The Point System

Miles. Discounts. Cash Back. There's something Dave Ramsey doesn't teach you. How to deal with point system envy.

There needs to be a point system for not having a credit card and never flying anywhere. I could clean up on that. The last time I was on a plane was....Christmas 2008? Or was it summer 2007? Yea, I got miles. Miles on the flip flops I wear to the mail box. But that's only when I realize I haven't seen any mail in a while cause my husband's been storing it in the black whole of his white truck. Things go in there, but they don't come out. "Honey do you have the receipt for the (fill-in-the-blank-here but whatever it is, it's broken but hopefully still under warranty if we can just find the receipt)?"

"Yea, I think so. It's in my truck............Where are you going?"

"To buy a new one."

I used to struggle with self worth because I didn't go to college. I don't have a degree. But now I have a new trigger. I have no miles. I'm delighted to be on the all cash system, and no credit card bills coming in is wonderful. But have you seen those commercials? Those shiny blue and silver cards are beautiful. And do you have those friends who fly everywhere free? I want to stow away in their bags. Just once. Even if it's a business trip to Arkansas, just so I can participate in those "I used my miles" conversations.

And those discount hotel search ads with the happy people lying on the beach in serenity. Who are they kidding? We used one of them once. There was no serenity. We got stuck in Cincinnati, something wrong with the plane, and they wouldn't put us on another flight. "Yes sir, how can we help you? Of course! There's another flight going out in 2 hours. Oh, wait...You purchased with Expedia/Orbit/Priceline. I'm sorry. You're at the bottom of the customer totem pole. What does that mean? Well basically it means we gave you our left overs because you tried to get something cheaper and consequently we have nothing left to give. No, no, we're not punishing you for using a discount service. We're just treating you, your wife and your 2 small children as the grand losers of travel. But thank you for calling. And Happy New Year!"

That was the same trip on which we tried to rent a car with a debit card. If you're feeling good about your financial choices, just give that a whirl. Nothing can shoot your self-esteem into the death spiral like a smiling customer service agent's rejection. I have no idea why I care what this stranger on the other side of the counter thinks, but I do. And she's entirely too happy about telling me no.

So Dave, I'm a little miffed. Not at you. It's not your fault. Your program is fantastic and it works. It's the system. It's all upside down. Where are the points for cutting up the cards? For drving by Taco Bueno instead of driving thru? But I guess in everything good and worth waiting for, there are growing pains and discipline to get through. So I won't bend. No sir. I'll just keep staying home and wait for the point system on most pajama changes in a week. My notice on that should be coming any day now. In the mail. I've got my flip flops by the door.