Giving New Meaning to Parenting

I am trying to make a clean start in my home office, which ends up being the “nerve center” of the house and all activities, so it’s best if we start there, right?

As I start the shoveling and debridement, I am finding items and developing a pet peeve that was starting to bother me, and I thought I’d see if I was the only one who had about had it with the latest marketing gimmick:

Store Loyalty cards. The big plastic ones take up room in my wallet and purse. The small ones for my keyring are also multiplying faster than rabbits. (and these have an annoying habit of falling off over time) So I end up having to cajole and apologize to all cashiers and make them look up my phone number anyway, so why bother with the stupid cards? And how about just giving me a discount anyway, or keeping track of my purchases and do the coupons electronically?

Sample of Loyalty cards in my stash:

Three grocery stores

Two ladies’ clothing stores

Two books stores

Two coffee shops

Local pizza joint

Local garden center

Two grocery stores at vacation spots or near my mom’s house, in another state

A pharmacy

A sporting goods store

One photography/camera film developing place

Card with credit at local copy chop

A coupon for a free panty at Victoria’s Secret

Three separate hotel member programs

Membership to two different local warehouse stores

Frequent flyer IDs

Local Video game store discount card

Old blockbuster card (this is getting shredded)

Several from outlet stores that I may shop at three or four times a year, tops.

I understand trying to collect a database of email addresses and the like, but having to carry a separate purse for these loyalty cards is a pain in the neck. My key ring is starting to look like a Christmas tree, and I am getting fed up with this sea of plastic.

How do you feel about all these pieces of plastic in your wallet? Do you sign up for these preferred deals, or is the thought of yet another card you need to get punched or scanned becoming overwhelming? Is it just me?

For me, I’d love to just be able to put in my phone number and be done with it- the search for the cards, the cajoling for alternate methods of ascertaining my true identity and any possible discounts and deals…. I am not loyal to stores because of the preferred deals- I am loyal to them because they are convenient to my house or on my travels, because they have merchandise I like, and because of the customer service. The loyalty cards are not making me more loyal, they are just starting to really annoy me at every turn. What about you?

by Whitney Hoffman