Wednesday, November 11, 2009

My Inferiority Complex Just Went Up


I don't know what it is. A day off from work often translates to financial despair for me. If it's not a trading loss, it's an expensive purchase.

Today, it was a heated exchange with Bank of America (BAC). After checking my credit report, I noticed they had recently closed one of my newer credit cards for 'inactivity.' It cost me three points on my credit score and after so diligently paying off my debt with others, I was thoroughly ticked off.

I had heard that
banks are squeezing consumers prior to new legislature, but I never thought that I, with my stellar, stellar, stellar (not a typo) credit score would be affected.

If there's one thing I do well, it's a credit score! A credit score that has earned me an aggregate credit card credit limit capable of buying a house. A credit score that has shaped my identity and trading ego for the past... decade.

Anyway, they not only closed out that credit card, but also reduced my credit limit on a credit card that dates back to good old Party Like It's 1999. At that point, I was all four letter words.

Who does that??

This won't kill me because honestly, I don't even need that credit line. I don't need their entire credit line, but what'd I do to them? I've paid all my bills on time, my salary has increased since my last conversation with them, and my debt level has never been lower. Just because I haven't been an active shopaholic with them does not mean I am not a shopaholic at all.


The worst bit is that we as consumers have to beg them for a slight credit line increase and all they have to do is tell us that the credit conditions have changed and that is sufficient for them to give us the credit card equivalent of a slap on the face. And we have to turn the other cheek?

And they even had the audacity to ask:

1. What did your credit card purchases comprise of for your balance with Citi?
2. What is the value of your stock portfolio?

Is it me, or was that totally out of line?

I had just enough sense not to mention my Tiffany addiction.


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