A recent change to my credit card terms gobsmacked me

[planetc]

55. In the old days, like the 1970s, you called a plumber, they came out to your house, ...

fixed the faucet or whatever, and a few days later, a bill for their services arrived by mail. The terms were: 30 days. Period. If you took longer than that, an interest charge might be added. People were assumed to be credit worthy until they proved they weren't.

So, by contrast, I called a plumber last year, and described the problem, and answered all the questions while the lady on the phone located my house on Google, and I understood what the charge for getting the truck to the house would be, and what the hourly rate would be and how much of the charge for the first hour could be reduced if they finished in 20 minutes. I understood all of that, but then the lady asked me for a credit card number before making an actual appointment. It was at this point I bailed out, cancelled the request for service, and went on my merry way. I do understand that average people don't pay legitimate bills, and, because they're not the 47th blunder, will have their bill sent to a collection agency. But it was an insult to me personally to imply I wouldn't hand the plumber a good check on their way out the door.

I also found out recently that my credit rating is good, but not stellar. The reason for that may be that I don't have any major outstanding debts: no mortgage or car loan, and I pay cards immediately. So credit agencies have nothing to track me by--I have disappeared from their screens.

So credit card companies and banks should be making enough money from the fees they charge businesses their cardholders use. And if banks can't manage their business without charging their cardholders interest before there's any reason to charge them, then they deserve to go out of business. If we all vote with our feet, banks will get the idea, and try to get our business back again before they themselves go out of business. We should be active players in this vicious economy.