Can you believe these credit card companies?  I guess, by now, nothing they do should come as a surprise.  I got a call from (my least favorite, super annoying) credit card company the other day (a card which was paid off).  The conversation was along these lines:

CCC: “Because you've been a loyal customer for over 5 years…”

Me: “Yes, way more than 5 years.”

CCC: “Ummm, yes.  We'd like to give you a special rate of 3.99% on all balance transfers and cash withdrawals.”

Me: “Oh, you mean the same deals you always send me in the mail with those cheques that I shred?”

CCC: “This rate is good until December 2012.”

Me: “No thanks.  I don't need it.  We have almost paid off all of our credit card debt and plan on not using credit ever again.”

CCC: “Well do you have any balances from other cards you could transfer and take advantage of this low rate?”

Me: “I have one credit card with a balance that we will be paying off this month, so no.”

CCC: “Well do you have any big purchases like a new tv planned in the next few months?  Or a trip?”

Me: “No.  And if we did, we would use cash.”

CCC: “You could use this to make cash withdrawals and only pay 3.99% interest.”

Me: “I'm not really sure why we would want to do that.  Actually, I have NEVER done a cash advance from a credit card in my life.  If I need cash I will take it out of my bank account, we actually have a lot of money in there.  Plus, I don't really see the logic of putting a balance back on this card for cash I really don't need, or for any other matter.  Like I said, we are getting rid of our credit cards and living off cash from now on.”

CCC: “Ok, thank you.  Have a nice day.”

These guys are just jerks.  And now that we are cutting up our cards and building our savings, I see an opportunity to have a lot of fun with these telemarketers who don't call and seem to need three 'NOs' before they can hang up   I do have some sympathy for the people who are working the phones…so I'll be nice.