Things that bother me

Having been around for many years, I have seen changes take place in products, prices and attitudes of a great many establishments.

I understand that everything must go up in price and/or down in quantity, (size) and in many areas, yes even quality. But there has got to be limit as to how much abuse we will take from these establishments.

Here are a few of the changes that I have witnessed as I grew up.

Devil dogs got smaller and the price got higher. Their reason was that they had added something in the ingredients to make it healthier to eat.

Table talk pies went from family size to individual size, but the price hardly changed. I liken it to going into a bank with a quarter for change walking out scratching my head as to why I only got a dime back.

A big coffee and donut chain used to say that their donuts were made fresh hourly. In the past 10 years I have yet to get a fresh donut unless it was during the early morning (rush) hour. During the day, forget it! The chain stopped making its logo donut, which became its symbol and which happened to be my favorite. Lastly, the biggest profit is in coffee, what a mark up. I boycott buying coffee at this and other famous coffee chains.

Finally, I got comfortable enough with this blog that I can take some time to add to it instead of figuring out how it works.

So here goes my next gripe. Can you trust what the big establishments say? Read this and think about it and if you would like to comment on it, I would love to here what you have to say.

A few years back when credit cards establishments were bending over backwards for customers, I got an offer which I took. It was for a 4.99% interest credit card account which was to last the life of the account.

I switched a higher interest rate account into this one. All was well, I faithfully payed down and still am, but something happened with in the past year, which I will always look suspiciously on. Especially since the interest rates have gone up and banks try to get all they can from the customers. Sure they have their tasty little tidbits that go along with their high interest rate cards.

But my question is: What do they do with people like me who are on low interest rates. We know that they will not lose money, they will not make what they could if It was a higher interest rate card.

So here is my story.

I got an e-mail from this Credit card company saying that it was important for me to call them regarding my account, which I did immediately.

The person I talked to told me that my account number had shown up in another country.

I explained to them and asked them to check out the history of my account to date, that I had never used the account for any other purchases. I have always only just paid it down.

When I asked them what I supposedly purchased they said only that the number had appeared in another country.

I agreed to change the account number for security reasons. I did that while on the phone with them. This should have been a red flag to me but I did not give it much more thought.

So the statements came in with the new account number. Shortly after that (which unfortunately I didn't watch until months later, the interest rate had climbed up to 9.99.

When I did finally catch it, I sent a note of to the bank that held the account saying that it was still the same account, just the number had changed.

They replied in writing saying that they appreciated the opportunity to review my account but could not accommodate my request (My request was to bring the account back down to where it belonged) based on existing credit policies. But they said that I could contact their customer relations department so that they could review and consider my request. Sounds like double talk to me.

So, I called them, and explained the situation to the rep who finally took my call. He knew that I had a good point because he said so and offered to lower my rate a little. I said that I wanted ti know if I had lied to initially when I was told that the rate was for the life of the account. He tried to side talk me but I persisted and finally was on the phone with his supervisor.

I went through the whole thing again. She also knew I was right but said the best she could do is to lower my interest rate bu 1%. I took the lower rate but I asked her several times to tell me if the company had lied to me. She kept saying no, but failed to explain it to me. I asked her over and over, if I was told that the low interest rate was for the life of the account and while the account was still active (alive), the interest rate was increased, was I not lied to? I then asked her that if I got another offer from them making the same promise of one rate for the life of the account, could I trust what they Say. She said yes but could not explain why my interest rate was raised.

That's it so far. I am wondering whether to get a lawyer and/or to go public with it.

What do you think?

I wonder what is in your wallet.