Very Interesting

@cystic:

So i contacted my credit card company to cancel my card - i had a number of beefs (dissatisfaction with their reward program, irritation with their phone-routing, being called for insurance offers despite asking to not be contacted for this, etc.).

ha-ha your canadian get it.  :lol:

i’m mnot sure if you can do thios in canada but or not but oyu should look at this Huge disconts.http://www3.letstalk.com/product/findProducts.htm?pgId=100&tNav=1 i prefer cell phones and then only a home phone for local. try to get all your family on the same company(free to call from the same carrier for most compainies)

I use teh cable company trifecta (phone, net, cable).  Was paying $180 per month.

Heard the ads on the radio for “new” customers to get deep discounts ($120 per month for a year).  Called to get it and mentioned the phone company DSL offer I had gotten in the mail for $119 service (satelite, DSL, phone).  I am currently paying the promo rate for my cable package :-)

My credit card company charged me $15/month ($10,000 limit with no overage fees) and I called to cancel.  I don’t make a lot of corporate purchases anymore, having basically sold off the majority of my company to CompUSA and letting their staff handle the headaches of deliverable logistics while I get the more fun aspects of managing the over all projects.  The credit card company actually told me that they’d wave the fees if I kept their card!  (American Express, Small Business Platinum.)

I’m not sure on the free stuff…but I guess the whole “squeaky wheel gets the oil” bit works here.

I know customer service is really not at all what it should be, and that many services and utilities will respond to you more whenever you try to cancel.  In fact, I think I had posted a listing of companies and how to get in touch with a real person ASAP to voice your concerns.  Many of the companies had you talking to the same people, except that people who pressed 9 to cancel instead of 1 to talk to customer service got priority.  Then they did anything to keep you on.

CC, I think the credit card company was trying to get you to stay on through the holidays, hoping to squeeze a bit more out of you before you moved on.  Maybe something else…

:)  My motto is: “Why not ask?  Worst that happens is they say no.  If they say no, my life is not destroyed…but if they say yes…hmmm…drool…” hehe

@cystic:

Yesterday i was at Starbuck’s where i asked for a venti hot chocolate (yes - i’m a doctor who does not drink coffee).

You…do coffee…enemas, then?  :evil:

Why wouldn’t you be charged for a hot chocolate?  I guess the point is you got it for free.

Hot Chocolate:

10 ounces Dark Chocolate
1 Can Sweetened Condensed Milk

Melt the two together, add boiling water as needed until right consistency

Whip up some heavy cream to dollop on the top with either a bit of cinnamon or nutmeg for flair.

Why in the world would you get Hot Cocoa from Starbucks???  CC, you need a woman if you’re so desperate as to freequent that haven of bourgousie oppression and cow spit. :)

@Jennifer:

Why in the world would you get Hot Cocoa from Starbucks???Â

I can’t speak for CC, but I go for the Carmel Machiatio w/ 3 extra shots (5 total). Boing  :-o GOOD MORNING!

I very rarely go to Starbucks.  All the required things to make your regular hot coffee or a cold smoothie is at the supermarket.  Anything Starbucks can make, I make them like 100 times better AND at the comfort of my house.  :wink:

Doesnt mean I don’t like to go there.  I do get lazy sometimes.  :lol:

And, you’re creating jobs!

Back on credit cards, I’m pretty happy with mine. There’s no annual fee, and I get about 1% cash back on all my purchases, and I think the percentage goes up if I spend more than a certain amount. Not points or anything, cash. Yesterday I saw my bill and saw that it had been discounted by $133 for all the money I’ve spent on it. I’m going to look into putting my mortgage on the card…

The card is a CIBC VISA Dividend card. And it also includes perks like replacement and travel insurance. Did I mention it has no fees?

cc, i hope you tipped well for your cocoa and merry christmas (i hope things are slow for you)

merry CHRISTmas anyway and don’t forget to tip your barrista 8-)

Dunno what people normally tip.  I heard the average tip in the United States for restaraunt service is 8-12% and for delivery is less then 1%.  My personal philosiphy is $5 per hour for restaraunt service -$1 for each time my coffee cup goes dry. (That’s been $20 tips for a cup of coffee before.)  And for delivery I try to tip the same as the delivery charge (about $3 or 15%.)

As for tip jars and Starbucks/Caribou Coffee are concerned, I’m not paying them to do their jobs.  Next you’ll see tip jars at friggin McDonald’s!

What’s other people’s tips?

At Starschumcks?  zero.