Buying Nikon Lenses from Best Buy

[carguy]

In Canada, it is illegal for anyone other than the government and your employer to ask for your SSN. When asked for ID by a store, all they get is my drivers licence number and some other piece of ID with my picture on it. If they ask for my SSN, I tell them no, they don't need it, and explain why they don't need it.
I used to live in NYC, and if I'm not mistaken, the same law applies in the U.S.

You do pony up your SSN here in the US when applying for credit. One more reason to avoid (due to fraud, identity theft, etc) the 'financing' on anything but a house, place of business, maybe a car in some cases for the average buyer.

 

[Cochese]

While a very small percentage of buyers use it to their advantage, most do not. That is what they bank on, people going over the specified time period and being hit with the fees and or interest.

If you've got the money, just buy the item. You're not saving anything by spreading it out over time in reality

Just my $.02, financed for 12 months

I think people apply for whatever card, and get told they have been approved for however much and then go spend that much. That's the real mistake.

I made two large (for me) purchases in the last couple of months that I wasn't expecting or planning. The zero percent offered by both stores came in very handy. While in my youth I made credit mistakes, they served me well with at least experience. My laptop and mattress both have 12 month interest periods but both will be paid in about 7 thanks to payments each paycheck.

I couldn't have bought them otherwise, thanks to massive expenditures due to work that I won't be reimbursed for until September.

If you are on top of the terms and can easily make the payments without putting yourself in a credit snowball, then you always want to make your money work smarter. Making someone else pay the interest while you keep/improve your credit score is a smart play.

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 2

 

[Whiskeyman]

... but do my research on my own.

A good plan for any transaction you engage in: sage advice!

 

[Steve B]

I think people apply for whatever card, and get told they have been approved for however much and then go spend that much. That's the real mistake.

And those are probably the people that shouldn't have credit cards in the first place. (IMHO )

 

[Claudia!]

I agree 100%. I do my research weeks/months ahead of time and on various sites, stores, hands on... etc. It takes me a while to make a purchase but once I make it, I know it was the right one.