By Stacie Clifford Kitts, CPA

What’s the deal with American Express sending me letters stating they have a gift for me? A leather bound day planner of all things. All I must do to get this “gift” is to send them some money.

Huh? Are they serious? I have to say, this ticks me off just a tad.

Besides the fact that some poor cow died to bind up the slaughtered trees, who the heck uses a paper day planner anymore? Moreover, how does American Express define “gift.” News flash – If I need to send money to get it, it’s not a gift – discounted maybe, but not a gift – duh.

For American Expresses benefit specifically CEO Kenneth I. Chenault, I have included Webster Dictionary’s definition of a gift “2: something voluntarily transferred by one person to another without compensation.”

How about this Mr. Chanault, rather than sending me a day planner, why don’t you reduce the interest rate on purchases by some percentage points, then maybe I would be tempted use your credit card.

Now that would be a real gift!