NP has always lived by the old maxim: "Ask and ye shall receive." In affairs of the heart, mind, and pocketbook, it never hurts to come out and demand what's yours.
NP staff historically promoted this behavior through its financial planning arm. Specifically, if a credit card or mortgage rate was too high, or those late and change fees too onerous, call a manager and raise hell. The old "do you know who I am? I'm a banker! I'm going places! You need me more than I need you!" used to be effective at scoring low fixed rates, and scaring call center jockeys into providing real customer service. It's pretty clear by now though that there is no credit to be had, even at biblically usurious rates of interest and that playing the banker card has more traction in the WIC line than on the line with your broker.
That said, that frugal-mindedness and hard earned chauvinism can be readily deployed elsewhere. For example, the food counter. One NP correspondent recently tested this theory at a midtown Chipotle, where simply insisting on "a little more, a little more yet" at each point in the assembly line yielded an unsealable burrito monstrosity, a true caloric bonanza fit for multiple servings. And at no extra cost! NP looks forward to seeing what readers come up with in the weeks ahead. Aim high!
Followers
