Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Good morning crew,

On my credit card bill this month I noticed an entry for "Extra Cash" which they have apparently been giving me all year.

It seemed a far-fetched idea that a credit card company would give me free money when their whole purpose is to take my money, but hey, it says it right there on the statement.

So I created an account online, like the sucker that I am, and went to see what all this "extra cash" I was accumulating would buy me.

As it turns out...nothing.

What they do have in an entire e-commerce web site. They sell everything from men's and women's apparel and accessories to gift cards and movie tickets. What my "extra cash" does is allow me to buy all of these products that I don't need at a discount.

For example; while the Bluetooth wireless speaker is normally $49.99 I can use ten of my "extra cash" dollars to buy it for $39.99. And as an extra convenience to me I can charge it straight to my credit card which is already connected to the account I just created.

Who would have thought those usually straight-shooting credit card companies could be so devious.

The lesson here is, of course, you never get something for nothing.

Laugh it up,

Joe

joe@gophercentral.com

P.S. Looking for money-savings tips, information helpful to women, and some good-natured fun? If so, take a moment or two and check out the Mommy Blogroll to the right and visit some of the best "Mommy Blogs" online.

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"A 99-year-old man is filing for divorce from his 96-year-old wife, making them the world's oldest divorced couple. It's got to be weird when a divorce lawyer is fighting for your kids to get custody of you." -Jimmy Fallon

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"According to a new study, people with liberal arts degrees are experiencing much higher rates of joblessness. So for all of you Greeks classics majors out there, the sweet ride is finally over." -Conan O'Brien

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"Dunkin' Donuts is doubling the amount of locates in the United States. Remember when this country used to make steel and automobiles and now it's crullers, jelly doughnuts, and munchkins?" -David Letterman

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Freelance newspaper writers don't get nearly as much attention as writers with regular bylines. So I was delighted when I finally got some notice. It was at the bank, and I was depositing a stack of checks.

"Wow," said the teller, reading off the names of publishers from the tops of the checks. "You must deliver a lot of papers."


*-------------- Guaranteed to Roll Your Eyes --------------*
When our client's dog lapped up anti-freeze, the veterinarian I work for ordered a unique treatment: an IV drip mixing fluids with vodka. "Go buy the cheapest bottle you can find," he told me.

At the liquor store, I was uneasy buying cheap booze so early in the day, and I felt compelled to explain things to the clerk. "Believe it or not," I said, "this is for a sick dog."

As I was leaving, the next customer plunked down two bottles of muscatel and announced, "These are for my cats."