Credit Scores and Sephora Gift Cards

After a finance charge fiasco this month, followed by an irritating phone call to Chase I found out that there are so many things that can affect your credit score by going to this webpage:
http://www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs6c-CreditScores.htm

The problem being, first and foremost, that I had to go to this website, because she didn't answer my questions, just tried to tell me to sign up for a plan that would send my score with each monthly statement. I mean, all I asked the woman on the other end of the line was what this might do to my credit score, and could I get a copy of my credit report? It turns out, requesting a copy of your score can lower it! ???!

I spent all morning trying to cancel my payment protector plan (they conned me into using them for four more months since I get to use the service free because of my recent move, but I'm cancelling as soon as this particular statement is paid off), and then I had to contest the finance charge. Chase-lady told me I could avoid "problems like this in the future" if I signed up for all sorts of things I was not interested in. I was severely offended by the way she said problems, but like a lot of things in my life these days I might have been projecting. That didn't stop me from being rude (granted, this was after 12 minutes of not being rude, which were what led to my having to be rude) when I forcibly hung up on her, basically telling her, "look lady, I'm not interested okay? Thank you for your time. Goodbye" *click*

The money-related phone call debacle of '06 ended on a very positive note, though.

I called Sephora to report my stolen gift card. The one that was in my wallet when I lost it so many months ago? Well, the card hasn't been used, which is both a relief and a bummer since it means my wallet may have been tossed in the garbage or something. Anyway, using the partial number off of an old reciept from New York (dated 25 February 2005! HA! Pay dirt! I knew being an excessive packrat would benefit me one day!), they cancelled the old card and issued me a new one with a little bit more money!

I love Sephora.