12/24   If anyone is looking for a good deal on a credit card, check here:
        http://www.lnksrv.com/m.asp?i=1070175&u=32052459
        It's from a motley fool newsletter. Apply by 12/31, get $50 credit
        on your statement. No annual fee, 1% straight cash rebate, paid
        yearly, visa platinum benefits. Fairly low APR, but you're a little
        dumb if you keep a balance on a credit card anyway.
        \_ Who offers that credit card? Who gets paid for clicks on that link?
           \_ MBNA and motley fool. presumably motley fool gets paid,
              since it's from their newsletter. certainly not me, anyway. -op
              \_ The deal notwithstanding, I'd never acknowledge interest in
                 an MBNA product. They're vultures. I've been trying to
                 untangle my credit score from the mess they made for a couple
                 years now. Just be careful and know that, once they have you,
                 they won't ever let you go. This is, BTW, on a card I never
                 carried a balance on. -- ulysses
                 \_ could you please elaborate?
                   \_ Briefly, my alumni assoc offered a card through MBNA. I
                      took it. I canceled after two years of near non-use. They
                      never cancelled the card. I found out and determined the
                      undead card was affecting my credit score (check it, this
                      is true) and found out they hadn't canceled it despite
                      my request on their records. I asked for cancellation
                      again, and a letter. I got the letter but they never told
                      Equifax and the rest. Three months ago I figured out the
                      card is still there on my credit record as account open.
                      Meanwhile, MBNA has been pinging my credit record with
                      credit checks about every three months. This is harmless,
                      I am told. The last is my request to Equifax that they
                      correct their records (Everyone should go to http://equifax.com
                      and order a free report by mail, btw. There were
                      numerous errors and they have no incentive to correct.)
                      As far as I know, it's now all fixed.
                      This is aside from the dangerous credit card checks they
                      mail to all their customers, even after repeatedly
                      telling them not to. On that issue, I eventually got an
                      operator willing to tell me the truth - that they have no
                      policy except to always send those checks out.
                      \_ WHAT IS THE LINK FOR THE FREE REPORT?   I just see
                         reports for sale.
                      \_ just because you've had a bad experience doesn't
                         mean everyone else will. the post below me probably
                         contains more truth than the poster thinks. i've
                         heard bank one horror stories, but i've had two cards
                         with them for a few years, and everything's gone quite
                         fine. i don't doubt both of them being platinum cards
                         has at least a small bit to do with it.
                         \_ I'll accept his bad experience over yours because
                            if they treat one person that way they can treat
                            me that way too.  For example just because my
                            friend hasn't yet been screwed by PayPal doesn't
                            mean it's safe to use PayPal.  http://www.paypalsucks.com
                      \_ i requested mbna to stop sending me those and they
                         did indeed stop...   maybe they only play nice with
                         "platinum plus" customers.
                         \_ Mine was a standard card at the time so perhaps.
                            -- ulysses
                      \_ I thought you could get 1 free report per year.  Does
                         equifax do this?
                         \_ Are you in CA?  I've only see them charge, never
                            free...
                 \_ thank you for posting the one non-useless/idiotic post
                    on this thread.
        \_ Not dumb to keep a balance if you get 0% or 2.9% interest rate
           on balance transfers. I will borrow all the money I can at
           those rates.
           \_ you'll pay finance charges too, and whatever other fees they
              can manage for you. also, maxing out your credit line does
              not look good on your credit report.
           \_ You get the 2.9% or they get the 2.9%?  At 0%, sure that's fine,
              but read the fine print to make sure there's no end of the year
              gotcha or other penalty.  They have to zing you somehow to make
              their money.
              \_ They're betting you'll forget a month's payment  somewhere
                 along the line.  AT this point they cancel the 0%, and
                 charge you $35 late fee.  And most of those balance transfer
                 deals come with a 3% balance-transfer fee.  Occasionally they
                 do wave the transfer fee, so watch carefully.
                 \_ why bother?  why not just live within your means?
                    \_ Leverage. If you try to pay cash for everything
                       you will ever buy (house, car, tuition) you are
                       burning capital. Use your capital where you need it
                       most. Many companies, for example, buy items on
                       credit even when they have lots of $$$ in the bank.
                       Why pay today when you can pay later?
                       \_ What he said. Plus, if you can borrow money at
                          2.9% and use it to buy bonds paying 4.5%, you
                          get free money. Will you lend me $1M at 2.9%
                          interest rate? Pretty please?
                          \_ what kind of bonds?  some bonds are pretty
                             risky these days.
                             \_ he's talking about the return on his investment
                                in the bondage video industry.
                             \_ 10 year US Government treasury bonds.
                                \_ According to Mr. Inflation on the other
                                   thread up top, we're all doomed if we
                                   invest in America.
                                   \_ i think if you invest in the bondage
                                      video industry as i suggest, you will
                                      not be doomed.  besides, the Yen
                                      is doing just fine.
                                      \_ The Indian and Chinese porn industries
                                         are putting them out of business with
                                         all that off shore porning.
                                   \_ there are still some reasonable
                                      investments in the US (carefully
                                      picked stocks for instance), but
                                      don't "invest in America", invest
                                      for your own gain.  That's not only
                                      in accordance to the market principle,
                                      it's also in the best interest of
                                      America (use foreigners to earn money
                                      for us).
                                      \_ Uhm duh?  There isn't an "invest in
                                         America" option.  No one is going to
                                         blindly "invest in America".  They're
                                         going to put their money on something
                                         they believe will increase their net
                                         worth or short term income.
                                \_ which may fall like a rock once interest
                                   rates rise?
        \_ How is this better than Discover?