:: Source :: Great marketing to make people get a Visa... You will get a super cute card of your favourite cartoons. Oh well, I had a pink Hello Kitty one when living in Maine, USA.
The other day I was thinking about my Visa Card and that next month they will charge me 25€ again just to have it. It came out pretty handy when I need to book flights or to sell worldwide in my etsy vintage shop online with paypal. But the truth is I don't need it anymore! I don't know about your country but in Portugal if you have a Debit Card you can get a MB NET associated. You give the amount you want, the bank staff give you a number (like a visa card number) and you can use it during one year, if you don't use the whole money they will give you back.
In the other hand, now you don't need a Credit Card for PayPal, they are accepting Debit Card in your Paypal Account which make me think "Why do I have visa?"
Just not to mention that when you travelling with a Visa and you lose it, you are in trouble. Anyone can use it, no pin code asked when shopping and shopping online is like heaven since they only ask for the details of the card. I don't wanna pay for others purchases, that sucks!
The only positive thing is that there are few countries out there that simply don't accept your debit card. When we were in our East Coast Road Trip in USA, Ana couldn't use her debit card, luckily she had a Credit Card that was working. In Vietnam I used my visa card to withdraw money all the time.
When in doubt about any subject I write down a column with Positive Things and another one with Negative Things, if there are more things in one column then the other, then I just made my decision.
Do you have a Visa Card? For what do you use it? Does your bank charge a lot of fees to have it?
I haven't had a visa card for gosh over 20 years now. I despise credit. Its a soul sucker! If I can't pay for it myself then I don't need it. And we do have debit cards which totally work like a credit card but its my money not borrowed money. Welcome to the other side! You'll never miss it!!
ReplyDeleteYou are so right Kari! I never used my credit card to "borrow" the money, only to book flights and online shopping. It kills me when someone decide to use the credit to buy an upgrade tecnology TV when their TV works pretty well. Or when you don't have money but you are in Paris and gotta buy all the fashion clothes "Uh it came from Paris, I'm so cool" Consumism is a big trouble of this century, Recycling is the solution!
DeleteI never ever had a credit card because, just like you said, if you don´t have the money for something then don´t buy it! I got a very handy internet debit card (caixa geral de depósitos webuy) wich i can charge with what i want and like that buy all the things i want on internet, it´s also very safe because you only charge it with what you need to spend, like that it will never go to your "normal" account. but one question: imagine i go to india, what is the best way to to have Money? use a visa, take travellers cheques with you or how?
ReplyDeletemercedes-artenciel.blogspot.com
I gotta check about webuy since my bank account is also Caixa, but I have Cartão Jovem so maybe cannot have both?
DeleteI never had a problem withdraw money in India with my debit card. I used to take out money from the ATM weekly or every 2 weeks, enough for one week or two. The bank only charged me 3€ everytime I withdraw, better then having bunch of money on you and exchange the money, fees are higher then 3€.