Citi just lost a credit card customer. I had to do some fancy maneuvering to supply my

sideline business and hadn't really paid that much attention to what my interest rate on their dividend Mastercard was. It's my fault that I must not have read all the mail when they evidently jacked up the rate on me. 20.99 freakin' percent! Jayusus! I called immediately because I know I have another card that's way lower. I just hadn't a substantial balance on that card if any at all for five years or more.

I told them I needed that rate lowered substantially or I would pay it off and they were done. The balance transfer is in the works to my credit union card at around 8%. I know, WTF were you thinking not using that card in the first place? That little mistake is going to cause me to flush about $100 down the toilet.

That Citi card used to be my best one with the cash back. It paid 5% on all the gas and groceries (almost) that I bought. I worked it to the maximum $300 a year every year and never paid them a dime in interest. That's the real reason I actually forgot I even had that credit union card. I had it stashed and never even carried it.

I can't believe with what the rate to the banks is that they can even think of charging that much. One important tip on balance transfers. If you request one and they say you can't because the other card is owned by the same bank, they are full of shit! You can just request that balance transfer to go to your (other) bank or credit union account. They won't tell you that you can do that but you can. Then you just use that money to pay off the higher interest card anyway.