Amex trouble

[agent006140]

Anyone who has AMEX card,watch out!
It seems AMEX is having some problem ,recently I received a notice that my AMEX card could be tempered?so they are sending me a new card!
Then it kept sending me emails that the new card is on its way,then before it arrives,it said it looks like it has been tempered with ,so card is cancelled!
The card arrived and I went to its site to confirm,it said call customer support.
Customer support confirmed this card is no good and will send me a new card,this new card will arrive on August 8th.
Then I received another email asking me to confirm a pizza order someone placed in Ohio using an old card which was cancelled last year when it was used in a restaurant in Ohio.
It sounds like the problem is on AMEX end,not mine.

[phaz0rz]

I didn't know there were any benefits left to using Amex cards. Don't they charge annual fees?

[rsot]

Originally Posted by phaz0rz

I didn't know there were any benefits left to using Amex cards. Don't they charge annual fees?

High annual fees yes for cards with decent privileges - I keep one active.

@agent, seems like your mail is being tampered with? If things are coming opened like your AMEX card...

[agent006140]

There are different types of AMEX card,mine has a fee (first year is free) of $95,which gives me 6% rebate for grocery,so I figure I come out ahead.
Also any transactions online,3% ,rest is 1%
so my monthly internet subscription,buying online I get 3%.
Citibank has a card which gives you 5% for restaurants.

[agent006140]

Originally Posted by rsot

High annual fees yes for cards with decent privileges - I keep one active.

@agent, seems like your mail is being tampered with? If things are coming opened like your AMEX card...

No,I think the problem is on AMEX end,if they sent out a new card and before it arrives,they cancelled it.
When it arrived via Fed Exp,there is no tempering.

[agent006140]

Originally Posted by phaz0rz

I didn't know there were any benefits left to using Amex cards. Don't they charge annual fees?

I think they have one card which has no fee.
There is one with $xxx fee,if you travel a lot,you get to use airport lounge .
or may be hotel discount as well.
AMEX has better customer service,their dudes are savvier and know internet in and out.Other than that,I dont see much advantage using Amex,some stores do not accept AMEX

[phaz0rz]

I've never seen the point of using cards that offer different reward %'s for different categories. To me it feels like those types of cards are trying to subtly bribe cardholders to waste money on things they don't need.

"Sure you could cook your own meal at home for under $10 but if you wanna go waste $100 at a dine in restaurant.. we'll give you 5% cash back as a reward for your stupidity"

The only CC I use does 2% cash back on all purchases and gets me a few hundred dollars back from postage each month.

[agent006140]

what you cook at home for $10 cannot be compared with a fine restaurant offering chef meal for $100,dont forget you are not messing up your own kitchen,you dont have t o shop for the item plus ingredients,no clean up afterwards and a better setting.
you are not running your dishwasher.
Not $100,but under $50,you can get a very nice meal for less than $50 including tax and tips.
BTW,high intense heat does make a difference in many dishes,I can go up to 35000 BTU,thiers can go up to 100,000.

[rsot]

Originally Posted by agent006140

what you cook at home for $10 cannot be compared with a fine restaurant offering chef meal for $100,dont forget you are not messing up your own kitchen,you dont have t o shop for the item plus ingredients,no clean up afterwards and a better setting.
you are not running your dishwasher.
Not $100,but under $50,you can get a very nice meal for less than $50 including tax and tips.
BTW,high intense heat does make a difference in many dishes,I can go up to 35000 BTU,thiers can go up to 100,000.

Hopefully your AMEX card is being kept nearby to the heat - could damage the card

[phaz0rz]

I knew you'd bring up the BTU's.


Anyway to me it's just not worth the difference in cost. I don't cook anything extravagant but I prefer keeping the cobwebs off my kitchen appliances over being forced to pay some private equity firm's markup + be peer pressured into paying an extra 25% as a tip. Seems like a no brainer.

[rsot]

Originally Posted by phaz0rz

I knew you'd bring up the BTU's.


Anyway to me it's just not worth the difference in cost. I don't cook anything extravagant but I prefer keeping the cobwebs off my kitchen appliances over being forced to pay some private equity firm's markup + be peer pressured into paying an extra 25% as a tip. Seems like a no brainer.

Got to love the BTU obsession

Anyhow

[agent006140]

No one forces you to pay 25% tip,if you are such a weakling who matters what your peer think of you,yes,you should stay home and eat your own chow.
Oh,here is something -
A middle age Chinese woman works in a Chinese restaurant ,relies on tips as her only income.
A group of diners ate and left no tip,she chased them out into the parking lot and shouted DONT COME BACK,DONT Y OU GUYS COME BACK!
She was fired !

[agent006140]

what does it have to do with leaving tips to someone who serves meals?
It is up to you,most servers would like to receive tips,but it is not up to them.
I always tip,i figure if I do not want to tip,then I stay home and eat my own chow

[phaz0rz]

My point about tips is that inflation makes it.. not worth doing. It wasn't so bad when you could take a family out to eat for less than $40.

[agent006140]

You can still take a family out to eat for $40.
We eat at a Chinese restaurant once a week,do you know the traditional Chinese dinner for two is one dish with 2 bowls of rice,comes to $20 including tips.
But here we are spoiled,we each order one dish and end up with plenty of leftover.
Most Chinese restaurants in China Town do not have liquor license,we just drink water which is free.

[SaiJin]

Originally Posted by phaz0rz

I didn't know there were any benefits left to using Amex cards. Don't they charge annual fees?

$900 for platinum

$5k for Black

[SaiJin]

Originally Posted by agent006140

You can still take a family out to eat for $40.
We eat at a Chinese restaurant once a week,do you know the traditional Chinese dinner for two is one dish with 2 bowls of rice,comes to $20 including tips.
But here we are spoiled,we each order one dish and end up with plenty of leftover.
Most Chinese restaurants in China Town do not have liquor license,we just drink water which is free.

LIke $1 per scoop chinese?

Even McDonalds is like $13 for a meal now. Which is good since people can just use that money to eat much nicer meals.

[agent006140]

McDonald has tried $5,but some customers still think it is too high.
You can get 6 pan fried dumplings as appetizer for $7.95 in a Chinese restaurant,dont tell me about Chinese restaurant in Japan,they charge for a bowl of rice .
Rice is included in Chinese restaurant here !

[phaz0rz]

I'd really like to dine in other countries. It seems so cheap on Youtube.

[agent006140]

Depends on which country.
Many foreign restaurants do not have machines to wash and rinse dishes and utensils,some could recycle leftover .

[phaz0rz]

Which country do you recommend?


I'd be scared to eat in some countries but Vietnam seems pretty safe. Same with most of S. America.

[agent006140]

I have not tried every country.
But once you are outside tourist area of less developed country,I would say it may not be safe.