Why Would Anyone Pay $450 for a Black Credit Card?
In these tough economic times, it seems almost
inconceivable that anyone would actually pay $450 a year
for a "Black" Credit Card. After all you can get
all kinds of cards for no annual fee! You can even
get frequent flier miles cards for free these days See
Fly Free.
Note: In this article we will look specifically at the
features of the Visa Black Card but at the end you will
be able to compare some of the other cards available.
(Some cost much less).
Q: First of all if you can get a card for
free... why pay for a "Piece of Plastic".
A: Well the first thing is it isn't even
plastic... it is a special "Black Carbon Graphite". So
it doesn't even feel like plastic. The card itself
is special... no more worn ratty looking cards in
your wallet. According to their website, the Black
Card is made with carbon, creating a more unique
card, guaranteed to get you noticed.
Q: Yeah, I hate not being able to read my
cards because the numbers are worn off but is that worth
$450?
A: Probably not for most readers. But
this card isn't designed for most readers. Well,
as a matter of fact most readers won't even qualify...
they limit the card to only those with an exceptional
credit history. Once again they say, "The
Black Card is not for everyone. In fact, it is
limited to only 1% of U.S. residents to ensure the
highest caliber of personal service is provided to every
Cardmember".
Q: OK, so beyond a sense of exclusivity what
else does it have to offer?
A: Well, 1% cash back. So for those who spend
$45,000 a year the card actually costs nothing.
Q: But other cards offer cash back.
There must be more to it than that!
A: Well, how about Luxury Gifts? "Black
Card members deserve the best of the best. Members will
receive Luxury Gifts from some of the world's top
brands".
Q: OK, free Luxury gifts,sounds good,
everyone likes luxury and gifts... you mean like those
fancy soaps I see in the upscale hotels? I know those
things are expensive. I just did a quick search and the
first thing I found was a six bar set called the
Awaken Cleanse Bar Set from Molton Brown for $49. so
I suppose a couple of those kind of things would add up
quickly but I'm still not convinced it's worth $450 a
year.
A: For those who travel a lot, there is a neat
feature I'm sure you've seen in most airports these days
called a travel lounge. It's almost like a mini
hotel. They are an excellent place to catch up on
work between flights with email, internet and conference
space, comfortable desks with places to plug in your
laptop, available printers and wireless access. No more
balancing your computer on your lap, sitting on the
floor next to a pole to find a place to plug in.
Depending on how valuable your time is ... one
round trip... two eight hour layovers... you do the
math.
Q: What if I don't have to travel for work?
A: If you don't have to work on your next
trip... they also have leisure facilities. Store your
carry-on in a secure place and stretch out on a roomy
comfortable sofa with a magazine... instead of watching
it like a hawk while crowded on a hard plastic seat.
How about complimentary refreshments and snacks...
instead of $5 bottled drinks and airport snacks.
Friendly hostesses... instead of crying babies. And what
I find most beneficial is just the peace and quite.
Airports are so noisy and crowded they give me a
headache, stepping into a quiet lounge is like an Oasis
in a desert of noise.
Q: How much is all that worth?
A: Usually, an annual pass to these lounges
costs you between $99 and $399 anyway, so if you combine
all that with a Black Credit Card the cost is getting
close to what a lesser card would cost.
Q: OK, so between the cash rebate and the
luxury gifts and the travel lounge I'm getting quite a
bit for my money, maybe even more than if I bought them
separately... But why do I need one?
A: In the best seller
"The 4 hour Workweek" Timothy Ferriss
gives his key to being the most productive. His
solution... Do the least amount of actual work
possible and then multiply your efforts by
hiring a service to do menial tasks for you...
like making reservations at restaurants or
health clubs, getting tickets to sporting
events, even basic research.
Contacting
hotels, arranging for Visa's or customs, or
finding an unusual household item takes time.
Tim even recommends having them perform basic
research for articles you are writing etc. For
this he recommends a service that usually is
based in some low cost country and so then you
can actually have your own personal assistant to
free up your time for more important tasks.
When reading this book this sounded like an
excellent idea. If your time is worth $50
an hour why spend it doing $10 an hour tasks?
But to tell you the truth I've never gotten
around to hiring a personal assistant. But
this is where the "Black Card" really shines it
comes with a full concierge service so you can
have your own personal assistant to handle
flight information, car rentals, mailing/faxing
stuff for your meeting, finding a tailor or dog
groomer or the perfect gift for your spouse or
client.
How about finding a rare book or the times
for that performance? What about more esoteric
things like
Foreign protocol information or a Message
service? Or on site Computer rental,
audio/visual equipment referrals & arrangements?
Hmm, a personal assistant? This could really
free up a lot of time and this is where the
"Black Card" really shines.
The next step of course is to compare the various
cards and see which ones might be right for you... some
cost considerable less than $450. Below is a chart
to help compare the options.
Note: If you are approved for one of these cards the card sponsor may pay us a small finders fee for helping the two of you connect.
