Tuttafucco Quirks #22 thru #25

I've never been a fan of celebrating Hallmark holidays. Instead, I celebrate things that make me feel like an individual. Many would refer to such nuances as Quirks, so in an effort to willingly succumb to the masses, I will do the same.

nb: Alanis thinks it's Ironic that in an effort to demonstrate my individuality, I am, at least in part, succumbing to the masses... and now back to our regularly scheduled program...

Quirk #22: Cash vs. Credit

In my opinion, very few transactions require the use of cash. Many of these transactions are dictated by establishments (or vendors) that simply don't accept credit. As a result, when I see the sticker that denotes that Visa and/or MasterCard are acceptable tender, I not only peruse with greater confidence but I'm also more likely to spend larger sums of money.

Experts would suggest that I concern myself with the potential interest and additional costs incurred over time as I pay off the balance on my credit card(s). But if there's one thing I've learned, you gotta use credit to build credit. So like Betty and Wilma, I chaaaaaaaaaaarge it. And when my balances get out of hand, I simply switch gears and focus on paying off instead of spending. Going through cycles like these has kept me out of financial ruin (to date), and every couple years I'm rewarded (in a sense) with increased credit lines and increased buying power.

Quirk #23: Do it Yourself

There are many things in this world I enjoy having people do for me, but pumping my gas is not one of them. And it's not because I don't trust the guy to give me the amount of gas I asked for. Sometimes I just don't want to commit to purchasing a specific amount of gas. I like to reserve the right to change my mind mid-pump, in case I suddenly realize that I'm no longer in the mood to fill 'er up. There are times when I basically want to put in just enough gas to get me to another station where I know I can find a better deal on the Petrol.

Quirk #24: Can I Get a Receipt?

As you never know when a credit card charge needs to be disputed, I've found that having a copy of the receipt handy, often expedites the dispute process ( in addition to saving you the occasional embarrassment of disputing a legitimate charge). Problem is, sometimes when I press 'YES' for a receipt at the pump, I'm instructed to go inside and obtain the receipt from the cashier. For some reason, I just refuse to do this. I wouldn't consider this laziness, but really a conscious choice to use my time wisely when possible. And when I consider the time spent walking inside, probably having to wait in line, versus the actual likelihood of needing that receipt, it doesn't seem worth it. If I could write-off gas purchases as an expense for work, I'd probably feel differently about this, but since I can't, I don't...

Quirk #25: No Thanks! I'll pass

One day a couple weeks ago, I was in an inexplicable mood for a double burger with cheese and some of the Nuggets you don't have to travel to Denver for. So I wandered my way to the Golden Arches for lunch. On the day in question, I just so happened to not have any small bills on me. (Please don't confuse this with bragging on my part but simply a statement of fact about this particular afternoon as I was preparing for a large, "cash-only" transaction ;). Being without small bills should not have been an issue, as most fast food joints accept credit/debit cards. But as my recent luck would have it, those machines weren't functional that day. So, rather than pull a Chris Rock a la I'm Gonna Git You Sucka, purchasing a couple items off the Dollar Menu before I ask them if they "got change for a hundred?", I walk out and find another fine dining establishment for lunch. Part of it is not wanting to be told they don't accept $100 bills (I tried to tell Biggie - It's Not All About the Benjamins!!). But more importantly, there's just something about buying items off the Dollar Menu and getting $96 as my "change" that just rubs me the wrong way... like I'm misusing what the Dollar Menu was intended for... And for the record, I felt the same way when I was a young and refused to purchase penny candy with anything larger than a five spot (and even then I'd buy enough for the whole block!!)

Now I don't mention these things to say that I'm the only with these types of odd tendencies... I just think there are very few people out there that would share the same approach or opinion as me on most of these issues...

Holla if ya Hear me