Your comments hit square right on! I have not read the book you referenced but may find the need. You say it well, we are responsible for our own financial well being. May not like it ... but sometimes the truth hurts.

There are actually two books. I've read Financial Peace and I'm now reading Total Money Makeover. Each book complements the other. It was my Parents gift to me at Christmas. I know it's a boring sounding gift but turns out to be a very valuable one to me. Now if only we could get our favorite Uncle Sam to live by it's guidlines. LOL! It is hard to break old bad habits.

roflmao

Understood! You have cultivated a diverse and solid credit portfolio. I am one who pursued the elite attitude only to find it never really paid based on my usage pattern (waste of money for me).

Common now... where is your elite attitude. Now you have made it! Time to carry the America Express Platinum Charge Card with a very elite $450 annual fee?

roflmao:laugh: that's a mighty expensive elite attitude...........believe me, I am no obsess American Express lover but just trying to create a diverse credit profile to build upon.

Ahh yes the mortgage lending mess! People on both sides of the fence pointing the finger at each other. Hopefully everyone that went through these hard times learned from these mistakes. Specifically the borrowers and the lenders. I emphasize on the borrowers because we're ultimately are responsible for our own financial well being. We personally have to protect ourselves from our own greed of keeping up with the status quo and the greed of the lenders. I've been reading the books written by Dave Ramsey.

Your comments hit square right on! I have not read the book you referenced but may find the need. You say it well, we are responsible for our own financial well being. May not like it ... but sometimes the truth hurts.

Yes the first year is free and I checked the rewards structure...not bad but I will downgrade before the annual fee kicks in next year.

Common now... where is your elite attitude. Now you have made it! Time to carry the America Express Platinum Charge Card with a very elite $450 annual fee?

Did you get the first year free? If so, keep it because it has way better rewards. Then, next year if you want to save $50 downgrade to a regular Gold.

Yes the first year is free and I checked the rewards structure...not bad but I will downgrade before the annual fee kicks in next year.

update]Looks like American Express slipped me a mickey because I know for a fact that I applied for the regular gold card but received the Premiere Reward card.

Did you get the first year free? If so, keep it because it has way better rewards. Then, next year if you want to save $50 downgrade to a regular Gold.

After receiving my up tenth Pre approval from American Express for the gold card, I applied and was approved.I will put up a review after I have received and used the card within the next couple of weeks.

update]Looks like American Express slipped me a mickey because I know for a fact that I applied for the regular gold card but received the Premiere Reward card.

While what you say is right on... there is one fly in the ointment. Those generally NOT really qualified for a mortgage during regular lending times and under normal lending conditons don't get it so they don't know they don't know. So, while technically they are suppose to get it... they don't and likely never will. Are they responsible... technically. Note however, the standards made sense before and the unqualified would have been protected from themselves. Do I sound like and elistist? Yes. However, in life (as you well know) some things are NOT available to everyone.

Ahh yes the mortgage lending mess! People on both sides of the fence pointing the finger at each other. Hopefully everyone that went through these hard times learned from these mistakes. Specifically the borrowers and the lenders. I emphasize on the borrowers because we're ultimately are responsible for our own financial well being. We personally have to protect ourselves from our own greed of keeping up with the status quo and the greed of the lenders. I've been reading the books written by Dave Ramsey.

Hmm... I can respond with actual experience. After two years with them (Wells Fargo Bank NA and Wells Fargo Advisors), I found it to my advantage to move my checking, savings, investments, insurances and credit cards to other providers. Wells Fargo Bank NA was regularily changing the terms and conditions of the accounts I used. They did NOT try to work with me. Their attitude is one size fits all. Don't like our product changes too bad. I moved to USAA Federal Savings Bank FSB and a regional bank and have been satisfied since. All of my needs are being met and I am not experiencing product churning. In Minnesota it is unlawful to churn insurances but, banking products are not included... unfortunately...? The amount of interest or rewards paid by Wells Fargo Bank NA and frankly, Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase and Citi Bank is ridiculously low (why bother). There are regionals and less traveled banking paths that will aid many consumer just fine. As to locational convenience... the big four are tough to beat! Also note, the bank mortgage mess seems to revolve around the big four... think about it!

While what you say is right on... there is one fly in the ointment. Those generally NOT really qualified for a mortgage during regular lending times and under normal lending conditons don't get it so they don't know they don't know. So, while technically they are suppose to get it... they don't and likely never will. Are they responsible... technically. Note however, the standards made sense before and the unqualified would have been protected from themselves. Do I sound like and elistist? Yes. However, in life (as you well know) some things are NOT available to everyone.

Hmm... I can respond with actual experience. After two years with them (Wells Fargo Bank NA and Wells Fargo Advisors), I found it to my advantage to move my checking, savings, investments, insurances and credit cards to other providers. Wells Fargo Bank NA was regularily changing the terms and conditions of the accounts I used. They did NOT try to work with me. Their attitude is one size fits all. Don't like our product changes too bad. I moved to USAA Federal Savings Bank FSB and a regional bank and have been satisfied since. All of my needs are being met and I am not experiencing product churning. In Minnesota it is unlawful to churn insurances but, banking products are not included... unfortunately...? The amount of interest or rewards paid by Wells Fargo Bank NA and frankly, Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase and Citi Bank is ridiculously low (why bother). There are regionals and less traveled banking paths that will aid many consumer just fine. As to locational convenience... the big four are tough to beat! Also note, the bank mortgage mess seems to revolve around the big four... think about it!

A lot of my friends/family bank with Wells Fargo for some reason. Honestly, I don't see as many Wells banking centers as I do Chase and US Bank. They all seem to like Wells Fargo. I bank with a local Colorado-owned bank and I really like them.

As far as the mortgage mess: Citibank is pretty much the lame duck of the 4. Chase inherited some of WaMu's bad mortages, Wells Fargo inherited Wachovia's mess which in itself, Wachovia inherited from Golden West (did business as World Savings) and BofA inherited Countrywide's mess. But I absolutely refuse to put all the blame on the banks. The greedy customers (those that wanted a house they couldn't afford with the hopes of refinancing or selling for profit before the ARMs repriced) and politicians (that pressed the banks to loan to groups that normally would not be homeowners) are all equally to blame IMHO.

I can honestly say, so far (I have been with them in one form or another for 10 years now), that I have not had any real problems with BofA. But everybody has their own opinions and experiences. For instance, I absolutely HATE Wells Fargo and I have no reason whatsoever to hate them as I have never done business with them. Something about them just rubs me the wrong way. I also dislike their colours and that stupid stage coach. It's tired. LOL

Hmm... I can respond with actual experience. After two years with them (Wells Fargo Bank NA and Wells Fargo Advisors), I found it to my advantage to move my checking, savings, investments, insurances and credit cards to other providers. Wells Fargo Bank NA was regularily changing the terms and conditions of the accounts I used. They did NOT try to work with me. Their attitude is one size fits all. Don't like our product changes too bad. I moved to USAA Federal Savings Bank FSB and a regional bank and have been satisfied since. All of my needs are being met and I am not experiencing product churning. In Minnesota it is unlawful to churn insurances but, banking products are not included... unfortunately...? The amount of interest or rewards paid by Wells Fargo Bank NA and frankly, Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase and Citi Bank is ridiculously low (why bother). There are regionals and less traveled banking paths that will aid many consumer just fine. As to locational convenience... the big four are tough to beat! Also note, the bank mortgage mess seems to revolve around the big four... think about it!

I actually like that Amex. Only thing holding me back on something like that card is BofA.

I can honestly say, so far (I have been with them in one form or another for 10 years now), that I have not had any real problems with BofA. But everybody has their own opinions and experiences. For instance, I absolutely HATE Wells Fargo and I have no reason whatsoever to hate them as I have never done business with them. Something about them just rubs me the wrong way. I also dislike their colours and that stupid stage coach. It's tired. LOL

Just got my BofA Accelerated Cash Rewards Amex card in the mail today. They upgraded me from the same Black Visa Signature card. I've been using mine a fair amount. It took a full ten days to get it. The cool thing about the worldpoints I had on this account were changed to cash rewards. Since 2008 when I opened this account they've upgraded it three times. I wonder whats coming next year. LOL!! Before the offered upgrade I figured this card was equal to the Visa Signature.

So you got the letter asking if you wanted the "complimentary upgrade" as well? Yeah, mine was a Visa Signature (opened 1/09) as well. I got the offer 5/14 and accepted the upgrade online at bankofamerica.com/easyrewards using my registration code. On 5/23 it changed from the Visa Signature to the Amex on the online account management screen but it still showed the last 4 digits of my Visa. Finally on 5/26 it showed a new account number. Incidently this was also the same day that the statement cut. I will check my PO box tomorrow to see if it has arrived. My letter stated that they would convert any unused World Points to cash.

My BofA Visa Gold was opened 10 years ago this month. Last September they automatically upgraded it to a Visa Signature (the handsome black one not the Bank Americard one). I wonder why they automatically upgraded the Visa Gold but asked about upgrading the Visa Signature. Either way, since they took it upon themselves to upgrade my Visa Gold last year, I didn't need two of the same card so I accepted the Amex upgrade. I will see how I like it. I get to keep the 8.24% APR so I am happy about that.

After receiving my up tenth Pre approval from American Express for the gold card, I applied and was approved.I will put up a review after I have received and used the card within the next couple of weeks.