The Worm Turns...

...me being the worm of course...gotta list my latest accomplishment...PRIME to me--maybe not to everyone, but (drumroll please):

MBNA Platinum--$5500 CL, 0% 6 months balance transer (which of course I took advantage of)....got one of those pre-qualified/approvals in the mail that instructs to call...so, knowing I've opened like 5 or 6 new revolvings in the last like 14 days, I call anyway (get all the inquiries over at once, knowwhutimean?).

Then comes the dreaded "can you tell me about these student loans?" (lovely, you pulled Experian, the third reich of "we're in charge, and we verify everything, even if it's wrong 12 times in a row"....)

So I go into my speech of consolidation/deferment/never been late on so much as the local florist bill in 6 years...figuring I'm gonna get the polite heave ho on the phone...next thing I hear is "$5500 C/L, would you like an extra card for your wife or someone else?"...I must've blacked out for a moment, because after he said "approved", I couldn't remember my own name, let alone the wife's....but, I digress....

So, here's the total (please tell me if it's a good mix, or possibly I've beat the egg whites to too much of a fluff):

MBNA Platinum: $5500
Citibank Platinum: $4500
Bank of America (AU): $6500
Chase (AU): $5000
Smart (or dumb, depending on the balance) Card: $2000
Citibank Driver's Edge VISA: $3100
Target VISA: $3000
Next Card: $2000

And...a Best Buy: $2000
and...Radio Shack: $1250 (where the hell did that limit come from?).

Balance to limit ratio (you sneaky ones may well do the math): 22% (not counting dept stores, and they're zero anyway).

Plus, the mortgage, two small auto loans (both to be paid off in the coming six months or so).....

I was tempted to call MBNA back and conference call in Cap One...."hello, Cap One...yes, I'm a former customer....'member me? I had two of yer crappy cards back in '96/'97--back when $300 limits weren't considered Gold Cards....'member? I applied early in '01, and you gave me another card (GOLD this time) with ANOTHER $300 limit....and, remember when I called you to cancel it, delete the accounts and the inquirey? And you said you couldn't...and I told you to shove the card up your collective arses...but to please wait until I cut it up with scissors so it had jagged edges...and that after I hung up with you, I was calling my State Attorney General's Office for fraudulent marketing practices? And then you called me at work the next day and said everything was deleted? Remember? You do? Good--that was me; now let me introduce you to an account rep for a real credit card provider...but, before I go, could you guys cut back on your dumb ass TV commercials...they're really starting to grate on me....


Happy New Year folks....

in the 680-690 range....clawing towards 700...

David