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Visa Debit or Electron?
George_Mainwaring
Posts: 22 Forumite
Sorry if this is the wrong forum for questions about debit cards, but are there any tangible benefits these days for having a Visa Electron card rather than a normal Visa Debit card?
I understand traditionally there were supposed to be no charges for using an Electron card, so it could save me money. But these days companies like Ryan Air charge the same fee whether using an Electron or normal Visa.
I've never had a debit card so I have no experience of what purchases work out cheaper depending on which card you have. So is there any point in going for an Electron card anymore? I'd like to use it in UK shops and online both in the UK and foreign websites.
The account that offers one is the Halifax Easycash account, which appears to offer all I need from a bank account. I don't need an overdraft, cheques or insurance, so the only tangible difference I can see between the Easycash and normal Halifax current account is having either an Electron or a normal Visa debit card.
Also, do I pay charges for using a debit card in UK shops? If I go into a shop and hand over a debit card to pay for a 50p chocolate bar, how much do I actually pay? If only 50p, who's paying for the transaction given that if I booked a flight on Ryan Air, I'd be charged an extra £5?
I understand traditionally there were supposed to be no charges for using an Electron card, so it could save me money. But these days companies like Ryan Air charge the same fee whether using an Electron or normal Visa.
I've never had a debit card so I have no experience of what purchases work out cheaper depending on which card you have. So is there any point in going for an Electron card anymore? I'd like to use it in UK shops and online both in the UK and foreign websites.
The account that offers one is the Halifax Easycash account, which appears to offer all I need from a bank account. I don't need an overdraft, cheques or insurance, so the only tangible difference I can see between the Easycash and normal Halifax current account is having either an Electron or a normal Visa debit card.
Also, do I pay charges for using a debit card in UK shops? If I go into a shop and hand over a debit card to pay for a 50p chocolate bar, how much do I actually pay? If only 50p, who's paying for the transaction given that if I booked a flight on Ryan Air, I'd be charged an extra £5?
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Comments
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basically, the electron card will not allow some online payments that require you to be over 18 and this card can / and is sold to anyone from 14 onwards. The visa debit on the other hand can be used for age and name verification so if you even need a contact phone etc this card will be all the ID you need.If you keep on doing what's you've always done, you'll keep on being what you've always been...:think:0
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You can get a Visa Debit card before you are 18, HSBC offer one to anyone over 11. Any ID verification now that I've seen has always needed a credit card rather than any form of debit card.George_Mainwaring wrote: »Also, do I pay charges for using a debit card in UK shops? If I go into a shop and hand over a debit card to pay for a 50p chocolate bar, how much do I actually pay? If only 50p, who's paying for the transaction given that if I booked a flight on Ryan Air, I'd be charged an extra £5?
The majority of the time you will not be charged for using a debit or credit card it normally only happens on large purchases such as a holiday. Companies like Ryan Air like to over inflate this charge and use it as a way to earn extra profit.0 -
Small shops may have a minimum spend to use a card - or make a small charge.
Large shops no not normally worry.0 -
They might call it a Visa Debit card, but it will be an Electron-equivalent. They're phasing out the name Electron, but the distinction between the two types of card remains.You can get a Visa Debit card before you are 18, HSBC offer one to anyone over 11.
Essentially, the basic or online or full-authorisation card, formerly known as Electron, offers no credit. It will be issued without a credit agreement or a credit search, but it can't be used without checking your balance and putting a hold on the funds.
The full card, which often used to double as a cheque guarantee card, requires a credit check and can be used up to a point without checking your balance, so you can run up an unauthorised overdraft with it."It will take, five, 10, 15 years to get back to where we need to be. But it's no longer the individual banks that are in the wrong, it's the banking industry as a whole." - Steven Cooper, head of personal and business banking at Barclays, talking to Martin Lewis0 -
You should never be charged for using a Visa or Mastercard, debit or credit, to make a purchase. Nor should the card be refused if the shop is displaying the logo at the door. But the card companies have trouble enforcing their own rules. Telling the shopkeeper that he's in breach of copyright by displaying a logo without observing the licence terms doesn't cut a lot of ice.George_Mainwaring wrote: »Also, do I pay charges for using a debit card in UK shops?"It will take, five, 10, 15 years to get back to where we need to be. But it's no longer the individual banks that are in the wrong, it's the banking industry as a whole." - Steven Cooper, head of personal and business banking at Barclays, talking to Martin Lewis0 -
You can get a Visa Debit card before you are 18, HSBC offer one to anyone over 11. Any ID verification now that I've seen has always needed a credit card rather than any form of debit card...
...and then some!
I would always take the VISA DEBIT when I had the option. Electron is on the same level as Solo if I recall correctly and can be limiting.Oh, you wee bazza!0 -
You should never be charged for using a Visa or Mastercard, debit or credit, to make a purchase. Nor should the card be refused if the shop is displaying the logo at the door. But the card companies have trouble enforcing their own rules. Telling the shopkeeper that he's in breach of copyright by displaying a logo without observing the licence terms doesn't cut a lot of ice.
Errm - no
Those rules (which used to exist but I doubt if they still do) would be in breach of competition law in the UK so are unenforceable even if the company wanted to.0 -
Thanks for the correction.Errm - no
Those rules (which used to exist but I doubt if they still do) would be in breach of competition law in the UK so are unenforceable even if the company wanted to.
Isn't competition law supposed to be good for consumers?"It will take, five, 10, 15 years to get back to where we need to be. But it's no longer the individual banks that are in the wrong, it's the banking industry as a whole." - Steven Cooper, head of personal and business banking at Barclays, talking to Martin Lewis0 -
Do any banks issue Electron cards these days, mine was changed to Visa Debit 3 years ago and I can't remember the last time someone used one in our shop.I hate football and do wish people wouldn't keep talking about it like it's the most important thing in the world0
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interstellaflyer wrote: »Do any banks issue Electron cards these days, mine was changed to Visa Debit 3 years ago and I can't remember the last time someone used one in our shop.
Yes...
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