How many credit cards do I need?

[scrumpyjack]

Why do I carry more than two? Well we were once burgled and they got the cards that I wasn't using. I regard them as more secure on my person.

Some banks will allow you to 'freeze the card through their app when the card isn't being used, and others will allow you to freeze specific aspects of use, so for example freezing the physical use but allowing online.

The trouble is if your mobile phone is lost or stolen, you're stuffed! Perhaps you need several mobiles as well as several cards

[stevensfo]

Why do I carry more than two? Well we were once burgled and they got the cards that I wasn't using. I regard them as more secure on my person.

Some banks will allow you to 'freeze the card through their app when the card isn't being used, and others will allow you to freeze specific aspects of use, so for example freezing the physical use but allowing online.

Most cards these days send you a message to your phone when you use it. There may be a small annual charge, but it's worth it. You don't need a smartphone either. A standard SMS text message. It pings 10 secs -3 minutes after your card is used.


Steve

[Lootman]

Most cards these days send you a message to your phone when you use it. There may be a small annual charge, but it's worth it. You don't need a smartphone either. A standard SMS text message. It pings 10 secs -3 minutes after your card is used.

I only get a text like that (sometimes) when using a card for an online purchase, and never for in-person physical use of a card, either contactless or with a PIN. I presume that extra step is only needed when a purchase is made without the physical card.

No annual charge though - I mostly avoid cards that have an annual fee unless there is a compelling reason that justifies paying one.

[Niksen]

Some banks will allow you to 'freeze the card through their app when the card isn't being used, and others will allow you to freeze specific aspects of use, so for example freezing the physical use but allowing online.

Most cards these days send you a message to your phone when you use it. There may be a small annual charge, but it's worth it. You don't need a smartphone either. A standard SMS text message. It pings 10 secs -3 minutes after your card is used.

With most of mine I get a notification on my phone pop up from the banking app, which can be interesting when my wife is using the additional card she has on my account

My suggestion for freezing the card, or aspects of the card, was to address the issue of an unused card you didn't have with you. If I am travelling then I will take my travel cards, Halifax and Nationwide credit cards for purchases, a Santander card for ATMs, and a Revolut card for a fallback ATM card.

However the cards I use at home, Amex, First Direct, HSBC and others, I don't bother taking with me as I won't be using them, so I will freeze them in the app until I return.

[swill453]

My suggestion for freezing the card, or aspects of the card, was to address the issue of an unused card you didn't have with you. If I am travelling then I will take my travel cards, Halifax and Nationwide credit cards for purchases, a Santander card for ATMs, and a Revolut card for a fallback ATM card.

However the cards I use at home, Amex, First Direct, HSBC and others, I don't bother taking with me as I won't be using them, so I will freeze them in the app until I return.

Note that First Direct don't charge FX fees any more. It's allowed me to rationalise the cards I take on holiday. First Direct debit card perfectly fine to use in foreign ATMs, can even use it for purchases too unless you prefer to use a credit card.

Scott.

[Niksen]

Note that First Direct don't charge FX fees any more. It's allowed me to rationalise the cards I take on holiday. First Direct debit card perfectly fine to use in foreign ATMs, can even use it for purchases too unless you prefer to use a credit card.

I saw that a while back, but as I prefer to use a credit card for purchases and unfortunately the no-FX fees only applies to the debit card I haven't used it.

Similarly for the ATMs, the biggest issue I find is not the FX fees but the fee the ATM charges and the FD card doesn't get around that. Hence my preference for Santander as using their card in their overseas machines means you pay neither the FX fee nor an ATM fee. Obviously their ATMs are mainly in Spain and Portugal, but as that is where I spend a lot of time that is OK for me.

[swill453]

Similarly for the ATMs, the biggest issue I find is not the FX fees but the fee the ATM charges and the FD card doesn't get around that. Hence my preference for Santander as using their card in their overseas machines means you pay neither the FX fee nor an ATM fee. Obviously their ATMs are mainly in Spain and Portugal, but as that is where I spend a lot of time that is OK for me.

I always seem to manage fee-free withdrawals with my Nationwide or First Direct debit cards abroad. By seeking out ATMs at major banks (including Santander!) and avoiding anything that looks like a private one or a Bureau de Change one.

(I do have a FX-fee-free Santander card, but I find I'm using it less now.)

Scott.

[Lootman]

Similarly for the ATMs, the biggest issue I find is not the FX fees but the fee the ATM charges and the FD card doesn't get around that. Hence my preference for Santander as using their card in their overseas machines means you pay neither the FX fee nor an ATM fee. Obviously their ATMs are mainly in Spain and Portugal, but as that is where I spend a lot of time that is OK for me.

I always seem to manage fee-free withdrawals with my Nationwide or First Direct debit cards abroad. By seeking out ATMs at major banks (including Santander!) and avoiding anything that looks like a private one or a Bureau de Change one.

Even in the UK you can be charged an ATM fee if you use an ATM in a shop or other non-bank location. I avoid those not just for that reason but because they are often sketchy looking.

[Niksen]

I always seem to manage fee-free withdrawals with my Nationwide or First Direct debit cards abroad. By seeking out ATMs at major banks (including Santander!) and avoiding anything that looks like a private one or a Bureau de Change one.

That's interesting and I might give that a try. I assume that the ATMs give an onscreen warning if they are wanting to charge an ATM fee.

As an aside, I listened to this podcast recently from the Freakonomics stable on the economics of privately run ATMs in America and thought it was quite interesting, particularly the locations that had the highest use charges - https://freakonomics.com/podcast/atms/

[AJC5001]

Some banks will allow you to 'freeze the card through their app when the card isn't being used, and others will allow you to freeze specific aspects of use, so for example freezing the physical use but allowing online.

Martin Lewis suggests you freeze it in a bowl of water in your freezer
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/other/martin-lewis-issues-freezer-tip-to-credit-card-holders-and-says-if-you-don-t/ar-BB1hwZEf

Adrian

[Nimrod103]

I agree it is best to travel with at least 2 cards using different systems.
About 20 years ago I was on holiday in Vietnam, and found that my Mastercards didn't work. It turned out that there had been a submarine avalanche which broke the cables between Vietnam and USA via Hong Kong. Luckily I had a Visa card with me, which did work. Normal service took 3 days to restore as I recall.

[Niksen]

I always seem to manage fee-free withdrawals with my Nationwide or First Direct debit cards abroad. By seeking out ATMs at major banks (including Santander!) and avoiding anything that looks like a private one or a Bureau de Change one.

Testing that out at a random selection of three major banks in Spain today with my First Direct card, Caixa wanted to charge an additional €7 for a withdrawal, Sabadell wanted €2, and BBVA said 'nope' and refused the withdrawal at all.

[the0ni0nking]

Testing that out at a random selection of three major banks in Spain today with my First Direct card, Caixa wanted to charge an additional €7 for a withdrawal, Sabadell wanted €2, and BBVA said 'nope' and refused the withdrawal at all.

Deutsche Bank have a better reputation for not charging for withdrawals in Spain but near to where I am there isn't one so I can't advise from my own experience.

As it is, I have an N26 debit card - and this is the weird thing with some Spanish banks - the local cash machine to me is part of a Bank Inter branch and this warns me that I am going to be charged if I use it to withdraw. However, I then don't get charged in terms of the transactions showing in my bank statement.

Given I know this works with that one bank, since having discovered it I don't use any other bank for cash withdrawals. In fairness, I rarely use cash either in Spain or in the UK so don't often have cause to do it. I think my last withdrawal will have been around Dec-23.

[Niksen]

In fairness, I rarely use cash either in Spain or in the UK so don't often have cause to do it. I think my last withdrawal will have been around Dec-23.

I rarely do in the UK, but oddly because things are so much cheaper here it feels a bit wrong to pay for a couple of coffees costing €2 or €3 with a card, but back in the UK when those would cost £7 or £8 I would have no such qualms!

[Urbandreamer]

In fairness, I rarely use cash either in Spain or in the UK so don't often have cause to do it. I think my last withdrawal will have been around Dec-23.

I rarely do in the UK, but oddly because things are so much cheaper here it feels a bit wrong to pay for a couple of coffees costing €2 or €3 with a card, but back in the UK when those would cost £7 or £8 I would have no such qualms!

I have little issue with paying such small amounts with a CC in the UK. ESPECIALLY as many institutions don't accept cash.
On Thursday I was in a Pub that charged £4.50 per pint, but didn't accept cash. Obviously they must accept a CC for anything that they sell.

[Lootman]

I rarely do in the UK, but oddly because things are so much cheaper here it feels a bit wrong to pay for a couple of coffees costing €2 or €3 with a card, but back in the UK when those would cost £7 or £8 I would have no such qualms!

I have little issue with paying such small amounts with a CC in the UK. ESPECIALLY as many institutions don't accept cash.

On Thursday I was in a Pub that charged £4.50 per pint, but didn't accept cash. Obviously they must accept a CC for anything that they sell.

I know plenty of cafes and restaurants that do not take cash, but not so many pubs. I am a bit surprised - was that some kind of upmarket pub, like a craft beer place or wine bar?

[Niksen]

I rarely do in the UK, but oddly because things are so much cheaper here it feels a bit wrong to pay for a couple of coffees costing €2 or €3 with a card, but back in the UK when those would cost £7 or £8 I would have no such qualms!

I have little issue with paying such small amounts with a CC in the UK. ESPECIALLY as many institutions don't accept cash.
On Thursday I was in a Pub that charged £4.50 per pint, but didn't accept cash. Obviously they must accept a CC for anything that they sell.

In most circumstances in the UK I have no qualms about paying a low value with a card, and have frequently paid for say a 50p item in a supermarket with a card because the machine is there and it as quick as handing over a coin.

The issue here in Spain is not only the low cost, but unlike in the UK where waiter service in a cafe or bar is virtually unknown, paying the couple of Euro by card would mean the member of staff needing to go back inside for the card machine, rather than just handing them some coins and waving away any change.

[the0ni0nking]

I know plenty of cafes and restaurants that do not take cash, but not so many pubs. I am a bit surprised - was that some kind of upmarket pub, like a craft beer place or wine bar?

I know of 1 pub within walking distance to me in the UK (Leeds) that doesn't take cash anymore - and they're certainly not what I would class as up-market/wine bar type of place! I think it went card only during the re-opening after the pandemic and has never started again

https://warmandfriendly.co.uk/index.html

The issue here in Spain is not only the low cost, but unlike in the UK where waiter service in a cafe or bar is virtually unknown, paying the couple of Euro by card would mean the member of staff needing to go back inside for the card machine, rather than just handing them some coins and waving away any change.

Yes - I also find where I am most pub/bars simply run you a tab and as you say the majority provide waiter service - whereas that is the exception in the pubs I frequent in the UK (both waiter service and tabs!). It's also more likely that you'd be out on the terrace enjoying the coffee or beer which can add to the palaver of paying by card.

While there isn't a big tipping culture in Spain, I do think it's more prevalent than in the UK - and cash benefits that as you can ensure it goes in the "tip jar" or equivalent rather than simply getting lost in transactions in the till. Given wages are much lower in Spain then that can also help to supplement hospitality staff income.

[Lootman]

I know plenty of cafes and restaurants that do not take cash, but not so many pubs. I am a bit surprised - was that some kind of upmarket pub, like a craft beer place or wine bar?

I know of 1 pub within walking distance to me in the UK (Leeds) that doesn't take cash anymore - and they're certainly not what I would class as up-market/wine bar type of place! I think it went card only during the re-opening after the pandemic and has never started again

https://warmandfriendly.co.uk/index.html

I notice there that the Bridge Inn says "please no cash". That is a bit different from "cash refused" and I would guess that it is more a matter of discretion. It seems to me that "no cash" is more a statement of a policy preference rather than anything of legal import.

In practice i imagine it comes down to the type of business and, in particular, the sequencing of events. So in a coffee place you order, pay and consume n that order. Offer cash and they can say no. But in a restaurant where you eat first and then pay, accepting cash may be the only alternative to not being paid at all. The "ban" has no legal force and so breaking it is not a crime. At worst it is a civil matter which brings up issues like debts and legal tender.

[Urbandreamer]

I have little issue with paying such small amounts with a CC in the UK. ESPECIALLY as many institutions don't accept cash.

On Thursday I was in a Pub that charged £4.50 per pint, but didn't accept cash. Obviously they must accept a CC for anything that they sell.

I know plenty of cafes and restaurants that do not take cash, but not so many pubs. I am a bit surprised - was that some kind of upmarket pub, like a craft beer place or wine bar?

I wouldn't describe it as "up market", though it is a city center pub.
Indeed it is "The Smithfield Market Tavern" Manchester, so market is in the name.

Sorry, but the world is changing. You can't even pay for a market stall without using a card.

https://www.manchester.gov.uk/info/5003 ... d_market/3

Sunday Market trading spaces

Payable by card or contactless only

£39.60 per space

I believe that "up market" hospitality group "Green King" are turning their pubs card only.
https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk ... y-26943527

Err, didn't we have this debate on the crypto board? Something about BTC not being currency because it's not legal tender, but cards are, despite not being legal tender? FWIW, my BTC debit card has no FX fees and being VISA is accepted in this pub.