Minimally Exceptional

At the risk of being unreasonable: both Chase and Citigroup can kiss my big ass.

Last week I received a notice that Chase was increasing the APR on my credit card. It is changing from a 7.99% fixed rate to a 14.59% variable rate. Total bullshit and really irritating, as I have been nothing but the perfect fucking customer. Also not that big of a deal as my balance on that card is only about thirty bucks right now. Easy enough – pay it off and stop using it.

Today I got basically the same change in terms from citicards. My 8.99% (which is currently 3.99% on a promotion) is going to become a minimum of 14.99%.

That’s not going to fly. I have a pretty big balance of wedding bills on that card, and I know that with my credit history they can do better than that.

Incidentally, Laura and I both have pre approved applications from Commerce bank that came last week. 0% for a year, which then becomes prime plus 3.99%, minimum of 9.99%.

I called citi to try and leverage the commerce application. I politely and calmly explained to the gal on the phone that the interest rate they were giving me was not reasonable, and told her about the commerce cards. I also told her thar I would really rather keep doing business with citi, but that I would need them to at least try and match the 9.99% or they were going to lose my business when I transfer my balances to commerce.

She pretty much told me that they would get over it.

Is this what it boils down to? Billions of taxpayer dollars to keep these shady too-big-to-fail banks running, and they tuen around and give it to their good customers in the shorts? I know there was a provision in the credit users bill of rights that prevented jacking up the interest on existing balances, but my understanding is that it was stripped from the final bill so that congress could actually get it to pass. That’s change you can believe in – thanks congress!

Criminals.

Well fuck that. I’m a customer and not a criminal, and I’ve made a lot of money in credit card interest for both of these banks over the last eleven years.

Not anymore. Chase and Citi are both done making any money off of me. Balance transfers to commerce are already underway.

Fuck you, I’m out.