<font color=orchid>My experiences with the two credit card companies I signed up with this year have not been very pleasant, and I am wondering if the service standards vary across countries...

<font color=white>AMEX</font> - After I had started charging some of my payments to this card, I decided to opt for the Interbank GIRO service, which basically allows the credit card company to debit my expenses directly from my savings account. Well, I received quite a shock one day when my bank wrote to me earlier on, informing me after the payment due date that the payment had not gone through smoothly. Immediately, I called up AMEX, which told me that my application to pay through GIRO had not been approved and therefore, could I pay my bill through cheque separately until then? My first concern, of course, was that the payment due date had passed, and I asked the caller whether I would be charged interest for the outstanding amount to be paid. <font color=lightblue>"Oh, I am not too sure, ma'am... could you please call the finance department, since it handles that?"</font> I was already in a miffed state (for one thing, why should it take 6 weeks simply to process a GIRO application when service standards in the public sector here were even better than that?) and pointed out that it was the company's duty to sort out its own policies internally before giving me a firm reply. AMEX then took a week before calling me up and telling me that no interest would be charged. Quite ironically, after my GIRO application was approved, I ended up charging very few payments to the card...

<font color=silver>Citibank</font> - This company has given (and continues to give) me a fair bit of heartaches too. As above, I applied to have my payments deducted through GIRO and this time, decided not to charge anything to the card until my application had been approved. When at last everything was settled (or so I naively thought), I decided to test the efficiency of the payment system. Well, on at least 2 occasions, I was informed that my payments had <font color=lightgreen>not</font> gone through. On these occasions, too, I was charged interest for the outstanding amount. I cannot understand why the deductions from my savings account did not take place (I do not spend much in the first place and there are ample funds for deduction). In addition, the payment slip that arrives monthly does not alert me to the fact that GIRO payments will not be effected, and I end up wondering if my next payment slip will slap an interest on the outstanding amount (in the event that the GIRO deduction does not take place).

Needless to say, I am very unhappy with the credit card companies I am currently signed up with. And I am going to cancel my subscriptions, rather than to let myself be afflicted with all these inconveniences (and to think credit cards were supposed to be achieve the opposite effect :rolleyes: ).

Has anyone faced a similar situation as I have? [img]graemlins/verysad.gif[/img] </font>

well i for one would also be interested about credit cards since im planning to apply for my first credit card soon. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Dont trust the electronic payment shit, send a check. Just my opnion, I dont fully trust the electronic method myself

Why do you need more than one? I just go with my bank's credit card and have had no probs so far (had it for 3 years). I used to pay by cheque but now pay by transfer from my current account online. No probs. Then again I'm not a complicated high-maintenance customer and always pay the whole bill on time.

Credit cards scare me mostly LOL. I have ONE, and I only use it to buy small things under $100.00, then when the bill comes in I write a check for the entire amount. Although sometimes I am late (mostly because of forgetfullness rather than not having money for a payment) and get hit with a $30.00 late fee LOL, doh!

I've never had the problems luckily you have had Mistral. :( That Citibank (Shi**bank) problem you mentioned was really messed up, payment NOT going through?!! Wha? :mad: The way I see it, that is THEIR fault, and THEY should have to deal with all that hassle regarding it, not you!

Unfortunately, I do not have a check book. The administrative charge is quite high for each one over here (about $10, I believe) and I am not an intensive check-issuer...

I guess I'll just stick to the good old-fashioned hard cash method [img]tongue.gif[/img]

<font color=skyblue>I quit my job in August to return to school full-time, and so my wife thought she could get a job, but being pregnant is a big problem. Therefore, we were living for as long as possible on student loans that were extra than what I needed for books.

Of course, I am a family man with mortgage and all the bills that come with that, so quickly my funds were depleted. A friend suggested we raise the limit on our only credit card, the Visa, which is through our credit union. They would not do so, since I had not a job. So we called up American Express, and they gave us one with 0% interest on purchases until May. When that money went away, we got another Visa through Bank One, which has 0% until next year this time. That is what I am living on until December 30th, when the next student loan deposit comes in. I will be living on that when my wife is able to begin looking for a job again.

My point...I have been paying the monthly payments on those cards over the internet these months with no problem, and they have been very nice to let me even have a card, since I did not have employment. I have not felt scammed or troubled by them. I do not like living off of credit, but what else can I do?

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Well, I was kind of annoyed with AMEX (as explained above), but rather than cancel my subscription with the company straightaway (after all the hassle I had to go through), I decided to give another company a chance to impress me ;) But then, Citibank failed in that respect as well... so my conclusion is, credit cards give more heartburn than conveniences [img]tongue.gif[/img] I would probably only use them when I travel, which isn't often. I can't wait to clear my last payment due next month, and then I'm off to pamper myself by ridding myself of these heartburn-inducing cards [img]graemlins/hehe.gif[/img]

It looks like Larry and Ladyzekke have had happier experiences than I did; I am happy for both of you [img]smile.gif[/img] Just a side observation, I think service standards in general are dropping over here. Which is a shame, as I don't see why the paying customer has to put up with such crap...

Unfortunately, I do not have a check book. The administrative charge is quite high for each one over here (about $10, I believe) and I am not an intensive check-issuer...

I guess I'll just stick to the good old-fashioned hard cash method [img]tongue.gif[/img] </font>[/QUOTE]Mistral, I'm not sure where you're located, but the bank I use, HSBC is an international bank, and they have checking accounts without many (or sometimes any) charges and they also have credit cards. You might want to check them out.

Thanks for sharing your experiences, Harleyquinn [img]smile.gif[/img] I did try the HSBC credit card last year but then cancelled it because of the charges they imposed after the 1st year (when the fees are waived) [img]tongue.gif[/img] HSBC's service was certainly better than the aforementioned companies [img]graemlins/thumbsup.gif[/img] Perhaps I will have a 'cooling off' period (reminds me of a breakup LOL ) during which HSBC erases my old record [img]graemlins/hehe.gif[/img] and then I will decide whether or not to return to my 'old love' ;)

Citibank = RUDE My wife and I got a card form them almost 10 year's ago and I tell ya, if we hadnt fallen on some super bad time's I would have shredded the card and the company as well, hehe. At one point they were calling our home not once, but 5 time's a day with the "please wait while we transfer you" type phone call. Well that alway's merrited a prompt hang up from whom ever answered the phone because we thought it was some solicitor. Florida has a really bad telemarketing issue and at that point we were getting phone calls from everyone but the people we knew ;) I am over joyous we have caller id and an answering machine :D Well back to Citi bank, there operator's are rude and very unhelpful, they dont, or wont transfer you to a different department so you can avoid the 30 automated responses on there operating service since you can never really get a "live" person unless you god forbid missed a payment or you were late !!! Note to all young people thinking of getting a credit card, DONT DO IT :D it is bad new's and can get away from you if you arent careful ;)
So that is my tale of woe, I dont like Citi bank, never have, but it was a matter of necessity to get a card and they had the best deal at the time I needed one, 0% interest for the first 6 month's and 5% after that, unless you miss a payment or are late and then WHAM it goes to fare market value @ 21% which of course this caption was mixed into all the fine small print somewhere on the back of the document under section F column D sub section X ;)

You too, huh, Elif? :D

I agree, credit cards are bad news mostly (but that's just me ;) ). The way they slap on the interest charges, it's as if they've been living for this day to pounce on you...

The only reason I first signed up with HSBC last year was because I had to go on an official overseas trip and I did not want to carry too much spare cash with me. It wasn't necessary for me to get a card this year (no overseas trips) but then I got tempted by the so-called perks (ended up not really taking advantage of them [img]graemlins/hehe.gif[/img] ).

Anyhow, I have sent off a check (had to ask my dad to write one, since I don't have a check book and I'll have to repay him soon - remind me again that it is VERY convenient to pay bills through credit cards [img]graemlins/biglaugh.gif[/img] ) to Citibank. I'll consider the interest charges a pricey lesson to me not to indulge in credit card-spending.

And, I sure hope that the next payment slip doesn't send my head shooting to the roof... sigh :(

i do not like credit cards but it has been my experience that capitol one was good to me, i was just not good to them.

<font face="Verdana" size="3" color="#00FF00">It sounds like you were trying for automatic payments. I did this with my cable company and the cable company always phoned me saying that they were always denied payments for any card I used. Very Annoying but I thought it was the cable companies fault but maybe it was the credit card companies.

I now do the most of my banking online through my bank now rater than automatic payments (evil stuff). It is very easy, get the bill, log on, choose the account, company, payment, and submit. The bill is paid as soon as you want it to be. Very good, if you need to wait for a paycheck because you can pay as soon as you get it and you will never be late. The only problem that can arise is out of ones own stupidity when they are asleep and enter more than they want to pay or pay the wrong bill, and forget to review the confirmation screen. This is bad if you are on a tight budget otherwise it is just added to that company account for its next bill. Online banking is the way to go it is fast and still gives you the control without any hassle.

I use my credit card like ladyzekke. I use AMEX to get air miles I should soon have enough for a nice barbecue. They even let me give a card to my fiancée, which now I wish they had not :D . WOMEN!!!! [img]graemlins/hehe.gif[/img] At least I get a lot of AIR MILES!!!
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[ 11-24-2003, 11:14 AM: Message edited by: pritchke ]

<font color=orchid>Yes, online banking is good - but only if your bank has a payment arrangement with the credit card company. I can't believe it but the bank whom I'm signed up with does not allow me to settle my Citibank bills online :(

[img]graemlins/biglaugh.gif[/img] at your remark about women. I don't know about your fiancee, but I tend to spend when I've had a particularly lousy time at work, the night is still very young (ie, I've stormed out of the office, leaving tonnes of unfinished work aside) and I need to pamper myself with nice things (I try to target inexpensive articles). That's why shopping is deemed as retail therapy [img]tongue.gif[/img] Of course, most of the time, I work till I'm completely drained so I don't often get the chance to indulge myself [img]graemlins/hehe.gif[/img] </font>