Why do companies assume that everyone has credit/debit cards? it really annoys me when a company is utterly amazed that i haven't got either.  I have just had a conversation where the woman from a certain company was so astounded that i didnt have one she didnt know what to do :D then proceeded to ask if someone else with credit/debit card could make a payment on my behalf. 

Makes me laugh too!!  People are always so shocked when I say that I don't believe in credit cards.  I always say if you can't afford it then you don't get it.

I do have a switch card but of course that is only used when I have money in my account.

I also find it annoying that those of us who pay by cash for a concert or such like have no comeback where as people who pay be credit card do, even if they roll up a large amount of debt and then we tax payers end up paying for that debt.  There's something wrong somewhere :d

having got REALLY into debt,i didnt have one for ages,whilst i dug myself out of the hole. i now trust myself to have a solo card. for emegancys

I have only a Solo card too. Must say I can keep better control of my sp-ending if I only have cash. Does annoy me too when they think everyone has credit/debit cards as well. Not everyone accepts Solo though!!
Becky

yes i find that handy!!!!!!

to add alot of people dont know if they accept it.so its worth them trying!!!

>I always say if you can't afford it then you don't get it.

Then you are the perfect person to have a credit card. Everything I buy goes on mine and is paid off in full every month - I get payment protection and convenience, my money stays in my account earning interest and I get loyalty points for vouchers to help towards Christmas.

Nowt wrong with credit cards if you use them correctly.

M.

No I'm not the perfect person but if I can't afford something why should I line a companies pockets!!!

I have a rubbish TV that doesn't work properly, need lots of things to fix in my house but I will buy them when I can afford them.  Oh and I'm only young too.  This is my belief, doesn't mean I'm perfect, but it's the way I am and there's nothing wrong with that!

Why do people get so offensive about thing?

I don't think M was being offensive at all!
She was just pointing out that credit cards used judiciously are great for the sort of person that saves for things rather than buying on credit.   What she and I clearly see is that you don't buy TVs and stuff with them, you save up for them which is what you were saying you would do anyway :)  By using them in the way we are advocating you don't line anyones pockets its a win, win situation for us.  Only those who can't wait and must replace their TV before they can really afford it should steer clear of them.

Just as Isabel says, was definitely talking about lining OUR pockets, not any company's.

M.

I feel the use of saying that a person who doesn't use them is "perfect" offensive!  But there again I do say to people "That I'm a good girl I am" well in my dreams I am :d :d :d :d :d :d :d

Right is that enought smilies now, I think so :d

I feel the use of saying that a person who doesn't use them is "perfect" offensive

Replace the word "perfect" with the word "right" in the original post and you'll see the context in which the post is written ;)

>I feel the use of saying that a person who doesn't use them is "perfect" offensive!

The 'perfect person' ( or 'ideal person' if you prefer ;)) for something is one who'll use it properly, wisely, and to their own advantage. :) If someone saves to buy something (as they should), when they have enough saved, they can then buy whatever it is on a credit card and take advantage of the insurance, bonus points etc from the purchase while their savings still earn interest. Then when the bill comes in a month later, they pay it off completely (so not having to pay any interest on the credit) with the saved money - but of course they've earned another month's interest for nothing! :)

My post was clearly insensitively written from SWD's understanding, but yes ... the rest of you know exactly what I mean.

Apologies for any offence caused, it certainly wasn't intended. The wonders of the forum word. :rolleyes:

M.

I'm still confused as to why calling someone 'perfect' is offensive, but maybe that's just me ...

I'm just confused in general Jan LOL, thought I was being complimentary myself.

M.

Complimentary and helpful, in suggesting a way to make someone's money work for them. :)

You haven't said anything offensive so it's very generous of you to appologise :).

No point in offending people if you're not doing it on purpose, Isabel. ;) In life and on-line, I try and save my offences for when I mean them.

Hope it's clearer now SWD, I'll leave it at that.

M.

:)

If you look at my reply afterwards and my smilies you will see that I took it in the sense that you meant it to be in :rolleyes:

Cool, we're all happy then. :D

M.

I'm always happy that's why I can only remember how to do the :d :d :d :d :d :d :d   Why do you think that that's the only one that's ever on my messages, except for the ones that show up automatically :d :d :d

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Yay! I knew I had some somewhere!! :D :D :D

Ahhh I'm no good at the chill out dust thing :d  Gawd, there she goes again with her smilie!

I see Asda are no longer going to accept personal cheques.  I must admit I can't imagine not having a debit card at least, to enable payment by phone for instance.  I also use credit cards for ease and to take advantage of the insurance perks etc if you pay off the bill without incurring any interest you get all the benefits for nothing :)

I agree Isabel, Credit/Debit Cards do have a very valid place.  I have both and in todays world, it is a neccessity (not saying it's right) because that is the only way you can pay for things sometimes.  I use my debit card all the time for purchases and my credit cards are there if i need them.  I also like the warranties/insurances you get on purchases aswell.

No credit cards for me I'm afraid (I did once upon a time but thats another story)

I have visa electron, a bit like solo, because the numbers aren't raised on the front a lot of places will not accept it.
I must say it's getting better now though, anything with paypal is fine, and most supermarkets now take it.

I'm dangerous with cards, I forget its money I'm spending, at least with cash or my electron I know it's my money that I've earnt and I won't have to rob peter to pay paul (as I have in past)

Couldn't imagine not having my switch card....... much safer than carrying cash....... why que for cash machine and risk it being bugged!? haha

I agree Isabel, Credit/Debit Cards do have a very valid place.  I have both and in todays world, it is a neccessity (not saying it's right) because that is the only way you can pay for things sometimes.

It can also be a lifesaver when you have an emergency and the vet is going to cost hundreds and hundreds.

absolutely Marianne, and if your car goes Kaput and the garage produce a huge bill!! :D

I always refused to have a Crediut card,a dn was really pleased when Debit cards were invented.  for me it is all the convenience of Credit Cards without the Danger/temptaion to spend what I don't have.

Must say I'm scared of getting a credit card because I'm bad enough with my electron!  I forget what I'm spending and before I know it I have no money left in my account!  I have it there just in case I need to buy something and I can't get the cash but I much prefer dealing with Cash.  Although I keep getting moaned at for carrying Cash around with me because it's Unsafe....

I won't have a credit card, either, but I do have a visa electron card. Which isn't accepted by Fossedata, so I can't enter dog shows on-line :(

if you get a debit card (like switch)..... you cant spend what you haven't got!..... and it is accepted more or less everywhere unlike........electron or solo!

Can you get solo if your not a student?

Don't you believe it!  My debit card allowed me to go over into overdraft after putting £10 worth of fuel into my car at a Tesco pay-at-the-pump.   £10 of fuel, £30 Halifax bank charge!

My debit card allowed me to go over into overdraft

I think it probably depends on your bank.  Mine won't allow me to go overdrawn - it comes up as card refused.

Debs

Mine used to be a Visa Delta card, but notice it is just Visa on it now, but have never had any trouble it beign accepted, including Fosse Data.  I bank with the Alliance and Leicester Giro (formerly Girobank) with whom I have been since 1983.

Don't be forced into getting a credit card, Rox :) My children (20 and 22) both manage quite well without one. It teaches you good habits, not getting into debt :D :D OH and I have a credit card, but always pay it off in full every month :)

Daisy

I agree Daisy

Credit Cards can be very dangerous. They can be useful and like you my main credit card gets paid off in full every month.   I have a Tesco Credit Card which I use for everything, shopping, bills etc and then when Hubby or me gets paid we pay it off in full.  Bonus is I get hundreds of pounds worth of clubcard vouchers which I normally save for xmas and then go on a spending spree.  last year I had around £1000!

I agree - credit cards are fine as long as you pay off the bill in full each month. If you don't it's very easy to let the debt get out of hand. If you can't guarantee that you'll stay within what you can afford, save it for emergencies.

I agree, Daisy.  Neither my husband nor I nor our two adult children have a credit card, just Switch.  (Gosh, does this mean they actually were paying attention to what we said over the years?)  I just see credit cards as a slippery slope that too many desperate people slide down to despair - not to be melodramatic or anything.

I am one of those people that cant have a credit card. I am still paying one off that i maxed out 3 years ago.I cant get past the interest,i pay usually the minimum every month,cant afford more,and i still havnt scraped the top,i reckon its going to take another 3-5 years to get rid of it :( :rolleyes: Never ever again! Its too easy to spend money you havnt got and worry about it later.Some people are responsible and can afford to pay it off monthly,altho these are the people that usually dont need credit cards Then there are people like me who buy,buy,buy without thinking about the consequences and cant afford to pay it off every month.

Luckily my OH has got a credit card,so i use his when i buy something off the net,but i have to pay him back and obviously i am very careful,and wont buy another thing until i have payed the previous one off to him.if i went over board my life wouldnt be worth living ;)

Ktee, have you been down to Citizens Advice? They will put you in touch with someone who will help stop the interest being added on. That way you will be able to start paying off the credit card. I saw a programme about it the other night. Can't really remember it too well as I was only paying scant attention, but the man was saying don't go to one of these companies that advertise and charge you a fortune, but there is help out there.

Thats why cards like American Express are good - you have to pay the full bill every month - I like it because it avoids the temptation to put off payments which is where the interest can start to accrue on other cards.

I know!!  I went to Germany on business a couple of months back and had no end of trouble explaining to the hotel staff where I was staying that I wanted to settle my account by cash.  They wanted a credit card to run through as deposit and I didn't have one.  Felt quite embarrassed in the end!!

The problem with American Express is that it isn't taken everywhere - the charges and restictions on the retailer are much more vigorous than Visa and Mastercard :( We stopped using ours a long time ago :)

Daisy

Thanks Daisy!  I know that with a credit card I would have the attitude "put it on the card" and come the end of the month be in trouble!  With Uni just round the corner I think I'm safer without one.

Maybe when I have a full time job with a decent income I might consider one, that includes me being alot older and able to be responsible with a job that will pay off the card each month!  Untill then I won't be getting one! :D  I can just ask Daddy........though even that bank is becoming less avaliable as I get older....

My Boy had to get a credit card with his Student Bank Account (compulsory :() but he gave it straight to me to 'mind' for him.

Thats a good idea JG, if I ever do have to have one I I'll give card to parents....I'll just keep the pin number to myself! :D

Yep! Then you know that you won't be tempted to use the card, and they can't either! :D