Now, I have to admit that I am a credit card point whore…I’ll do anything for those little points, don’t test me. So I signed up for 2 American Express cards that had annuals fees just to get the points. However, they waived the fee the first year. So I diligently counted my months and right before time I called them and cancelled one and got them to remove the fee on the other.

Lately, American Express has been sending me letters every week about how I am “invited” (don’t you love the terminology) to fork over $400 of my hard earned money every year for a super-shiny, ultra-exclusive platinum card. I get a good laugh at how they try to market these to customers by making you feel oh-so-special and playing to our natural desire to be better than those average folks with average credit cards. Then I swiftly throw the letter into the trash.

A few weeks ago my mom tells me she got a posh new card that has so many benefits. Of course, my poor mom fell for their gimmick. She’s only human and was particularly enticed by the offer that you get one free plane ticket with every ticket you purchase on the card. Oh, and did I mention you get to go into the airport lounge? Once again, pandering to our desire to feel special. I told her this was a bad idea, but she didn’t believe me. She said she would call me from the fancy-pants lounge with her mimosa in hand to tell me how absolutely fabulous it is. She was happy with her decision, until she found the catch.

Her platinum card didn’t get her a free ticket with every run-of-the-mill ticket she purchased, nope. She had to purchase a business class ticket to get the free one. And since business class is well over double the price of low-life-coach, this is really not a deal at all.

BTW- My mom isn’t the only one who fell for this, apparently Tina Fey did as well.