Visa credit card recommendations?
Oct. 20th, 2008 04:16 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sarea
It started pouring rain about half an hour ago. There was a bright flash of light outside my window, followed immediately afterward by a giant BOOM. So by that "count how many seconds passes between seeing lightning and hearing thunder" game, the storm was apparently right over my house. Talis, who doesn't like loud noises, practically jumped into my lap. He's now hiding under my chair, with my blanket draping either side, so I'm sure he feels safe in his little cave. At least he's not shaking, which he does every July 4 from the fireworks.
So, technology breakage is upon me. First, my second desktop stopped working -- well, it boots up, but the screen looks all crazy, so I think it's my video card. I did a bit of investigating and the fan on the video card no longer works; don't know how long it's been like that. Sigh. Replacing it would actually probably not cost a lot, since I no longer use that machine to game so any old video card will do. However, it was custom built and I don't remember what specific motherboard it is, so I don't know what type of card I need to get (or if it even matters). But anyway, it's just as well, because last night I spilled water on my keyboard, and it started doing this thing where every time I typed a certain letter, the letter to its left would also get typed. So I've taken the keyboard from the second desktop to use. SIGH.
Now -- a question: Are any of you using a Visa credit card that you just LOVE and would recommend? The reason I ask is because I have canceled my Visa credit card that I had with Chase.
See, I pay off my credit cards every month, so that I don't get finance charges or whatever it is that ends up making people overspend and putting millions of Americans in debt. I pay online, so I have a reminder that pops up monthly to remind me to pay my credit cards. The reminders are all on different days, since my payment due dates for each card is different.
Well, apparently I missed one of my Chase payments, I don't know how, and got assessed a late fee ($39!!!). I called them to sort it out, and after some argument they reversed the late fee. What I didn't know, however, was that it was still considered a "valid charge" and thus a periodic rate or whatever still applied, which meant that this month I was charged an additional $11.22 for this "period rate fee," and next month there will be still ANOTHER "small" fee!! I don't know how all that works exactly, but what it spells to me is BULLSHIT. So not only do I get charged a late fee, but then another fee on top of that?! Even if I hadn't gotten the fee reversed, that would be ridiculous. And since I did get the late fee reversed, it's even MORE ridiculous that it's still considered a legitimate charge and the whatever periodic rate still applies, for TWO MONTHS AFTER! How completely and utterly ludicrous!
So I canceled my account. No doubt other credit card companies operate that same way, but a) I wasn't all that crazy about this card anyway -- the "cash back" was paltry; b) I have too many cards anyway and an excuse to get rid of one is good; and c) it gave me at least some measure of satisfaction to say adios to it after all their bullshit.
I have three other Visa credit cards that I could replace it with, but I'm pretty much looking to get rid of those too, since I never use them and their rewards programs do little to nothing. There's no reason to really pick one of them over the others -- so I'm looking for a Visa credit card that will be the equivalent of my Discover card, where it has a really nice rewards program.
I looooooooooooove my Discover card, which gives me cash back on my purchases (significant cash back, too), but not every place takes Discover. So I have a Visa as a back up in those situations. The other Visa credit cards I have don't provide benefits that really wow me.
I know I can use my bank's debit card like a Visa credit card, but I don't like using debit cards. I know a lot of people prefer it, because it helps them not overspend, but I don't find that that's really an issue for me. In fact, for me, there are way more reasons to use credit cards rather than debit cards.
First, I don't keep intense tabs on my checking account, so I don't like not knowing if all my little purchases are causing a bunch of overdraft withdrawals from my savings account -- or alternately, having to make sure of how much money I have in my checking account before using the card. Related to that, I like just being able to check in 2-3 times a month to make sure everything looks OK, and to ensure that I have the right amount in my checking account for the credit card payment I just made.
Second, I'm going to be making those purchases anyway, so why not get something out of it? I never use my credit card just to use it. So if I'm going to buy something and pay that amount anyway, why not get something back -- whether it be cash, discounts, mileage, or whatever?
And third, I like the protection credit cards offer in a no-fuss way. If my card gets stolen and there are a bunch of unauthorized charges, most credit card companies will reverse those charges and take care of issuing you a new card in a jiffy. Dealing with a bank when your funds have already been removed from your account seems way more risky. I'm sure most banks also offer some sort of protection -- but I like having that additional "layer" where my own money hasn't actually been touched. Plus, if you have a dispute with a vendor, you can open up a dispute with your credit card company and they'll do the work to investigate/resolve it, especially helpful if you eBay or buy things online a lot, as I do. Again, it's just another "layer" of protection that gives me peace of mind.
And for the most part, it's completely painless and works just as it should. I generally have no complaints about credit cards. It's just when you have that one moment of "oops" (like me forgetting to pay off my bill one month), it's really unforgiving. As long as there are no such lapses, it all works like a charm for me.
So basically, to sum up for everyone who decided to skip the big long story, I'd like to get rid of all my credit cards except my Discover and a to-be-determined Visa. Do you use a Visa that has really great benefits like cash back or whatever else, that you would recommend?
So, technology breakage is upon me. First, my second desktop stopped working -- well, it boots up, but the screen looks all crazy, so I think it's my video card. I did a bit of investigating and the fan on the video card no longer works; don't know how long it's been like that. Sigh. Replacing it would actually probably not cost a lot, since I no longer use that machine to game so any old video card will do. However, it was custom built and I don't remember what specific motherboard it is, so I don't know what type of card I need to get (or if it even matters). But anyway, it's just as well, because last night I spilled water on my keyboard, and it started doing this thing where every time I typed a certain letter, the letter to its left would also get typed. So I've taken the keyboard from the second desktop to use. SIGH.
Now -- a question: Are any of you using a Visa credit card that you just LOVE and would recommend? The reason I ask is because I have canceled my Visa credit card that I had with Chase.
See, I pay off my credit cards every month, so that I don't get finance charges or whatever it is that ends up making people overspend and putting millions of Americans in debt. I pay online, so I have a reminder that pops up monthly to remind me to pay my credit cards. The reminders are all on different days, since my payment due dates for each card is different.
Well, apparently I missed one of my Chase payments, I don't know how, and got assessed a late fee ($39!!!). I called them to sort it out, and after some argument they reversed the late fee. What I didn't know, however, was that it was still considered a "valid charge" and thus a periodic rate or whatever still applied, which meant that this month I was charged an additional $11.22 for this "period rate fee," and next month there will be still ANOTHER "small" fee!! I don't know how all that works exactly, but what it spells to me is BULLSHIT. So not only do I get charged a late fee, but then another fee on top of that?! Even if I hadn't gotten the fee reversed, that would be ridiculous. And since I did get the late fee reversed, it's even MORE ridiculous that it's still considered a legitimate charge and the whatever periodic rate still applies, for TWO MONTHS AFTER! How completely and utterly ludicrous!
So I canceled my account. No doubt other credit card companies operate that same way, but a) I wasn't all that crazy about this card anyway -- the "cash back" was paltry; b) I have too many cards anyway and an excuse to get rid of one is good; and c) it gave me at least some measure of satisfaction to say adios to it after all their bullshit.
I have three other Visa credit cards that I could replace it with, but I'm pretty much looking to get rid of those too, since I never use them and their rewards programs do little to nothing. There's no reason to really pick one of them over the others -- so I'm looking for a Visa credit card that will be the equivalent of my Discover card, where it has a really nice rewards program.
I looooooooooooove my Discover card, which gives me cash back on my purchases (significant cash back, too), but not every place takes Discover. So I have a Visa as a back up in those situations. The other Visa credit cards I have don't provide benefits that really wow me.
I know I can use my bank's debit card like a Visa credit card, but I don't like using debit cards. I know a lot of people prefer it, because it helps them not overspend, but I don't find that that's really an issue for me. In fact, for me, there are way more reasons to use credit cards rather than debit cards.
First, I don't keep intense tabs on my checking account, so I don't like not knowing if all my little purchases are causing a bunch of overdraft withdrawals from my savings account -- or alternately, having to make sure of how much money I have in my checking account before using the card. Related to that, I like just being able to check in 2-3 times a month to make sure everything looks OK, and to ensure that I have the right amount in my checking account for the credit card payment I just made.
Second, I'm going to be making those purchases anyway, so why not get something out of it? I never use my credit card just to use it. So if I'm going to buy something and pay that amount anyway, why not get something back -- whether it be cash, discounts, mileage, or whatever?
And third, I like the protection credit cards offer in a no-fuss way. If my card gets stolen and there are a bunch of unauthorized charges, most credit card companies will reverse those charges and take care of issuing you a new card in a jiffy. Dealing with a bank when your funds have already been removed from your account seems way more risky. I'm sure most banks also offer some sort of protection -- but I like having that additional "layer" where my own money hasn't actually been touched. Plus, if you have a dispute with a vendor, you can open up a dispute with your credit card company and they'll do the work to investigate/resolve it, especially helpful if you eBay or buy things online a lot, as I do. Again, it's just another "layer" of protection that gives me peace of mind.
And for the most part, it's completely painless and works just as it should. I generally have no complaints about credit cards. It's just when you have that one moment of "oops" (like me forgetting to pay off my bill one month), it's really unforgiving. As long as there are no such lapses, it all works like a charm for me.
So basically, to sum up for everyone who decided to skip the big long story, I'd like to get rid of all my credit cards except my Discover and a to-be-determined Visa. Do you use a Visa that has really great benefits like cash back or whatever else, that you would recommend?
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no subject
Date: 2008-10-21 01:01 am (UTC)I use a Citibank Mastercard as my primary credit card. The rewards vary (they offer special short-term deals) but are a minimum of 1% on everything, in cash, up to $300 a year. I don't think they still offer the exact account I have, but they have several similar versions listed on their web site. The CashReturns card offers 1% on all purchases, unlimited, and sends a check automatically when you earn $50.
My secondary card is an Amazon rewards Visa, but that's with Chase, so you might not be interested. :) Still, it gives me 1 point for each dollar spent, 3 points for each dollar spent at Amazon, and 2,500 points nets a $25 Amazon gift cert. I pretty much only use it for Amazon purchases.
And yeah, you're right about the interest charges for missing the payment date. Interest accrues from the date of purchase, so if you miss a payment, you pay interest for the full month. Plus, depending on when you pay the balance off, you could end up with residual interest the following month.
I definitely recommend using only one card for most purchases. It simplifies the monthly payment process a LOT. :)
no subject
Date: 2008-10-21 01:43 am (UTC)Credit cards are THE DEVIL. zomg.
no subject
Date: 2008-10-21 11:47 am (UTC)You can basically find the best card for your needs. Your credit should be basically perfect (unless FICO penalizes you for disputes, which I think they did at one point, but possibly not anymore) so you can go for the best one on there.
I was always fond of my Chase Silver card (alas that your story happened with Chase - I've always had very positive customer service experiences with them, and yes, the bullshit you went through is pretty much par for the course for all the CC companies) - it gives you 'points' but unlike some points redemption things, you can actually redeem them for something useful, like a GC to Target, and other actual good retailers.
There seems to be a good Citi Mastercard that would probably work for you - http://www.creditcards.com/cash-back.php - that's a direct link to all the cards that offer cash back. There's also a good looking Capital One MC a bit further down on the page.
<--- knows too much about credit cards for good or bad.
no subject
Date: 2008-10-21 07:57 pm (UTC)The problem with places that offer cash back -- that aren't Discover -- is that their cash back isn't NEARLY as good. It's like usually 1-2%, and then only after you reach a certain minimum, and then there are restrictions as to how you get it back (like with my recent Chase card, they just credited my account occasionally with the paltry sum), etc. Whereas Discover has quarterly bonus programs where you can get as much as 5% back (that's no joke!) if you use it in specific categories for that period (and it's stuff you'd actually get, like gas, grocery stores, movie theaters, etc.).
And then there are things like my Target Visa, which gives you a discount coupon to Target every so often -- but you know, that's not actually THAT useful to me. I don't go all that often, and then when I get one of those things, I tend to overbuy because I want to make the most of the discount ... which is probably exactly their intent.
So I just need to find a card that, if it doesn't have the great cash back program like Discover, at least gives me something I find worthwhile. I shall definitely check out the site you linked.
And you're totally right re: most cc companies being just as Chase was to me -- I have no delusions about that. But at least I got some minor spiteful satisfaction out of leaving. And anyway my ties with Chase aren't totally cut, as my mortgage is with them. :))