Credit Cards--if you don't use them, what do you do for online stuff?

[Ottakee]

If you don't use a credit card for purchases, how do you handle on=line purchases? I order vitamins/supplements, horse stuff, clothing, etc. on line and use the credit card. I would just rather not have that bill coming in each month. We have ALWAYS paid our credit cards off in full each month and have no anual fee so those aren't issues.

[gingersmom]

You can get a debit card with a visa/mastercard logo and it is accepted just like a credit card.

 

In my experience all the banks offer them.

 

I don't use credit cards and that is what I use.

[partyof5]

Debit cards. :)

We don't do credit either (anymore). Debit cards make it possible to function in a "credit" society.

[Miss Peregrine]

I use my debit card.

[Blueridge]

Yes, my debit card is what I use, too.

[cara]

We use our debit card

[OnTheBrink]

I use a debit card. You can get pre-paid Visas and MC's, but there's a fee to refill them (I think it's around $5). Paypal now has an online CC option. You can either get a CC number for a one-time purchase, or you can get one for use at one website only, repeatedly.

[chaik76]

We use a bank account that is not attached to any other bank account specifically for online transactions. We use the debit Mastercard that came with the account. It's worked well for us.

[petepie2]

If you don't use a credit card for purchases, how do you handle on=line purchases? I order vitamins/supplements, horse stuff, clothing, etc. on line and use the credit card. I would just rather not have that bill coming in each month. We have ALWAYS paid our credit cards off in full each month and have no anual fee so those aren't issues.

 

I always use a credit card for online purchases. I have a debit card, but I've never used it online. Actually, I'm usually uncomfortable using it at all and am considering ditching it. We also pay off our credit cards each month.

 

One thing to note with debit cards is that, while you do have fraud protection, dealing with debit card fraud is not the same as credit card fraud. With credit card fraud, you're not out any money while they investigate. With a debit card, that money is gone from your account while the bank does their investigation (and you must report the fraud in time). If the investigation is over 10 days (or 20 days in some cases), the money will be put back in your account. However, in the meantime, you may have checks bouncing, have bills to pay, etc. Just something to consider....

Edited January 21, 2010 by petepie2

[KidsHappen]

Denit card here too.

[QueenCat]

One thing to note with debit cards is that, while you do have fraud protection, dealing with debit card fraud is not the same as credit card fraud. With credit card fraud, you're not out any money while they investigate. With a debit card, that money is gone from your account while the bank does their investigation (and you must report the fraud in time). If the investigation is over 10 days (or 20 days in some cases), the money will be put back in your account. However, in the meantime, you may have checks bouncing, have bills to pay, etc. Just something to consider....

 

That is the main reason we use a credit card over a debit card. We just keep track of our expenditures, and pay it off monthly. Additionally, we have a decent awards program that adds $ to our IRA. It's not much but every little bit helps.

[mazakaal]

You can get a debit card with a visa/mastercard logo and it is accepted just like a credit card.

 

 

 

Yup. This is what I do. :001_smile:

[momofkhm]

you can get a one time credit card number that will draw from your paypal account. DH and I have done that a few times. It gives you a cc number but it can only be used once. (No identity theft this way.) It has worked every time.

 

Mostly though, I just use my debit card.

[Brilliant]

...

One thing to note with debit cards is that, while you do have fraud protection, dealing with debit card fraud is not the same as credit card fraud. With credit card fraud, you're not out any money while they investigate. With a debit card, that money is gone from your account while the bank does their investigation (and you must report the fraud in time). If the investigation is over 10 days (or 20 days in some cases), the money will be put back in your account. However, in the meantime, you may have checks bouncing, have bills to pay, etc. Just something to consider....

 

Clark Howard talks about this on his radio show. I have heard him berate callers (in his nice, friendly, way of course) who carry a visa or mastercard branded debit card. The risks for fraud on a Visa/MC are too high, and if your card is stolen, or the number gets compromised, or you have a dispute, you are risking your entire bank account. After I'd heard him say this enough times, I called my bank and asked them to send us non-branded debit cards which they quickly did.

[Parrothead]

I always use a credit card for online purchases. I have a debit card, but I've never used it online. Actually, I'm usually uncomfortable using it at all and am considering ditching it. We also pay off our credit cards each month.

 

One thing to note with debit cards is that, while you do have fraud protection, dealing with debit card fraud is not the same as credit card fraud. With credit card fraud, you're not out any money while they investigate. With a debit card, that money is gone from your account while the bank does their investigation (and you must report the fraud in time). If the investigation is over 10 days (or 20 days in some cases), the money will be put back in your account. However, in the meantime, you may have checks bouncing, have bills to pay, etc. Just something to consider....

Not necessarily. My bank has covered the money while they investigate. This has happened to us several times. One was a purchase that showed up with a name that we did not recognize and the bank covered the money while they investigated. Of course once it was all figured out, we have to return the money. One we were over charged. The bank refunded the difference and found in our favor. They also covered the check that bounced due to the overcharge.

 

I think it is something that depends on the individual bank policy instead of a blanket banking policy.

[swellmomma]

I use a prepaid credit card. I put money on it when I need to order something online and otherwise the balance remains pretty close to zero. FOr me it works like spending cash so I never have a debt incurring. For me, I know if I had a traditional credit card I would use it too much for crap and always have a debt on the card. This works for my needs. I use the card for online purchases and also hotel/car rentals etc.

[NavyWifeandMommy]

I use my bank card that has the mastercard/vista logo on them. DH and I have different banks so one has the mastercard on it and the other has visa. Awhile back we could only use the visa one but now it don't matter which one to use at most places.

[mrs.m]

For online stuff, I use a CC. Too much can happen with Debit Card and I don't want to mess with that coming out of my spending account.

 

Really the only time a credit card can become a problem is if you aren't paying it off monthly because you are over spending. But you say you are paying it off. Even Dave Ramsey says it's ok to have one! But he also says that as soon as you don't pay it off in full, then you have to cut it up.

[Tutor]

We use a bank account that is not attached to any other bank account specifically for online transactions. We use the debit Mastercard that came with the account. It's worked well for us.

 

This is what we do as well.

[mysticamethyst]

Debit card or PayPal, we have had a few issues with a dork going and taking monies out of our acct. but the bank has always refunded the question funds while it was investigated. I don't have that problem so much anymore, as a rule my purchases are from the same stores, and if I can I use PayPal to protect my acct. just a wee bit more.

[elegantlion]

I use debit card or Visa gift cards. our local mall sell one time use debit cards. Also coinstar does e-certificates for some stores (including amazon), so I use those when I do an amazon order.

[SquirrellyMama]

We use a bank account that is not attached to any other bank account specifically for online transactions. We use the debit Mastercard that came with the account. It's worked well for us.

 

We do this also. We have a smaller checking account that we use for online purchases. It only has around $300 in it so we aren't losing our entire balance if someone stole the number or card.

 

My mom has had problems with someone getting her debit card number and taking money out but the bank has replaced it immediately during and then done an investigation.

Edited January 21, 2010 by kwiech

[Bokons]

I use a credit card, but if you don't like the bill coming every month, then you can just pay off each transaction after you use your credit card. Your bill would still come, but there wouldn't be a balance on it, or if there was, it probably just wouldn't have gone through yet. You can easily check online to see when purchases and payment go through.

 

I wouldn't use a debit card online because of the possible fraud and theft problems.

[jail warden]

I use debit cards or Paypal.

[Goodallmomma]

I use my debit card. If I need an ACTUALLY credit card, I give my parents the money in cash and use their credit card to purchase it. You can also use Paypal.

[QueenCat]

Not necessarily. My bank has covered the money while they investigate. This has happened to us several times. One was a purchase that showed up with a name that we did not recognize and the bank covered the money while they investigated. Of course once it was all figured out, we have to return the money. One we were over charged. The bank refunded the difference and found in our favor. They also covered the check that bounced due to the overcharge.

 

I think it is something that depends on the individual bank policy instead of a blanket banking policy.

 

The difference is that the law does not require them to do so, and the policy could change.

[qfbrenda]

Clark Howard talks about this on his radio show. I have heard him berate callers (in his nice, friendly, way of course) who carry a visa or mastercard branded debit card. The risks for fraud on a Visa/MC are too high, and if your card is stolen, or the number gets compromised, or you have a dispute, you are risking your entire bank account. After I'd heard him say this enough times, I called my bank and asked them to send us non-branded debit cards which they quickly did.

 

Why would a Visa or Mastercard branded debit card have a higher risk for fraud than a non-branded debit card?

 

 

We use our debit card online. We only keep enough in our account to pay our regular bills. All savings are transferred to other accounts. And if the worst happens and someone empties our account and we have to wait for the bank to investigate, then that's what our emergency fund is for.

[Brilliant]

Why would a Visa or Mastercard branded debit card have a higher risk for fraud than a non-branded debit card?

 

 

The non-branded cards can only be used as a debit card, so you have to know the PIN to use it. This might not be the case with some online payments. But it's definitely true in person; you wouldn't be able to steal someone's debit card and go shopping at Kohl's without knowing the PIN, for example. But you could do that with a Visa debit card, especially since relatively few merchants require any form of ID, signature verification, or zip verification.

[Aoife]

visa debit card here too

[qfbrenda]

The non-branded cards can only be used as a debit card, so you have to know the PIN to use it. This might not be the case with some online payments. But it's definitely true in person; you wouldn't be able to steal someone's debit card and go shopping at Kohl's without knowing the PIN, for example. But you could do that with a Visa debit card, especially since relatively few merchants require any form of ID, signature verification, or zip verification.

 

Ah, I see... that makes sense, thank you. :)