I wanna buffalo nickel NOW

[Mandi]

My debit card comes with zero interest (I'm no good at paying off a balance) and pays rebates based on how much I've spent, plus it's tied to an interest bearing checking account, with zero fees. That's why ! I've not encountered merchants that charge for debit card payment (although I don't doubt they are out there!)

http://www.usaa.com/

Free Web BillPay too.

[Randall]

Maybe he typo'd on his link.

Right. Like I said.

Randall

[TVB]

I've never paid a fee either to use my debit card. Like Mandi, I'd be lost without it.

Betsy

[sheila]

Originally posted by Mandi:
I got my daughter one as soon as she was old enough for our bank's Teen Preloaded Cash Card program - her allowance goes straight to it, auto-debited from my account.

This is what we have been doing for the past two years, now, with our two oldest. Well, the "oldest" one doesn't get an allowance, now. He has a job.

But the 7-year-old we just started giving an allowance this year and we're giving her cash, with a few bucks stashed in the bank account on the side, to encourage long term savings.

But yes, I do like giving the allowance out via transfer of funds and debit card. Much better than having to have cash on hand.

But we still find that we need cash. Last night teen age daughter comes to us: "I need $15 for a lab fee."

Husband to me: "Do you have $15?"
Me to daughter: "Bring me my purse."
/me finds money in purse, gives to daughter.
Husband: "Yeah. I have lunch money for tomorrow."

And I am an odd duck, I guess. I still use pennies, dimes and nickles to pay for stuff. Carry them in my wallet in my purse and don't let them accumulate too much. Spend them quickly. The cashiers always look at me a bit oddly though as I rummage around for exact change.

[sheila]

Originally posted by Randall:
Right. Like I said.

Like I have time to read the thread twice. I answer as I go.

[Randall]

I don't dare use my ATM card as a debit card. Whenever my mom does that the money comes out of my checking account instead of hers. Maybe it's just her card that's screwy, but I'm afraid to find out.

Besides, I think my bank charges fees on debit cards.

Randall

[Andilinks]

I don't dare use my ATM card as a debit card. Whenever my mom does that the money comes out of my checking account instead of hers.

I think you need to talk to your banker about that, or maybe your mom.

I have never carried a balance on a credit card, that rate is madness. I pay in 30 days and just get 30 days more use on my money--which resides in an interest bearing account. I tend to do more shopping during the week after the billing cut-off for the card.

The only time I ever was ever charged $1.00 to use a debit card was at a Jewel-Osco supermarket. But since they don't tell you up-front that there is a fee I just always now use the credit card--I think it's illegal for them to charge for that.

These supermarkets have vending machines that change coins to paper for 10%. What will they think of next?

Andi

[Randall]

I think you need to talk to your banker about that, or maybe your mom.

She hasn't done that since we discovered what was happening. That and the time she was trying to transfer money between her checking and savings accounts and it went into mine instead.

When I was a kid she set up a joint savings account for me, and years later I got a checking account that's linked to it. (It was real convenient when she was working for that bank, since she could take care of all my bank stuff for me.) We don't know how my checking account got connected to her ATM card, which is for a totally different set of accounts...

I try to avoid talking to anyone at the bank, because someday they'll notice that my account still says "Employee Checking" on it. I haven't paid any fees on it for years.

Randall

[Daytripper_MI6]

Maybe he typo'd on his link.