Life Without Credit Cards

[dweebolina]

We found that we can live without credit cards by sticking to a budget and that we now have money left over each month to put into savings since we filed Ch7 (asset). I had been scrimping and saving so we could go see my son last month (he is 11 and visiting his dad for part of the summer and we have a weekend in the middle) as we do every year. We bought our plane tickets early (March) and we had money put aside for a motel room($129.00 per night with $100.00 food & beverage credit included in the price), and a rental car and a little left over. Well, since we have NO credit cards we ran into a HUGE problem at our motel. My debit per day limit is $300.00 but at the motel they request that with debits they deduct $75.00 extra per day for incidentals and they deduct the $100.00 food & beverage credit each day that we use it. That meant that they would deduct $912.00 for our stay and then credit my debit card within two days for the food & beverage credit and the "incidental charge". My total bill that I WAS expecting would have been $429.00 (includes taxes).

I was so SHOCKED as all of the money was in my checking account and.... and there was no way we could do that (even though my bank was going to increase my $300 limit per day to what the motel needed)!!!! Well, I ended up calling my dad to pay on his credit card. This was a situation where I really, really wished I had one of those things again. I was so embarressed as the guys at the front desk were rude and made me feel really bad about the whole thing. I know I should have checked into it, but I have used my debit for motel rooms before and I have NEVER ran into this problem.

Oh, well, I just needed to vent about it. It was an experience that I will never forget!!!

[Minnymouth]

Yes, not having at least one credit card for emergencies and traveling purposes does hurt......

Try to get at least one...... use it to buy your gas, pay off each month..... and let the revolving account help build your credit score back up....

Also you will have it available for emergencies like this one was....

If not gas, just be sure to charge something once a month and pay if off or most of it off at the end of the month....

The main thing is to keep a revolving balance...... this builds credit....

[FoolAndHisMoney]

Secured cards are the best for these situations. Save the cash, put it in their savings and use that for travel. You are guaranteed not to get into future trouble as long as the secured card stays secured. Just add money to get a credit increase. Even though Visa guarantees a debit card with their logo on it I just hate when motels and car rental places hold my checking account funds. I'm finished forever with regular credit cards since it's human nature to make the same mistakes again.
Glad to see cash only is working out well for you.

[anonymuse]

Show's how hard it is to go without a credit card in this society. There's still a difference between having a credit card and using it, but, in this case, the person could charge/hold the room on a real credit card and then pay at the end of the stay with the debit card.

[SinkingFast]

Ours is $500/day. But the gal that set up our accts said if we see we're gonna need more, just call and the Bank will adjust it.

We went on a trip for a death in the Family. The only place that held an amount against our card was the car rental place. We stayed in a hotel. Used the Debit card to hold the reservation. When we got there, we paid cash in advance, at check-in. Debit card was never pinged at the hotel.

How aweful for you that a trip that shoulda been some fun turned into such problems. Sorry for all your inconveniences Dwee.