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Many cards have adopted 3% fees on foreign transactions. For a while, MBNA had no such fees. Then they added them to many of their cards, but not the Fidelity Investments account card (which also earns 1.5% when the points are transfered to your Fidelity account). However, they just recently announced that all MBNA cards will now have the 3% fee.
MBNA stinks.
In an apparent attempt at building brand loyalty, Pampers is offering points with the purchase of diapers and wipes, redeemable for various prizes under a program they call Gifts to Grow. The codes used to redeem the points are conveniently hidden in mysterious places within the packaging. It's not clear to me that any reasonable reward can be earned through one kid's use of diapers, but with two in diapers at the moment, it's worth trying. The points per package vary, but some info can be found here.
Not that I've ever been a fan of the Gap*, but there's now a new reason not to shop there (or Old Navy, or Banana Republic, both owned by the same parent company). They have a new return policy (that began 4/30/06) that is ever less customer-friendly (NOTE: The text below is from their website. I don't recall whether this matches the in-store text):
Returns with a Return/Exchange or Gift Receipt Store refunds over $5 will be issued in the form of a merchandise certificate by mail or merchandise exchange for the price paid. Online refunds will be issued in the form of a gift card or merchandise exchange for the price paid.A gift receipt serves as proof of purchase price only for online and in stores. Store refunds over $5 will be issued in the form of a merchandise certificate, merchandise exchange, or a merchandise certificate by mail for the price paid.
Returns Without a Receipt
Store refunds over $5 will be issued in the form of a merchandise certificate by mail or merchandise exchange for the current selling price. Gap stores require valid identification when processing all returns and exchanges without an original receipt.Online refunds will defer to account history and price paid of order number, if provided by customer. Refunds will be issued to the original form of payment or mail check.
The Manager's translation: Even an exchange for size of clothing without an original receipt is no longer possible. What they will do is mail a credit to your home, with which you can return 1-2 weeks after your initial attempt at exchanging. Chances of finding your seasonal item in-stock, reduced, of course. Alternatively, you can buy the item in the right size, return 1-2 weeks later and return it, then re-buy it with the credit. Either way, a pain in the neck, and that much less pleasant a gift to receive. Furthermore, the credit they send is a merchandise check, non-refundable if lost. How convenient, for them.
*I don't like branded stores. I much prefer department stores that carry a variety of brands. Whatever type of clothing you're looking for is almost always guaranteed to be on sale under one brand or another, in contrast to a Gap type store that will only have certain items on sale at any given time.
In the event that you noticed that I haven't blogged in about 40 days, it's because I've been busy. FatWallach Jr. welcomed a baby sister back in mid-April!
You can expect to see some new posts shortly.