Julie in CA Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 My dh has a credit card that he uses mostly for work (he is self-employed). When we go on a rare vacation, he uses the card to pay for hotels and gas. It's a nice perk. :001_smile: I do not keep a credit card, and I rarely go on trips without dh. This time though, I'm planning a trip to the homeschool convention without dh. He will send his card with me so that I can use it for gas. It's no problem, because I only have to slide the card at the pump and put in the zip code. He would like me to pay for the hotel room with his card too, and I don't know if there's a way to do that. Usually I reserve a room online with his card, and then he signs for the room when we arrive. Is there a way for me to pay for the room with his card? I am not on the account. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chepyl Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 Some places will let you, some will not. Can he add you as a signer and get you a card before you leave? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 It's easy to add you to the account. That's what we do. I have a card on dh's account. It's got my name on it. They can usually get one to you in a couple of days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
********* Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 Julie, it really depends on if they check the name on the card or not. I think technically you're not supposed to be able to use his card. But I've sent dsd to the store with my card before with no problems. No matter what, make sure you sign YOUR name when using his card (if you need to sign something). Just saying. I'm pretty sure someone can add a 'user' to their card, and get them their own copy of the credit card with their name on it, without making the persone responsible for the bill. I think. LOL. A call to the bank or credit union would be in order, I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie in CA Posted March 8, 2012 Author Share Posted March 8, 2012 Can he add you as a signer and get you a card before you leave? What's that phrase they use nowadays? Um, it's complicated. Dh is self-employed, but is in a business partnership with his brother. Db's wife isn't super responsible about money, and dh & his brother decided not to go down the road of having the wives actually on the account. I've always been glad they decided that, but it's frustrating to know that if dh were going with me to the convention, he'd sign for the room, and because he can't go this time, the money has to come straight out of my grocery budget. :001_huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotAVampireLvr Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 Some places will let you, some will not. Can he add you as a signer and get you a card before you leave? This - although I have my own card just to maintain credit, I am a signer on the primary card we use for all purchases. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
********* Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 What's that phrase they use nowadays? Um, it's complicated. Dh is self-employed, but is in a business partnership with his brother. Db's wife isn't super responsible about money, and dh & his brother decided not to go down the road of having the wives actually on the account. I've always been glad they decided that, but it's frustrating to know that if dh were going with me to the convention, he'd sign for the room, and because he can't go this time, the money has to come straight out of my grocery budget. :001_huh: Wait. This is either a business expense, or it's not. And you, your dh, your bil, and bil's wife need to agree that it's a business expense BEFORE you put it on dh's business card. Otherwise, hoo boy could you cause some family strife. I didn't understand the whole situation before I posted earlier. Just my $0.02 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 Ah, I thought this was a personal account, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2samlibby Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 I think you and your husband need to get a card to use for family situations and keep the business card separate. I'm self employed and have a card I use only for that. I can see this being a huge problem otherwise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie in CA Posted March 8, 2012 Author Share Posted March 8, 2012 (edited) Wait. This is either a business expense, or it's not. And you, your dh, your bil, and bil's wife need to agree that it's a business expense BEFORE you put it on dh's business card. Otherwise, hoo boy could you cause some family strife. I didn't understand the whole situation before I posted earlier. Just my $0.02 It's not a business expense. Doesn't have to be. The guys have agreed that they'd pay hotel rooms on trips with the business card. They're both happy about that, and it's not a problem between them. The only problem is that my dh isn't going on vacation with me this year :( but would still like to provide me with our room even though he's not going. ETA: So the real issue here isn't the business, I was just providing an explanation for why my name isn't on the card in the first place. For the purposes of my question, it really is just a matter of whether one person can buy another person the gift of a hotel room when they won't personally be present. In fact, I'm wondering now if he can go to the hotel chain website and buy me a gift card for the amount the room would cost. Hmm....{off to check}. Edited March 8, 2012 by Julie in CA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melinda in VT Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 It's not a business expense. Doesn't have to be. The guys have agreed that they'd pay hotel rooms on trips with the business card. They're both happy about that, and it's not a problem between them. The only problem is that my dh isn't going on vacation with me this year :( but would still like to provide me with our room even though he's not going. If you put it on the card, would you be using points or something, so no actual money would be charged to the card? That's the only way I can see it being a good idea to put this on the business card. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
********* Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 Oh I see Julie. This has already been agreed upon, you just need to know how to get the room paid for. Maybe try calling the hotel directly? That's where I'd start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie in CA Posted March 8, 2012 Author Share Posted March 8, 2012 If you put it on the card, would you be using points or something, so no actual money would be charged to the card? That's the only way I can see it being a good idea to put this on the business card. I think the money is charged to the card, but they get a percentage back, or a discount on a GM vehicle, or something like that. Either way, they're both fine with charging hotel rooms for vacations (neither brother abuses the perk ;)). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2samlibby Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 But, the manner of it being a business card is the reason that your name is not on there. So, it does come in to play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melinda in VT Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 I think the money is charged to the card, but they get a percentage back, or a discount on a GM vehicle, or something like that. Either way, they're both fine with charging hotel rooms for vacations (neither brother abuses the perk ;)). As a fellow small business owner, this seems like bad accounting practice. However. Call the hotel and ask if they would accept a signed letter from your DH authorizing you to charge the room to the card. Have him be specific in the letter: one room for these nights, charges not to exceed $X. They *should* accept that. Really, they just need something to cover them in case your DH contests the charge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Classical Country Mama Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 It's pretty straightforward, actually. You call the hotel--usually the front desk can do this, or in a smaller hotel it might be the business office--and they will email you a credit card authorization form, which your dh will fill out & sign, pre-authorizing all hotel expenses, room, room service, whatever. You'll email it back to them. Done! (I've done this a billion times when arranging travel for people at work. You may also need to include a copy of the credit card, front/back. In all the hotels I have arranged this with over the years, I think only one hotel has not had a standard form.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie in CA Posted March 8, 2012 Author Share Posted March 8, 2012 It's pretty straightforward, actually. You call the hotel--usually the front desk can do this, or in a smaller hotel it might be the business office--and they will email you a credit card authorization form, which your dh will fill out & sign, pre-authorizing all hotel expenses, room, room service, whatever. You'll email it back to them. Done! (I've done this a billion times when arranging travel for people at work. You may also need to include a copy of the credit card, front/back. In all the hotels I have arranged this with over the years, I think only one hotel has not had a standard form.) Really?? This would be perfect. Erm...what exactly would I tell them or ask for in order to have them do this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 For future use, I'd have your husband add your name to the account. But it should be doable as is, too. Over the years, I've often reserved hotel rooms, hostel rooms, etc. for my children. They would go and stay there, knowing I had already reserved and paid for it. They would not even have a card themselves. Different hotels handle this differently, but to be safe you or your husband should call and arrange it ahead of time, (it would probably need to be your husband), and he would just let them know that this is the card he wants to pay for the room with, not just hold the reservation with. Some hotels require a card when you check in too, in case additional expenses are incurred. So, your husband would need to fill out a form (there might even be an online form) ahead of time that gives you permission to use that same card for any additional expenses. We did this recently for my daughter. We wanted to pay for the first night of their honeymoon. We were able to get the hotel form online, fill it out, scan it and email it back to them. It allowed any expenses that were incurred to be charged to our credit card. My daughter did not have to have any credit card at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In the Rain Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 Just have your dh call and ask the hotel manager. I'm sure they have encountered the situation before. There has only been one time when my dh needed to be there in person to sign for a room. It had to do with the stay being a free night earned for some reason. Fortunately it was just a Mommy/Daughter getaway in town, so he could meet us there to sign. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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