Time to buy American Express stock?

Of course, I am kidding.  I have much better things to do than to brood over whether or not to buy American Express stock.  I don’t hold grudges, but I do prefer to invest in companies that value business ethics.

However, for those of you who are looking to take advantage of American Express’ low stock price, now may be a good time to consider buying shares.  The company’s stock has dropped to 1997 levels due to the economic slump and consumer outrage, which was fueled, in large part, by this web site’s national media coverage.   

Don’t forget: Rules vary between companies too

We all agree that there are basic steps you can take to maintain the highest credit score possible --like pay your bills on-time and avoid going over your limit.  However, never have I heard anyone address the subtle differences between companies when it comes to credit rules. 

Some of the differences, I suppose, are obvious based on the type of credit history or credit card product you have. For example, a top-tier customer with a credit score of 785 would have more leniency or flexibility than a customer with a score of 615 or vice versa.  And of course each company has their own proprietary data mining techniques and risk assessment models.  Also, there are different benefits to having certain cards for rewards, rebates, and the like.