The only wayto pay for membership, at this point is Paypal. You can use your CC with Paypal or have it drwn directly from your checking account. Why do people not want to use a CC online? It doesn't make sense to me. It is as safe or more than using it in a restaurant. Most of the time a human never sees your acct number, unlike in brick and mortar places AND you aren't responsible for any of the charges IF by some chance somehow someone used your card. The CC company picks it up. I have been buying online for 7 years and the only time I have had a problem with my CC is when I used it at Lowes in town (not online) and the clerk sent my number to NY.

Joyful, I've often thought the same thing. Cash is king, they say. A while back a friend gave us a $50 GC to a specialty restaurant as a thank you. Her tastes tend to run in a slightly different direction than mine. Shortly after she gave the GC, I became pregnant. That restaurant serves a lot of things that pregnant women are told to avoid, and frankly at that point their food choices just didn't sound good at all. Not to mention that they have very restricted hours and my DH works a very long schedule. Long story short, there were so many strikes against that restaurant for us that I never got around to using the GC before it expired. I was a bit sad when I found it. It was just not a good idea, but she'll never know we didn't use it. Whenever someone gives us a GC as a gift, I try to use it ASAP just so it won't expire (I don't think they can by law here in California, but the restaurant one did so who knows?), or so I won't lose it. I like GCs less and less as time goes on. Then it always seems like there's $3 or some small amount left on the card that doesn't get used. That's especially true with the prepaid credit cards we've gotten- the problem there is that you have to ask for a split transaction and sometimes I don't know how much is actually left on the card. I've learned that when we get one of those it's best to use it against a larger purchase so we can ask for the split transaction and know for fact that there is actually $50 on there. Of course the last time I tried to use one of those, the girl didn't know how to process it (she claimed we needed a PIN number, we found out later that we didn't), so rather than use the gift "money" for the thing we were buying, we had to put it on our CC and figure out how to use the other card later. Maybe I'm just dumb, but the more I use these things, the more I hate 'em! Of course with that said, I still buy my nephews gift cards for Christmas! I think they really enjoy getting the card and fantasizing about what they will get with it. Sorry, this turned into a personal rant! :) - here's a smile for you, Joyful. Q

Personally, I prefer cash. But some feel that's "impersonal". Gift cards are the modern version of the gift certificate or the trendy "check" (or "cheque" to my Canuck-lehead friends) being given as a gift. My gift shopping used to always include a stop at the liquor store for at least one person on the list. I knew that wasn't going to go to waste. A friend used to always give his grandmother a small ham for Christmas because she'd never buy it for herself. Some would be appalled, nay, even insulted if someone gave them grocery stoe food! It needs to be in little jars, in a box, flavors nobody likes, won't eat, and will be given away or thrown away! LOL I'm really bothered when someone says cash is a bad gift, impersonal or whatever. Doesn't anyone get tired of getting trinkets that someone else thinks is cute and you find abhorrent? But somehow that's a better gift than giving someone cash so they can put it toward their electric bill on a month they're a little short, or go to a movie, or put gas in the car to get to work, or put toward the heat bill or into a (heaven forbid) savings account or get the car repaired house reroofed or whatever else. What troubles me is there used to be a saying that it's the thought that counts. I buy someone a gift, it's thoughtful, right? They hate it so they return it or leave it on a shelf or whatever. But that's more thoughtful or personal than cash? I don't think so. If someone is considerate enough to give me cash and trust that I'll make a good decision on what to do with it, that, to me, is thoughtful. Our western society is so hung up on materialism. It's the gift not the thought. We have to spend more on that wedding gift than the Jones' spent or we'll look bad. Doesn't matter what the gift is. I could go on and on but won't. Consider that your Christmas present! :D This time of year often brings out the best, but also the worst in people. Lots of generosity at times, but also greed, selfishness, self-centered thoughts and after all, Christmas is about giving and receiving gifts right? There was a religious event that some people used to get into! :D I'll give you an example of why I don't like gift cards in place of cash. I had my oil changed last summer for about $17. I used a coupon and had it done. Hard for me to do that stuff anymore. :( I got an award from work - a $25 gift card of my choice. I don't shop at Macy's. I don't go on cruises. (I would have appreciated a gift card for the cruise though...) I don't have Staples in the state, much less nearby. There were 2 things I could see myself using. An oil change place or Amazon. I was going to go with Amazon but decided I'd need an oil change before leaving town for a trip so that could be OK. It'd pay for most of the oil change right? Not after it being a $65 oil change! LOL I got another card choice, same thing. I took a restaurant card but now wish I'd gone Amazon. Not sure when I'll get to the restaurant, but not totally sure what I want from Amazon either. Had a voicemail that I have another gift card coming from work. (I must really have them fooled, eh?) If they had options for Home Depot, Lowe's, Menards, gasoline stations, or a prepaid credit card would be preferred. Keep in mind that the designation is important. They bank on people losing them or not using them. Extra profit, not unlike the post office selling stamps that don't get used. That's pure profit. And companies often get a discount so it appears to be more. But it could be worse. I remember when giving a turkey was often a Christmas bonus. Not everyone can use a 15# turkey. Some, a 15# isn't enough anyway. LOL How many people can't use cash?

Hi, Sue. I did google for info, and there are plenty to chose from. I was hoping for opinions from real peeps. Kathy, I had called MCI about adding minutes and got that message about the fee. Prices are going up everywhere so that isn't a real surprise. We don't have a Costco here so I think I will go ahead and buy more minutes with MCI. It is still a bargain compared to regular rates. Thanks to both of you for replying. Sue