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June 19, 2006
Get your Goldschlagger cheaper
This article claims membership is not required to buy alcohol at CostCo, Sam’s Club, and BJ Wholesale Club. It has something to do with the repeal of 1930’s Prohibition laws and making sure everyone has easy access to cheap booze to protect the common good. Or something like that.
Supposedly, you can go to any of the stores, tell them you’re not a member, and they will sell you the stuff at membership prices to help you get drunk cheaply. I don’t belong to any of those stores and don’t drink much anyway, but I still wanted to find out if this would work. So Saturday I wrote to customerservice@costco.com:
Is Costco membership required for the purchase of alcohol in California? According to this article, it isn't:
http://yahoo.smartmoney.com/dealoftheday/index.cfm?story=20060616
However, when I went to your store today in Redwood City, CA, the assistant manager claimed I needed a membership card and wouldn't let me buy wine since I'm not a Costco member.
Okay, so I lied about going to the store. CostCo wrote back in six hours (impressive):
Dear Brian,
Thank you for emailing Costco Wholesale. You need to be a Costco membership to make any purchase at Costco.
Sincerely,
Grace M.
Executive Service
customerservice@costco.com
The article says, “Don't expect to find an employee who has heard of this policy. So ask to speak with the manager as soon as you enter the store.” Apparently, Grace M. at CostCo hasn’t heard of this policy either (not impressive).
Good luck, you lushes.
Posted by brian at 06:04 AM | Comments (0)
June 05, 2006
Your phone bill is going down
Last month, the U.S. Treasury agreed to stop collecting a 3% tax paid on long-distance calls. The fee has been around for the last 108 years (I didn't even know phones were invented then), in part to help pay for the Spanish-American War (you remember that one, right?).
The fee has gone up and down over the years, hitting 25% during WWII and the Korean War, dropping to 10% during the Vietnam War, and bottoming out at 1% when Ronald Reagan was in office. The fee has been at 3% since 1990.
After the IRS lost case after case as corporations started suing to stop paying the tax, the Treasury finally had enough and said it would stop requiring long-distance companies to collect the fee. Treasury Secretary Snow also asked Congress to get rid of the 3% fee on local phone calls, but it is not clear if they will. Plus, Snow just resigned.
Details are still sketchy, but the Treasury said refunds will be issued for the last three years of taxes if requested by businesses and consumers and taxpayers should be able to request refunds on their 2006 tax returns.
Posted by brian at 11:25 AM | Comments (0)
June 04, 2006
$50 for the Chase Flexible Rewards Card
I just did this offer myself to earn an easy $50. Chase has a credit card called the Flexible Reward Platinum MasterCard that has a lot of nice perks. You get a 0% APR for 12 months, 1 reward point for every $1 you spend, and no annual fee. You apply the points towards cash back or gift certificates.
You have to use this offer code: 9B5 and call this number: 866-648-7708 to get the $50 (the sign up offer is actually 6000 bonus points that show up after your first purchase that you can then convert into $50 cash or a gift certificate).
I'm still waiting to see exactly how the rewards program works, but I figure for $50 I'm willing to check it out and see if this will become my new credit card. I give it a 50-50 chance.
Posted by brian at 08:18 PM | Comments (0)