Ah, the Benefits of Great Credit....

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Before I begin, I should let you know that the title is sarcasm. "They" (that mythical being responsible for every truth, lie, rumor, scuttlebutt, idea, false notion, and everything else) say that a good credit score will make you eligible for the lowest interest rates imaginable. So, today I thought I'd take advantage of that. After all, every time I log on this company's website to schedule my payment they show me my credit score...and it's stratospheric. As in, over 800 (per FICO). Sheesh, with that kind of credit score, they ought to be paying me interest! Anyway, I called to do a little consolidation. That would put me down to three payments: mortgage, car, and the loan. So, after all the info was taken (and I bragged about my recent pay raise), they told me that I didn't qualify for the lowest interest rate. In fact, the exact same amount that my original loan was -- at 6.99% -- would be over 8%. I thanked the lady and apologized for wasting her time. It's funny, isn't it: great economy, great credit score....and they want to charge me more interest. In retrospect, it's probably better: I can just "load up" on paying the two outstanding bills I have left and have them paid off in six months (versus a 60-month loan). The old loan is already 1/3 paid off, too. But it does make you wonder about how beneficial great credit is. Gee, wonder what my interest rate would have been if my credit score was 400? Guess I can't pay the ferryman: