AOPA credit card --- WARNING.

In article Fuspd.85361$V41.50473@attbi_s52,
Here's another credit card mystery: Why the hell does ANYONE use any card
but Discover? Everyone else charges to use their cards, while Discover
actually PAYS you to use their card -- yet they are a distant third or
fourth in the industry.

Marketing is everything to American consumers, I guess...

Well in my case I don't have a 'real' credit card. I have a debit visa
(work just the same). I keep most of my spendable money in checking then
use the Visa the same as cash. If I can't afford something then I don't
buy it.
I've thought about getting a real credit card (just in case) and if I
did so it would most likely be through my credit union (because it's just
easier). _IF_ I was forced to use a real credit card I would pay it off
in less than 60 days (to avoid the interest).
I had a real credit card for about 7yrs, but always paid it off. When
debit visa came out I cancelled it.
The thing about Discover is that it's not accepted everywhere I go, so
I can't use it the same as cash as I can a debit visa.

On Fri, 26 Nov 2004 01:18:22 +0000 (UTC),
('Vejita' S. Cousin) wrote:

Well in my case I don't have a 'real' credit card. I have a debit visa
(work just the same). I keep most of my spendable money in checking then
use the Visa the same as cash

As you say a debit card is just like cash (which is not the
same as a credit card). When I use a credit card I get to keep my
money for an additional 40 days (average of 15 days until the end of
the billing period and another 25 days until the credit card company
takes the payment). More importantly if I have a problem with the
product purchased with a credit card, the credit card company will
intervene on my behalf with the debit card I am on my own.

('Vejita' S. Cousin) writes:


Well in my case I don't have a 'real' credit card. I have a debit visa
(work just the same). I keep most of my spendable money in checking then
use the Visa the same as cash. If I can't afford something then I don't
buy it.

It does NOT work the same.

a) Don't try renting a car.

b) The consumer protection laws for Debit/ATM cards are far weaker.

The issuers love them, because they have zero float. They also have
lower processing costs than checks AND they get 3-5% from the
merchant.....


--
A host is a host from coast to
& no one will talk to a host that's close........[v].(301) 56-LINUX
Unless the host (that isn't close).........................pob 1433
is busy, hung or dead....................................20915-1433

Well in my case I don't have a 'real' credit card. I have a debit visa
(work just the same). I keep most of my spendable money in checking then
use the Visa the same as cash. If I can't afford something then I don't
buy it.

It does NOT work the same.

a) Don't try renting a car.

And don't try using to reserve a hotel suite. Most debit cards (unless it's
a "dual" debit/credit card) will not work with a preauthorization -- which
is what is required to make a guaranteed reservation.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

In article Ctcqd.474453$D%.367363@attbi_s51,
"Jay Honeck" wrote:

And don't try using to reserve a hotel suite. Most debit cards (unless it's
a "dual" debit/credit card) will not work with a preauthorization -- which
is what is required to make a guaranteed reservation.

:-( Then I won't be able to make a reservation for business travel at
your hotel.

--
Bob Noel

:-( Then I won't be able to make a reservation for business travel at
your hotel.

Or anywhere else, for that matter.

I don't know of a single hotel (or even small B&B in our market) that
doesn't pre-authorize guaranteed reservations on a credit card. It's the
only way a hotel has of protecting itself against bogus reservations and
no-shows.

We can always do a "contingency" reservation without a card, but it's not
guaranteed.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

In article Tsdqd.405505$wV.131490@attbi_s54,
"Jay Honeck" wrote:

:-( Then I won't be able to make a reservation for business travel at
your hotel.

Or anywhere else, for that matter.

Jay: I have a Diners Club card which I've been using the early 90's
for business travel.

I don't know of a single hotel (or even small B&B in our market) that
doesn't pre-authorize guaranteed reservations on a credit card.

right. But your hotel is the only one that I've heard of that doesn't
take American Express or Diners. I don't have a Visa card
(just a debit card)

--
Bob Noel

right. But your hotel is the only one that I've heard of that doesn't
take American Express or Diners. I don't have a Visa card
(just a debit card)

Yeah, we took a stand against the machine. By my count, since August of
2002 it has cost me 3 customers.

American Express is dying -- and Diner's Club barely exists. 92% of our
guests use Visa/Mastercard (they really *are* the same, BTW), 4% use
Discover, and 4% pay cash.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

On Sun, 28 Nov 2004 12:38:03 GMT, Bob Noel
wrote:

right. But your hotel is the only one that I've heard of that doesn't
take American Express or Diners. I don't have a Visa card
(just a debit card)

I don't know about hotels, but many enterprises don't accept anything
but MC and Visa. I presently carry a Delta/Amex card (12,500 free
miles for signing up, and no fee for the first 12 months) but I make
sure to carry a backup Visa card in my wallet.

To get back on subject, I don't use my AOPA credit card except when
shopping at Sporty's. I am reimbursed for money spent on gasoline, and
the amount I spend isn't enough to make it worthwhile to file for the
rebate.

The one time I went to an FBO for training, where credit cards were
accepted, they didn't take MasteCard! (Chandler AZ.)

Anyhow, I don't particularly like MasterCard. It seems rather low-rent
to me.


all the best -- Dan Ford
email: (put Cubdriver in subject line)

Warbird's Forum www.warbirdforum.com
Piper Cub Forum www.pipercubforum.com
the blog www.danford.net

Bob Noel wrote:

In article Tsdqd.405505$wV.131490@attbi_s54,
"Jay Honeck" wrote:

:-( Then I won't be able to make a reservation for business travel at
your hotel.

Or anywhere else, for that matter.

Jay: I have a Diners Club card which I've been using the early 90's
for business travel.

I don't know of a single hotel (or even small B&B in our market) that
doesn't pre-authorize guaranteed reservations on a credit card.

right. But your hotel is the only one that I've heard of that doesn't
take American Express or Diners. I don't have a Visa card
(just a debit card)

Diners Club is going to be affliliated with the Mastercard network in the very
near future, so you'll be fine at Jay's Hotel. CitiBank knows what's up these
days.