card.

 Here's the link to one of the cards I have, read up on it and maybe you'll understand. Just because you don't know how something works doesn't mean it isn't true. 

https://www.rbcroyalbank.com/services/cards/avion-s-or.html?WT.srch=1&gclid=CNHnyNHc7tACFYq2wAodIW4C2A

[Contrarian]

and yet, notwithstanding all the special snowflakes here, Usaians rack up huge balances on credit cards, buying groceries on tic.

Just because one or two of you reckon that 'the only reason' you have credit cards is to read the articles. Whoops wrong cliche, get air miles does not mean that nobody else looks at the pictures.

So, please excuse my scepticism at the idea that you special snowflakes manage to have good enough credit histories to have the high limit cards that enable enough spending that collecting 'free' airmiles is viable without actually racking up the credit required to get the cards and limits.

 I don't know how your credit cards work over there but here is how mine work. I got both of my airmiles credit cards at my banks, I also have chequing and savings accounts there. My credit card limit on one card is only 5,000.00, the other only 2,000.000, so no high limit here.  But after I use it to pay for something, all I have to do is get on online banking on my Iphone and transfer money from one of my bank accounts to my credit card account and it is instantly paid off. I can max it out, top it off again and be using it again in 5 minutes. You don't pay any interest on any of your credit card purchases if you make the payment before the due date, so the only actual expense in collecting those airmiles is the annual fee for the credit card.

 Here's the link to one of the cards I have, read up on it and maybe you'll understand. Just because you don't know how something works doesn't mean it isn't true. 

https://www.rbcroyalbank.com/services/cards/avion-s-or.html?WT.srch=1&gclid=CNHnyNHc7tACFYq2wAodIW4C2A

And we're here to help, just ask!                  

[B.B.]

and yet, notwithstanding all the special snowflakes here, Usaians rack up huge balances on credit cards, buying groceries on tic.

Actually, I bought my morning coffee on my Dunkin' card this morning.  It's not a credit card, but one you can pre-load, etc.  The difference being that Dunkin' can recognize the sale when I load it, and I get free coffee every so often.  I forget the exact conversion, but it amounts to every $20, IIRC.  No matter, as free is free, and I would get coffee there, anyway.  Same thing with Starbucks.  Why should I pay cash then?  If companies want to compensate me for spending money with them that I would spend anyway, why should I not?  Oh, and since I load both using one of my points cards, I get bennies on that side of the transaction also.

Just because one or two of you reckon that 'the only reason' you have credit cards is to read the articles. Whoops wrong cliche, get air miles does not mean that nobody else looks at the pictures.

Oh, I read my credit cards for the photos.  The very, very sexy credit photos.....

So, please excuse my scepticism at the idea that you special snowflakes manage to have good enough credit histories to have the high limit cards that enable enough spending that collecting 'free' airmiles is viable without actually racking up the credit required to get the cards and limits.

Andrew, I am not running a religion, therefore your "belief" is not required. 

Thank you for playing, and we have some lovely parting gifts, etc., etc.

Here's the link to one of the cards I have, read up on it and maybe you'll understand. Just because you don't know how something works doesn't mean it isn't true. 

Andrew understands quite well, but you have to factor in his Tsunami Level Butthurt. 

Fifi did remind me that I haven't check my FiCo score in a while, so I wandered over to one of my CC accounts and logged in -- they provide it for free.

I'm down a bit, to 848.  I'm usually at 850, but I did open up a car loan to buy a Porsche back in July.  Sub 2%, unsecured loan.  The GM at the dealer was amazed.  He could have matched the rate, not the "unsecured" bit.  That's 30 years of proper credit decisions, in action.  I could have bought it outright, of course, but at sub 2%, given inflation and the time-value of money, I'm pretty much getting paid to drive a Porsche.

Of course, my FiCo has never been above 850, because that's as high as it goes. *shrugs*

B/B

[Contrarian]

and yet, notwithstanding all the special snowflakes here, Usaians rack up huge balances on credit cards, buying groceries on tic.

Actually, I bought my morning coffee on my Dunkin' card this morning.  It's not a credit card, but one you can pre-load, etc.  The difference being that Dunkin' can recognize the sale when I load it, and I get free coffee every so often.  I forget the exact conversion, but it amounts to every $20, IIRC.  No matter, as free is free, and I would get coffee there, anyway.  Same thing with Starbucks.  Why should I pay cash then?  If companies want to compensate me for spending money with them that I would spend anyway, why should I not?  Oh, and since I load both using one of my points cards, I get bennies on that side of the transaction also.

Just because one or two of you reckon that 'the only reason' you have credit cards is to read the articles. Whoops wrong cliche, get air miles does not mean that nobody else looks at the pictures.

Oh, I read my credit cards for the photos.  The very, very sexy credit photos.....

So, please excuse my scepticism at the idea that you special snowflakes manage to have good enough credit histories to have the high limit cards that enable enough spending that collecting 'free' airmiles is viable without actually racking up the credit required to get the cards and limits.

Andrew, I am not running a religion, therefore your "belief" is not required. 

Thank you for playing, and we have some lovely parting gifts, etc., etc.

Here's the link to one of the cards I have, read up on it and maybe you'll understand. Just because you don't know how something works doesn't mean it isn't true. 

Andrew understands quite well, but you have to factor in his Tsunami Level Butthurt. 

Fifi did remind me that I haven't check my FiCo score in a while, so I wandered over to one of my CC accounts and logged in -- they provide it for free.

I'm down a bit, to 848.  I'm usually at 850, but I did open up a car loan to buy a Porsche back in July.  Sub 2%, unsecured loan.  The GM at the dealer was amazed.  He could have matched the rate, buThe That's 30 years of proper credit decisions, in action.  I could have bought it outright, of course, but at sub 2%, given inflation and the time-value of money, I'm pretty much getting paid to drive a Porsche.

Of course, my FiCo has never been above 850, because that's as high as it goes. *shrugs*

B/B

You want to do some gambling in Vegas or some not so legal places that kind of credit score can get you set up real fast! But don't tell Andrew that you got comped a couple of centerfolds or whatever you had wanted; he's going to be jealous. 

[Manny]

I asked the woman to give me some examples, and this was her response.   


James, you must know better than I do how your country's economic , political and social situation had worsened since 2000. You know how people in the world feel about America's international policy, its foreign affairs and general attitude. The wrath of "Democracy" brought hundreds of thousands of terrible deaths upon innocent people in the world because of America's politicians' ambitions. The economy is in deficit that will take many generations to recover. Black lives still don't matter as much as the white ones and arabs are used to scare the children with. I think you know.

Pretty typical of many Russian women I think.

She would be ideal for a Brit. Invite her here. 

[andrewfi]

As, sadly, we so often see, even those USAians who think themselves educated are unable to read. Those who can read can't think.

No wonder you ended up watching a soft couple taking place with no comprehension. Better to burble about your lard cake supplier's loyalty card than try to understand the world around you.

[B.B.]

As, sadly, we so often see, even those USAians who think themselves educated are unable to read. Those who can read can't think.

What we see is that Europe's last great export is sanctimoniousness.

No wonder you ended up watching a soft couple taking place with no comprehension. Better to burble about your lard cake supplier's loyalty card than try to understand the world around you.

Andrew, there's how you desperately imagine my life to be, and then there's how it actually is.  I realize it's a struggle for you, but you're simply going to have to LURN to tell the difference.  Or better yet, simply refrain from commenting on those topics about which you know little to nothing about.

B/B

[B.B.]

I asked the woman to give me some examples, and this was her response.   


James, you must know better than I do how your country's economic , political and social situation had worsened since 2000. You know how people in the world feel about America's international policy, its foreign affairs and general attitude. The wrath of "Democracy" brought hundreds of thousands of terrible deaths upon innocent people in the world because of America's politicians' ambitions. The economy is in deficit that will take many generations to recover. Black lives still don't matter as much as the white ones and arabs are used to scare the children with. I think you know.

Pretty typical of many Russian women I think.

She would be ideal for a Brit. Invite her here. 

Particularly a skint one.  Sounds perfect for Fi.  Or maybe he's simply tight.  Either way a match made in heaven, particulary if she happens to be blind and deaf, at least for her sake....

B/B

[Contrarian]

I asked the woman to give me some examples, and this was her response.   


James, you must know better than I do how your country's economic , political and social situation had worsened since 2000. You know how people in the world feel about America's international policy, its foreign affairs and general attitude. The wrath of "Democracy" brought hundreds of thousands of terrible deaths upon innocent people in the world because of America's politicians' ambitions. The economy is in deficit that will take many generations to recover. Black lives still don't matter as much as the white ones and arabs are used to scare the children with. I think you know.

Pretty typical of many Russian women I think.

She would be ideal for a Brit. Invite her here. 

Particularly a skint one.  Sounds perfect for Fi.  Or maybe he's simply tight.  Either way a match made in heaven, particulary if she happens to be blind and deaf, at least for her sake....

B/B

Meh.  Like I said before, next. Who cares if she wants to be w/ a Brit or an Australian?  There's about 75 Million other women in Russia, about 22 Million or so women in Ukraine; but more importantly there's some untapped talent just up the street or an hour or so away.   

[d672]

Andrew, there's how you desperately imagine my life to be, and then there's how it actually is.  I realize it's a struggle for you, but you're simply going to have to LURN to tell the difference.  Or better yet, simply refrain from commenting on those topics about which you know little to nothing about.

B/B

 You may as well ask him to refrain from breathing... ever try to get a  dog who got into the habit of chasing cars to stop?   

[Contrarian]

Andrew, there's how you desperately imagine my life to be, and then there's how it actually is.  I realize it's a struggle for you, but you're simply going to have to LURN to tell the difference.  Or better yet, simply refrain from commenting on those topics about which you know little to nothing about.

B/B

 You may as well ask him to refrain from breathing... ever try to get a  dog who got into the habit of chasing cars to stop?   

That's a pretty good image! (cue image of large cujo type of St. Bernard, chasing cars and panting heavily) 

[msmoby]

Andrew, there's how you desperately imagine my life to be, and then there's how it actually is.  I realize it's a struggle for you, but you're simply going to have to LURN to tell the difference.  Or better yet, simply refrain from commenting on those topics about which you know little to nothing about.

B/B

Isn't it time you followed your own advice re our resident expert in all things