Jingsamichty

Highlight of the year when I was a kid was when the Autumn/Winter "clubbie book" (Littlewood's catalogue) arrived.

"Hey mum, could we get a drum kit? It's only two pounds a week for 100 weeks!"

ultrarunner

You keep your own points as the card is in your name anyway. So going to somewhere like Isreal, Germany et al on business for weeks at times, sure gives you loads of points.

The idea of a secured LOC doesn't appeal to me, don't like my credit being tied to something

Almost Canadian

Do you not trust yourself or do you simply prefer to pay a higher interest rate?

Almost Canadian

I don't understand this. If it is in your name, how is a Government one?

Jingsamichty

I'm in a similar boat. Earn more Aeroplan miles than I know what to do with. I certainly don't want to take flights with them - I don't need to, and anyway, they stiff you with fees and taxes anyway.

The gifts will only get delivered to a Canadian address, which I don't have.

dbd33

Upgrades are the best bang for the buck, according to the man who looks closely at these things. Of course, he has a bigger bum than us and so may value a wide seat more.

Alan2005

Debt where you lose you house if you can't pay it isn't necessarily better.

I agree. But I don't assume everyone who's in trouble with credit card debt has spunked it on 56" TV's, fancy holidays, and the latest apple gizmo. Those people definitely exist, but people that have had a sudden drop in income also exist. If these people have mortgages then that debt has to be paid first.

Alan2005

I've got one. Send me a 56" LCD TV please.

iaink

Thats why when you do have a job you try and stash 10% every pay cheque... or whatever your budget will allow. That takes discipline not to go spunk it on a 56" telly or new side by side ATV or whatever.

ultrarunner

Because it's issued to you based on your job, position etc on behalf of the Govt through PWGSC. You use it to carry out a task, and you put in the bill to be paid

It can't be used for personal matters

Almost Canadian

So why are the rewards not handed back to the State?

Souvy

I don't understand it either. I worked for the Feds (DFAIT) 96-2000. Trips to Canada were quite frequent. Having (using, at least) any form of loyalty card was a sacking offence, on the grounds that people would fiddle their trips to fit in with what suited their avarice. It may have changed since then.

jericho

I agree.
Debt is debt, and it's senseless being snobby about those who carry a credit card balance.

How did we make the jump from "if you cant afford it, dont buy it with credit" to people buying stuff they cant afford and then not paying the bills? There are plenty of people do carry a balance and pay all of their bills on time.

If you don't carry a balance on your credit card, well done, but you're probably in the minority.

iaink

Its not snobby, its the difference between credit at 18 or 28% interest, or less than 5%

Get a line of credit and pay off the expensive balances. and then DONT RUN THEM UP AGAIN.

Alan2005

Not everyone can afford to pay 10% every pay cheque. A sizeable number of people barely scrape by on what they earn. It's not that these people want new TV's it's that they might need their boiler fixing, or their kids need new school clothes etc. Debt is sometimes about needs rather than just wants.