Do credit cards irk you?

fuzzybuddy

fuzzybuddy

SF VIP
Location
The Sticks, Northeast PA.
Two things happened to me. I failed my state car inspections, because the idiot, who installed my brake pads put them in wrong-$476. Came home and my fridge was out for the count. It was a 35 year old fridge, that was chosen to fit a particular space. Unfortunately, there is only ONE fridge, in those EXACT dimensions sold by Sears. I used my Discover Card, which declined the card, because the card had "unusual"charges on it. I got a call from Disc. I told them I was me and to put the card through. After 10 minutes, it was still being rejected. I had to use Visa. And let's not leave Sears out of this. I use my middle name C.. Well their poor widdle system was throne off, because I used a period after C.
I understand others using the card, but what is a credit card for?
 

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Another MasterCard user.

I get calls from the security folks after I make a large purchase or a series of purchases in rapid succession to confirm that it is me but I have never had them decline a transaction. I suppose they check up on me because I usually use the card every two weeks for gas and rarely do any shopping with it.
 

We've used Discover years ago for a vacation out of state. We did fill up at a gas station and it was denied, but after a quick call to the number on the back of the card, they approved the charge and just told us it was unusual to see it used out of state. It was a little aggravating, but I guess they need to do those things to catch ID and credit card thieves and notify the owner of suspicious activity.

We both have jointly owned all credit cards and always use our regular names on them, usually with the middle initial included. Now we mostly use the Capital One Visa, better savings when used often and for big items.
 
I use my MC and Visa without a problem. I do notify them when I decide to put a large amount on it. I do that to get the cash rewards and then pay it off. I also notify them when I am going out of state and plan to use it. That's the only time I had a problem and it was quickly resolved. In fact it was their suggestion I let them know I am out of town and plan to use it. They are used to my pattern of spending. I also have alerts on my cards to be notified if the card is used over a certain amount. I try to protect them like I do my other personal info.
 
I've only had a problem one time when I failed to notify CC company I was going out of state.

Did not know about the amount alert, Terry.....thanks.
 
I never even thought of notifying my CC company when I put part of my new car purchase on it to get the points. I never got a notification or a call or a hold. I guess they thought nobody would be dumb enough to try that if they weren't the person who owned the card?

I do get notifications when I use the card to make an internet purchase. I have to tell them when I'm going out of the US or they'll put a freeze on it the first time it's used in a foreign country. When I went to Turkey, I couldn't even do that. They said it would be frozen even if I did tell them I was going; too much fraud, they said.
 
We bought our new fridge at Lowe's with a Visa card, straightforward transaction.

It is prudent to phone them to notify them that you are going out of the country.
 
I was angry when I wrote my thread. At that time I was a Discover card user. I'm not any more. No, I'm not using a card, which is more concerned about its bottom line than being useful to me in an emergency. I'm not calling a credit card number every time I got to the bathroom.

Discover Card instantly declined my card. But when I wanted $72 in "rewards points" transferred to my checking account; yesterday, they still haven't done that.
 
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We had a problem a few years back when helping my daughter move to collage from Jersey to Georgia. When we stopped for gas my hubby filled our car, my daughters car as well as my moms car. I guess Discover noticed 3 transactions at the same gas station all in a row. The next time we wanted to use the card it was denied. Took a while to straighten it out and at the time we were on a time schedule. Looking back I guess it was the safe thing to do for the card company and us as well.
 
I haven't had any recent problems with my cards. I don't use Discover, though, because it has godawful interest rates.

My Visa card bank calls me and tells me if there or odd charges on my card, and freezes it if they are REALLY weird. For instance, they froze it when somebody got my new card out of my mailbox and tried to use it to book travel in Singapore. I didn't even know the card was coming until the bank called me and asked me if I was in Singapore.

I actually have more than one card in case something goes haywire, for instance the time Bonnie (my doggie) mangled my Amex card.
 
The only complaint that I have with my Visa Card is that they send me my bill 3 weeks before the due date!! I get no credit for paying early, but they sure will jump on you if you are late!!!
 
Seems like a while back I noticed on one of my credit cards web site they had a list of things I could check-off if I wanted an alert issued for that particular type of transaction... out of the country, over a certain amount, etc. Now days they seem to want you to use a smart phone app for controlling most things associated with your account but I am wary of having all my finances accessible through my smart phone. Seems to me that makes you more of a target for kidnapping to exhort your money from you than if you are approached at an ATM machine?
 
fuzzybuddy said:
I was angry when I wrote my thread. At that time I was a Discover card user. I'm not any more. No, I'm not using a card, which is more concerned about its bottom line than being useful to me in an emergency. I'm not calling a credit card number every time I got to the bathroom.
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Discover charges a higher fee than other credit card companies.. many vendors refuse to take Discover.. we have been told many times that our Discover card would not be accepted. So we then use our Visa or MasterCard.. It's usually best to have two major cards available in case of emergency.
 
Ken N Tx said:
The only complaint that I have with my Visa Card is that they send me my bill 3 weeks before the due date!! I get no credit for paying early, but they sure will jump on you if you are late!!!
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This is true.. but easily solved.. simply don't mail in a payment until closer to the due date.. That's what I do.. But it's helpful to me to see what is due and when.. I just file my bills by order of due date.
 
I refuse to carry a balance either... paying off monthly is the best thing to get in the habit of.. I just don't pay it until it's actually due..
 
We will not use Capitol One. Years ago we wanted to close the account and pay off our balance so we wrote and mailed the check.
Lo and behold we had croosed a billing period so we still owed a small balance. another stamp another check. This time apparently we had crossed the annual fee date. We finally wrote a check in excess of the balance and forced them to issue a refund.

We always inform our CC company when we are traveling.
 
Credit cards are a handy convenience, IF a person pays the full balance, when due. Those who run up large amounts on their cards, and pay the minimum due, wind up paying twice as much for an item as they would have by paying cash, or paying the full balance. The banks get rich off people who spend more than they can quickly afford to pay.
 
I felt kind of creeped out that some corporation was tracking my "normal behaviors". I can understand notifying the corp. if went out side the US, but out of state is a bit much. I live 20 from N.J. What good is a credit card if you can't rely on it?
 
fuzzybuddy said:
I felt kind of creeped out that some corporation was tracking my "normal behaviors". I can understand notifying the corp. if went out side the US, but out of state is a bit much. I live 20 from N.J. What good is a credit card if you can't rely on it?
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We have had our Credit card company alert us two times about abnormal activity on our card.. and both times it was due to fraud.. The fraudulent charges were dropped, the card closed and a new one issued.. I am very thankful they are vigilant..
 
I use credit card for most purchases but always pay bill in full before due date. Have done for years. I appreciate their efforts to stop fraudulent charges. Any they prevent will, in the long run, keep overall costs down for all.
 
Lolly said:
This is true.. but easily solved.. simply don't mail in a payment until closer to the due date.. That's what I do.. But it's helpful to me to see what is due and when.. I just file my bills by order of due date.
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Wayne said:
Never ever paid a fee I buy everything on mine and get the cash back 4 times a year for play money, pay off monthly and no interest and have done this for years.
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Ditto to all of the above..I pay in full 7 days before the due date..
Lolly said:
I refuse to carry a balance either... paying off monthly is the best thing to get in the habit of.. I just don't pay it until it's actually due..
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helenbacque said:
I use credit card for most purchases but always pay bill in full before due date. Have done for years. I appreciate their efforts to stop fraudulent charges. Any they prevent will, in the long run, keep overall costs down for all.
Click to expand...
 

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