Got plastic?

I have mentioned many times here that I am maintaining only one credit card. That card is BPI. What I love about BPI credit card is they are old school. Another cool thing with this product is that they will not charge with penalty for being unable to pay on the due date so long as your next cut off is not generated yet.

Oh, and I was able to redeem my rewards points for an A4 internet Dolby headset which was delivered to me in 3 days!

Okay so much for the rear licking. This is not a paid post anyway.

Here's the deal. I use (but rarely) the card for groceries.

I had a list of toiletries so during my one-hour break I went to the grocery near our office. I even grabbed my favorite Cornetto ice cream. Just when the cashier was swiping the card she got an error prompt advising the holder to contact card provider. I felt clammy. I am sure that I still have funds in it because I just settled my bill.

I called 89-100. Just as soon as I pressed 2 (credit card option) I was greeted by a prompt that "All BPI credit card transactions are not available at the moment...blah blah".

So I got back to the cashier and relayed the matter. I just had with me some coins. I told them that I just have to be back in my 15-minute break to get my toiletries and my Cornetto.

When I got to my post. I called BPI again and it took me 40 minutes to get hold of a phonebanker. This is one bad thing I don't like about BPI.  Getting through their hotline will get you old and bearded on the phone.

Anyhoo, the phonebanker told me that system is down since late afternoon. I snapped back and told her that when they have promos, it's easy for them to send SMS how come that they did not send such a notice about this shameful event (yeah, there were people lined behind me in the grocery). Hell I knew what she were thinking: I also ask that myself. (Haha). Nah, I was not really mad. It's the first time it happened although it's a shameful one. I asked if they had an udate when can we use the plastic, she said around six. Then I said to her if it's not too much to ask, if she asks someone to SMS me as soon as the tweaking is over. She committed.

I was so pleased that I got 2 calls from them in less than an one hour. First, the phonebanker informed me that I could request for manual charging from the store (the old swiping thing) and the second was for the notice that card network is now online.

So I swung by the grocery and guess what? They have kept my toiletries in a bag. So they just scanned each item and swiped my card.

I asked them if there were other customers who have had the same dilemma. They said yes but I was the first one to get punk'd. But there was this one lady who went mental and hysterical.

Is it a card holder's right of passage?

Thank goodness my lorazepam was still kicking then. haha

The power to choose

I felt relieved when I got the certificate from SCB clearing me of any accountability with them. I did not have a bad credit standing with them but let me just say that our relationship went sour. It was not my fault I swear!

Owning a credit card is good as long as you know how to use it. It could be a devil or an angel. This little plastic will give you the power to purchase anything long before you can earn the money that’s supposed to pay the merchandise. But it’s also reliable in case of emergency. And by saying emergency, I mean the real sense of the word and not any fashion emergency.

In my opinion, it’s safe to maintain just one credit card but be sure to get the best one. Itching to get one? Before you finally doodle your personal information in any credit card application form or hit the keyboard and apply for one online, you have to do your homework. Research on the benefits of every possible card you have in mind. First things that you have to consider are the low revolving interest and of course the rewards that you will get when having the plastic swiped. You should also put into consideration the reputation of the credit card company. After making you checklist, compare the cards with one another. You could also ask around. You don’t have to rush things up. Give it a night or two, sleep on choose the one that will help you manage your finances. After all, application is made easy online.

The LoudSiren

In reality, unauthorized transactions using your credit card or bank account don’t just happen online. In some wicked means, these unscrupulous things happen and sadly all of us are open targets. Apart from keeping your bank account and credit card information privy to you how else could we get protected? We should get a whistle blower or better a Loud Siren.

Now that I have mentioned that, it’s about time that you learn about LoudSiren. This trusted identity protection network will put you in control in matters concerning the unauthorized use of your personal info to make purchases using your bank account or credit card.

So how does it work? First, you have to register maximum of three phone numbers to LoudSiren fraud alert management system. Once done, the LoudSiren security system will inform you on either of these numbers when an attempt for a transaction in your name is being made. Its automated authentication system will call you to ask permission for the pending transaction before it will push through. Either you approve or your decline. This means that you hold the key to every credit card or bank account acts under your name.

Check out LoudSiren.com enroll and to avail of the $10 discount on membership. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.

Hassle-free merchandising

More than anything else, people choose to carry with them credit cards when going out for security reasons and for convenience as well.
I, for one, prefer to slip in my purse that little plastic when dining out or going to the grocery (I don’t bring card when shopping for my own financial security. LOL)
However, the downside to just bringing a credit card is, some establishments don’t have credit card machines or if they do, there are just a number of cards that can be accepted and worst the approval requests take a considerable amount of time. A complete hassle to both the customer and the merchant.
If you are considering setting up a business, you must consider getting credit card machines from a trusted company. The one that offers online credit card services where you could get a free merchant account that is guaranteed to have low rates and fees. The one that also gives their account holders free E-commerce gateway set up with the highest transaction approval rates.
There new innovations in the POS (point-of-sale) terminal now that let accept credit cards for payment not only for over-the-counter transactions such as in restaurants and retailing establishments but also via E-commerce, phone orders and through wide array of wireless means.
The wide selection of credit card machines will allow you to get the service according to your business needs. Like tip for the waiter or bartender may be added after the authorization occurs. Now that’s totally cashless!
If the credit card machines come with free software and free programming and you could also get a 24/7 technical support to ensure seamless transactions, then it’s the best deal.
As the busy business owner, it would be dandy if you can monitor your merchant account activity online.

Weighing options

Although I'm not financially in distress I am still galactic distance from being well off.
I am maintaining just one credit card out of 4. That's BPI. This is not a paid post. I'm just pleased the way BPI continuously practicing old school banking. They would not penalize you for late payment just as long as you pay your due before your next cut off. Cool eh? The revolving interest is also low. I don't compute it but comparing the interest with SCB, theirs is the best.
February-March is the first quarter installment madness where your purchasing power would be three times your credit limit.
I have talked about my dying PC. I got this also some three years ago through BPI installment madness also. It signals that it needs replacement already. The geriatrics takes a gazillion years to boot and to open programs or files.
My officemate got himself already an Acer Aspire notebook through BPI also. Thirty thousand pesos payable in a year. Eighty Gig, dual core, 512MB RAM, DVD ROM and other features that I can't digest already. I'm not techie. Lecture me about make up, clothes or medical stuff, I think I could catch up but Computer 101? You could sense an impending aneurysm.
Another reason why I want to get a notebook is that I want to do school stuff in my idle time at the office or even during breaks in school. But since I was able to install the program that I need in to my office desktop, I am having second thoughts in getting one.
I'm considering bringing my CPU to its authorized service center for them to perform CPR on it. And if the prognosis is poor, then I will just close my eyes and swipe the powerful plastic.
For some reason, I became allergic to debts. Did I just evolve into a mature being in terms of handling my finances? I'd like to think so. I was in financial turmoil last year. Almost lost my mortgaged house. I think I'm having PTSD.
I'm 75% not buying a notebook and 25% go-get-it-tiger feeling as of this writing.

That plastic thing.

After a year of not being able to use my credit card due to maxed out credit limit, I was finally got the chance to have it swiped again.
Not that I'm proud that I'm getting to make purchases again using the powerful plastic. I just felt relieved that, my outstanding balance depletes.
As I did not get used to reading the inserts in my billing statement I was not able to notice that my good 'ol credit card gives rewards to its clients. I just happened to read the ad in the newspaper.
Starting December 1, 2007 until January 31, 2008, every single purchase of at least P500.00 gets a free Jolly Spaghetti. Not bad if you are really using your credit card in purchasing important stuff like groceries. Good thing I did not throw yet some of the charge slips I had in December. I was able to collect 5 charge slips which only mean that I have 5 free spaghettis. Woopeee!!!!.
I don't have to rush since claiming period is until March 31^st of this year.