Get with the Program

There was a time when I couldn't be bothered to sign up for a store's program. I still have no idea why. We've all bee there:

Cashier: Do you have a Store Program card?

Me: No.

Cashier: Would you

Me: No.

Hell, sometimes I say "Nope" in the correct tone for the first question, and I don't even have to bother with the second.

I mean, it's one thing if you have to pay to be in a program. Rarely is there a program that I will use enough that cost of entry will be greatly eclipsed by the savings (BJ's and Sams Club are examples where you win). Also, at some of these places, the prices are so high that even with the discount, it's cheaper to shop somewhere else. An example of this would be GNC (I recommend shopping at http://www.advantagesupplements.com) or Best Buy (only if I need something right now, otherwise online, get your cables at MonoPrice, and do other shopping online).

My thinking now is, if I'm going to spend money, I might as well do whatever I can to stretch the value of my dollar. I use only my credit card, and shop through links from my bank's website, because I can get more cash back. I'm currently working on a free trip to Japan, thanks to frequent flyer miles (and would probably be there if I had joined the programs earlier).

Anyway, now I'm part of so many programs that I have trouble keeping track of them. The hardest part is all of those stupid cards. If I could find some way to consolidate them into one easy to carry item, I would. Maybe I can create a card of bar codes just for that purpose.