Make Changing Credit Cards Across All Your Accounts Easier
If you've ever had to change your credit card number across a ton of different accounts, you know it's a major hassle.
Productivity blogger Merlin Mann just went through the process. For next time, he's created a spreadsheet with every service in one column, and then the exact URL he needs to visit in the next.
He notes there is a positive benefit to losing one's credit card: you discover and are forced to come to terms with all the auto-renewing services you may have forgotten about.
Toward a hygienic credit card [43 Folders]
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Comments:
Good idea. I like to have my credit card "stolen" periodically for the express purpose of "starting fresh" and cutting off any recurring charges. Also good feeling to know that your card info might be out there on the interwebs to be but that the old numbers are no good.
This "starting fresh" technique doesn't always work. I reported my American Express card lost/stolen recently and my recurring charges still continued to post to my account. American Express still allows recurring charges to old card numbers, in fact, I think they actually provides updated card information to the merchant, as long as they have enough verifying information. I have noticed the same effect after cards have expired as well.
Perhaps the technique works with MasterCard or Visa...
I hate American Express. They don't keep your records for more than six months after I tried to use a "Gold" card that I paid extra for at Saks Fifth Avenue in New York. American Express cancelled my "Gold" card because I didn't use it for six months until I tried to take some cash in Minneapolis when I was visiting clients there. When I was asked to speak to an Am Ex agent at Saks, they explained that it didn't matter that I paid extra for the "Gold" card, they still cancelled my card anyways.
Yeah, that's a great idea - except that by next year when you have to do this again, half the sites will have screwed with their pages/URLs.