If you like GeekNights, and you want to get an Amazon credit card, and you are feeling charitable, please follow this link which contains our affiliate code. I'm not completely sure, but there is a chance that Amazon will give us mad monies if you sign up.
I'll have to remember to do this in a month or so. I just paid off all my credit cards and hopefully that will help my score out.
I wonder how frequently the main agencies reevaluate your credit? Monthly? Quarterly? Does anyone know?
I get a credit score report on a monthly basis from one of my credit cards, so that's nice, but I'm not sure if that matters with applying for other credit cards.
I wonder how frequently the main agencies reevaluate your credit?
Typically it's done quarterly, but it can also be instantly changed the moment you apply for or cancel a card, query a possible loan, do a credit check, etc.
Just tried applying for the Amex Blue card, since it is so highly regarded here. Got the ole' "Currently, our systems are not responding. Please try again later." So I guess I shall try later, or is that their nice way of saying "Get out of here you riff raff!" ?
In New York I think it's just assumed that many of the cash-only bars and restaurants are cheating on their taxes. And many of them are very good. They have turkey leg sandwiches. Tell me that ain't worth cash only.
I think I had a heart attack just looking at that thing. Damn you, Dave. I will be breaking my diet thanks to you :-p
EDIT:
I must know where in NY I can get this fabled turkey leg sandwich. It will be had.
I will trade you the location of my current favorite spot, The Meatball Shop (which does take credit cards): http://www.themeatballshop.com/. Last week the special was a lamb meatball with mint.
It's from a place called Henry Public. It's olde tyme-y without being TOTALLY annoying, and the turkey leg sandwich is pretty much amazing. I've had other things there, but they all seem pretty normal to me.
On the same block is an excellent sushi restaurant called Hibino. They make their own tofu, and have a tofu pudding dessert which is pretty incredible. And they do this thing where they put the spicy mayo for the tuna rolls in a little dollop on top of each piece instead of just mixing it in with the tuna into a nasty, sloppy mess. Hibino takes credit cards, which is good because they are on the expensive end of cheap. With two people having drinks we usually spend a little over a hundred bucks.
Ahhhhh Henry Public. I have not been there yet and not regret missed opportunities. Friend was doing a birthday gathering there a few months ago and I did not go. Never heard of Hibino but may have to check that one out as well in the distant future (wifey is pregnant and can't each sushi).
Also Re: Credit Cards - Very few authentic Japanese restaurants take credit card unless they are the fancy gourmet kind. I always have cash if I want little hole in the wall Okonomiyaki, or anything like that.
All of the places I mentioned are within a ten minute walk of the R, 4, 5, G, F. With those alone that takes care of a good chunk of Queens and Manhattan. Youse guise are babies. All the smoked meat I want, two minutes from my door.
I'd buy a hunting rifle and build a smokehouse. Then, the only limiting factor on my smoked meat intake would be the natural population of game animals.
I just got my Amazon Rewards card in the mail. While you find out the credit limit and get to use it on Amazon right away, you have to wait a week and a half before you see what rate they gave you. It looks like you can just opt for a $50 check when get enough if you want.
When I was closing my older card the other day, the lady gave me several rather uninspiring reads from a script on how I had been a valued customer before she ultimately let me cancel it. I was worried that she didn’t actually close it as I was still able to sign in, but it seems to be closed now.
I qualified for a free credit report when they made an adverse change on my account, but apparently all you need is to be unemployed and in the process of looking for a job to get one. My report didn't seem to have a score on it, is that a different service?
Allow me to be the first to say that if the rate matters to you, you are using it wrong. Rewards cards never have a good rate. Maintaining a month-to-month balance on a credit card is a horrible idea in the first place, but even more so on a rewards card. Usually if you have some sort of monthly credit card balance, whatever the reason is, it is a red flag that says "I should really re-evaluate my finances and make some drastic changes to pay this off and never let it happen again."
I currently have an M&T Debit card that also acts as a Visa, which I think is nice. I don't spend very much per month on it, so would getting a "real" credit card be beneficial to me in any way?
Also, M&T has a nice feature for the "College" level checking account where they waive the fees for four ATM withdrawals every month, which is a godsend because there aren't any goddamn M&T banks in New York.
I currently have an M&T; Debit card that also acts as a Visa, which I think is nice. I don't spend very much per month on it, so would getting a "real" credit card be beneficial to me in any way?
Also, M&T; has a nice feature for the "College" level checking account where they waive the fees for four ATM withdrawals every month, which is a godsend because there aren't any goddamn M&T; banks in New York.
If you're not spending much, your biggest benefit is probably just the credit history. Having a card for a few years and paying it off regularly will keep your score high and can save you big $ when you try to get a car or house loan.
A friend mentioned something about how people shouldn't spend more than 3% of a cards limit as doing so makes you look irresponsible. I will admit I am fairly ignorant on the maze that is credit knowledge but that just seems incorrect. Maybe I'm over simplifying here but I mean, would spending any amount so long as its been paid off month to month be best to build up your credit rating/maintaining it?
A friend mentioned something about how people shouldn't spend more than 3% of a cards limit as doing so makes you look irresponsible. I will admit I am fairly ignorant on the maze that is credit knowledge but that just seems incorrect. Maybe I'm over simplifying here but I mean, would spending any amount so long as its been paid off month to month be best to build up your credit rating/maintaining it?
Yeah I'm pretty sure you are right, not your friend.
A friend mentioned something about how people shouldn't spend more than 3% of a cards limit as doing so makes you look irresponsible.
Something like that was true back when everyone had inflated credit limits (I had more total available credit as a teenager than I do now as a fairly wealthy man), but lenders have really tightened the limits downward, making it impractical to maintain a large amount of unused credit.
My card companies routinely ask to raise my limit, to which I say no. Also, lenders don't care how much of your card limit you use -- they care how quickly and surely you pay it off.
My card companies routinely ask to raise my limit, to which I say no.
You should say yes. Higher credit limit equals better credit score. At least that's what my Aunt told me and she's a realtor so she deals with them fairly often.
Comments
I wonder how frequently the main agencies reevaluate your credit? Monthly? Quarterly? Does anyone know?
I get a credit score report on a monthly basis from one of my credit cards, so that's nice, but I'm not sure if that matters with applying for other credit cards.
EDIT: You too!
On the same block is an excellent sushi restaurant called Hibino. They make their own tofu, and have a tofu pudding dessert which is pretty incredible. And they do this thing where they put the spicy mayo for the tuna rolls in a little dollop on top of each piece instead of just mixing it in with the tuna into a nasty, sloppy mess. Hibino takes credit cards, which is good because they are on the expensive end of cheap. With two people having drinks we usually spend a little over a hundred bucks.
I want to make smoked rabbit.
When I was closing my older card the other day, the lady gave me several rather uninspiring reads from a script on how I had been a valued customer before she ultimately let me cancel it. I was worried that she didn’t actually close it as I was still able to sign in, but it seems to be closed now.
I qualified for a free credit report when they made an adverse change on my account, but apparently all you need is to be unemployed and in the process of looking for a job to get one. My report didn't seem to have a score on it, is that a different service?
Also, M&T has a nice feature for the "College" level checking account where they waive the fees for four ATM withdrawals every month, which is a godsend because there aren't any goddamn M&T banks in New York.