My Credit Card Charges Me an Extra $50 Whenever I Buy Gas

[corco]

If https://www.discover.com/credit-cards/cashback-bonus/cashback-calendar.html is what you're talking about then okay wow, yeah, that would do it. I want a Discover card now.

[deathtopumpkins]

If https://www.discover.com/credit-cards/cashback-bonus/cashback-calendar.html is what you're talking about then okay wow, yeah, that would do it. I want a Discover card now.

That's it exactly. I actually was getting spammed with junk mail from them, and decided to actually look at it one day. Saw that I get cash back (the amount varies by what you buy - certain categories or retailers get cashback varying from 1%-20%), and there's no fee or anything, so I figured why not.

You can also (for a nominal fee), write checks from your credit card, and starting this month also set up a full free checking account.



Now I'm starting to sound like an advertisement for them...

[vdeane]

In my case, my parents like Discover, and I was also getting lots of junk mail from them.  I've since signed up for the junk mail opt out though (yes, it works).

[Duke87]

I'm unoriginal and unadventurous. I just use the same bank and credit card company my parents have always used for no other reason than because of that familiarity. Don't mess with a formula that works, I say.

The problem with Discover is that acceptance of it is not universal. American Express also has this problem to a lesser degree (it's the "third" company while Discover is the "fourth").

[US71]

I'm unoriginal and unadventurous. I just use the same bank and credit card company my parents have always used for no other reason than because of that familiarity. Don't mess with a formula that works, I say.

The problem with Discover is that acceptance of it is not universal. American Express also has this problem to a lesser degree (it's the "third" company while Discover is the "fourth").

Discover has higher processing fees (so they afford the "cash back" bonus without hurting the CEO's bonus), as does AMEX.  AMEX also charges a $5 monthly "subscription fee" for the privilege of accepting their card.

I refuse to accept AMEX at my shows, but will grudgingly accept Discover (though most of my customers have Visa or MasterCard)

[Scott5114]

The problem with Discover is that acceptance of it is not universal. American Express also has this problem to a lesser degree (it's the "third" company while Discover is the "fourth").

It sounds like the ideal thing to do if you are going to have a Discover card is to also carry a Visa/Mastercard debit card to pick up any charges in places that do not accept Discover.

[Compulov]

It sounds like the ideal thing to do if you are going to have a Discover card is to also carry a Visa/Mastercard debit card to pick up any charges in places that do not accept Discover.

Or you can carry one of each... Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and Amex. Overboard, I know, but useful should you find that yourself in a situation. I remember a situation from when I was a kid. Back then my parents only had one credit card (because, why would you need more than one?). We went on vacation, rented a car, and apparently the rental place put a rather large hold on the card, so much so that we found it getting declined everywhere (restaurants, in particular). Luckily my mom had her ATM card (don't think debit cards existed back then), so we just paid cash for everything. It's a nasty surprise to get while you're on vacation, so ever since, they've always carried more than one card, and I've done the same. Free credit cards are pretty easy to get these days, even if you only have fair to average credit... so long as you're the type who can control your behavior and not spend more than you have.

[corco]

Right, I have three credit cards right now-- my first US Bank Visa that I got in 06, a Wyndham Rewards Visa I got in '10, and a Chase Sapphire Preferred Visa I got this year.

At this point, I charge nearly everything to the Chase, except I still charge Wyndham hotel stays to the Wyndham and I keep my renter's insurance on the US Bank card just so it stays active. But with those three cards still being active, I can stay on top of the rewards game and I have a ton of available credit, which helps my credit score and I've got backups in case I'm traveling and something gets declined due to merchant miscommunication/suspected fraud or whatever.

The Chase one is weird, since it has an annual fee (it picks up rewards like crazy though, more than pays for itself, and no foreign transaction fee). I'll probably have to drop it to a no annual fee version when I decide to get a fresh primary card in a few years. But given the way FICO scores work, I don't see a reason to ever cancel a credit card.

[deathtopumpkins]

I'm unoriginal and unadventurous. I just use the same bank and credit card company my parents have always used for no other reason than because of that familiarity. Don't mess with a formula that works, I say.

The problem with Discover is that acceptance of it is not universal. American Express also has this problem to a lesser degree (it's the "third" company while Discover is the "fourth").

I can't remember ever running into a place that accepts credit cards, just not Discover. When I was a kid I remember seeing places that just had a Visa and Mastercard sticker on the door, but since I got my Discover card I've found it to be accepted essentially everywhere.

I also have my Mastercard bank card that I can use as a backup though, so it doesn't really matter.

[vdeane]

My parents used to have trouble, but that was when I was 5.  Many of the places that were an issue before aren't now.