Community | November 09, 2010 | 58 comments

There are certain things you should not buy with your debit card

source: http://LowCards.com

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Radical_Centrist

http://LowCards.com

TULSA - If you don't have plenty of padding in your checking account there are certain purchases you don't want to make with your debit card.

It's because some merchants place holds on money in your bank account, over the actual price of the item, tying up your money until the transaction is complete.

The CEO of LowCards.com Bill Hardekopf provides this helpful information:


Consumer Headaches Resulting from Debit Card Holds

If you are tight on your checking account balance, you may want to think twice about using your debit card for certain purchases.

After a debit card is swiped for payment, certain retailers like hotels, gas stations and car rentals, sometimes place a hold or a block on money from the account in order to secure the payment, protecting the money from any other use. This reduces the risk that the customer will be overdrawn and leave the merchant unpaid.

The hold can even be for more than the the amount of payment. For example, some hotels puts a hold on 120% of the cost of your room. If the cost is $100, that's a $120 hold on your account. It holds the cost plus the additional amount to cover any incidentals expenses that may occur during the stay.

The actual charge is not put through until the merchant submits their batch of transactions and the banking system transfers the funds.

A big surprise can also happen at gas stations. If you use your debit card at a pump that does not require a PIN, your bank may block out as much as $50 to $75. (Some stations may place only a $1 hold to make sure the account is still active). That hold can last up to 72 hours. A card can be declined even if you have enough money for the gas, but not enough for the hold.

Full Story: http://www.kjrh.com/dpp/news/problem_solvers/there-are-certain-things-you-should...

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