In real life and online, the crafting community is a pretty tight-knit group (haha, a knitting pun). Our kind is known for sharing pictures of completed projects just because we are proud. We share tips and tricks with other crafters. And if you are looking for a pattern, someone will help point you in the right direction. So I am here today with a kind of public service announcement for my crafting fam out there.
Along with many of you reading this, I have gone into a Michaels arts and crafts store for one item and come out with things I never planned on buying. Once you are in there, everything seems infinitely more interesting and affordable. How did that cute Halloween bird statue get into my basket? I don’t remember picking up this yarn, but I may as well buy it. Now Michaels is really coming for us. They announced on their website that they will soon offer a store credit card to customers.
They Know What They Are Doing.
I am kind of a serial crafter. I can’t just stick to knitting or crocheting, I have to try it all. That means jewelry making, wood burning, painting, shirtmaking, and art with fake flowers. This year I am teaching myself to sew, because why not? Every time I walk into Michaels, I feel like a shark getting the scent of blood. My pupils dilate, and I feel I need everything in that place to feel like I can finally craft my masterpiece. I know I’m not the only one who goes there for a frame or glue and ends up with several bags of other crafting supplies.
Michaels knows their customers have these kinds of habits. Like many other chain stores (such as Target or JCPenney), they are creating their own credit card. It is the kind you can only use in their store, making it a very niche item. How they get you is to lure you in with rewards only for customers who use the credit card. All of this sounds lovely. Oh, a discount on these items I suddenly need? Sure! On the surface this can may look like a benefit.
But much of the time you end up spending more than planned. Then, if you don’t pay the balance off immediately, you are getting charged interest on your purchases. And that interest money accrued is another source of income for the corporation. A thousand years ago, I worked for a now-defunct department store. During training, they straight up told us how much they love when customers open credit cards, because all of that interest is now free money to them. Then they turned around and offered opening credit cards to all of us teenage employees to “help us establish credit.” Uh, no. Credit cards are not the end-all evil, but they can be dangerous things to mess with.
Shop wisely, crafters.
(featured image: Cartoon Network)
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D.R. Medlen
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