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You go to the mailbox, get out the bills including the credit card bill that you always pay on time. The envelope is opened up and you get the shock of your life. Your credit card has an interest rate hike that you knew nothing about AND…..it was retroactive back a few months. Now, the payment you thought would be enough to bring it down is going to go for the interest payment alone. You are now wondering how you will ever pay what you owe them.

Does this sound familiar? Likely, if you have not already seen it, it will be visiting your next bill or the one after that. Banks and credit card companies are raking in the money by changing the interest rate on your credit card and they do not even have to tell you about it before they do it.

Is this fair? Absolutely not!!! Is it legal? Unfortunately, yes. They can pretty much do what they want to since you signed the agreement that says they can raise the interest rate without prior knowledge or for any reason. You can be the best customer they have and they will still raise the rates because they want to regain the money lost from others who do not pay their bills.

Banks are trying to regain the money they are losing in the foreclosure mess they brought on themselves. I admit that people should have seen the problem with a balloon payment. But now, there are thousands and thousands of consumers who, at a time of the year when it’s the hardest to make ends meet, having to deal with the greed that comes from banks and credit card companies. And GREED it is, pure and simple.

So, my recommendation is to get rid of the credit cards. Yes, Virginia, there is life without credit cards. Those of us who could not get credit cards before are now very thankful we do not have them. If you spend beyond your means, you will end up regretting it sooner or later. Seems like later is here.

I do think it is a bad idea to continue to have credit cards. Things can only get worse. I know that you can find a new card company that will give you amazing rates….for a few months. When that happens, watch out for the string attached. They may not even tell you it’s there but it certainly is there.

For those already in the situation, there is hope. Contact the company and tell them that you have this problem, the payments are too high, the rate is too high and you will not be able to pay it unless there is a change. If you have the right person on the phone, I suggest a supervisor at least, the rate will drop and you will be back in business. Once the card is paid up, get rid of it!!!! Frankly, I consider this a scam from the credit card companies and the banks. This may seem to be good business but in the end it will be a real problem for them…as well as you.

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Posted by The Window Shopper, filed under Business, Credit and credit cards, Scams And Bad Ideas.
Date: February 14, 2008, 1:25 pm |

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