Do you NEED a visa card?

CrazyIndianZA

I have 2 UK Mastercards (Nwest, Egg), Amex and a Barclay Visa. After getting the Egg card, I don't particularly want the Barclaycard (I don't have the time to shunt money around to benefit from the interest free stuff).

What I would like to know is whether it is necessary to keep a visa card. From personal experience, I have seen plenty of places that do not accept Amex but will take Master or Visa but never a place that takes Visa only and this is both in Europe/ Asia and Africa.

Opinions?

Tx.

Galstonian

Acceptance of Visa and M/C is usually very similar unless you are going somewhere that really is in the middle of nowhere in which case you might want to carry cash.

I've personally never been anywhere that accepts one but not the other.

As you say, acceptance of Amex is not universal mainly because of the higher merchants fees.

se999

Hi,

We're going to try a Nationwide visa card shortly. We've heard it works out better on exchange rates than other cards. So although the cashback is lower than Amex Platinum the bottomline in UK sterling might make it work, we'll do our sums when we get it!!

Most of the time we find Amex and Mastercard to be all we need. The one problem we are finding increasingly is unmanned petrol stations where they don't accept UK pins on any cards!! Very problematic when you're nearly out of petrol, we did meet a very friendly french man once who used his card and we gave him the cash, so cash is always good.

We used to find French restaurants the worst place for credit cards, even though they had signs saying they took cards, it used to be a 'lucky dip' to get them to work, but seems to be improving.

Another occasional problem is we've seen Amex card signs, but then discover they only accept the Amex charge card, not the credit card, but that is a rarity.

So basically it depends on how much travel and your own sums, as to if it's worth having an extra card.

Jim_B_3

Nobody needs a credit card; I've never had anyone refuse cash. However, I have found that my lack of credit cards and loans means that I can have trouble getting other financial services.

For example, I was recently refused a current account I wanted for the good interest rate on the basis that I didn't have a history of credit cards or loans. I made it clear that I did not want a credit card or overdraft with the account, but since this would have made me an unprofitable customer I suppose they weren't interested.

Alfie_E

se999 wrote:

We're going to try a Nationwide visa card shortly. We've heard it works out better on exchange rates than other cards. So although the cashback is lower than Amex Platinum the bottomline in UK sterling might make it work, we'll do our sums when we get it!!

For Nationwide, the cashback isn’t just lower, it’s zero. You only get cashback when the merchant’s bank that processes a transaction is located in the UK. (It’s not related to the transaction currency, or directly to the location of the merchant.)

bob_builder_2

se999 wrote:

We're going to try a Nationwide visa card shortly. We've heard it works out better on exchange rates than other cards. So although the cashback is lower than Amex Platinum the bottomline in UK sterling might make it work, we'll do our sums when we get it!!

Nationwide do not offer cashback on foreign transcations anymore and their UK rate is only 0.25% now.

So keep the Amex for UK purchases and get a Nationwide Comic Relief card for foreign purchases; you get 10 more days interest free credit and 0.5% will be donated to Comic Relief.

GlennTheBaker

I agree that no-one actually needs a credit card but they are useful and can save you money (even make you a little money) if used correctly.

For example, I have a Conran Visa card which I use for all my day-to-day spending in the UK. It pays 1% cashback and is obviously widely accepted. I have a Nationwide Visa card which I only ever use for transactions that are not in sterling purely because Nationwide, unlike most providers, don't 'adjust' the exchange rate in their favour. I also have a Nationwide FlexAccount with a Visa Debit card for using in ATM's abroad, for the same reason.

I also have a Halifax ONE Visa card (0% for 12 months) which I have used only as an interest-free loan for some home improvements and I have an Amazon Mastercard which I only got for the £15 voucher!

inmypocketnottheirs

Jim_B wrote:

Nobody needs a credit card; I've never had anyone refuse cash. However, I have found that my lack of credit cards and loans means that I can have trouble getting other financial services.

For example, I was recently refused a current account I wanted for the good interest rate on the basis that I didn't have a history of credit cards or loans. I made it clear that I did not want a credit card or overdraft with the account, but since this would have made me an unprofitable customer I suppose they weren't interested.

'Nobody needs a credit card' Have you ever tried to book a flight or make a hotel reservation on line? Have you ever tried to hire a car overseas without a credit card?

Jim_B_3

I find a debit card does the job.

$17mma

Jim_B wrote:

I find a debit card does the job.

same here......

file_wizzard

GlennTheBaker wrote:

I agree that no-one actually needs a credit card

Try booking a hotel, or car hire without one and see how far you get !

Although i take your point that for the vast majority of situations a debit card is as widely accepted as a credit card