This is interesting. United Airlines, losing money like crazy is going to stop absorbing credit card co. fees, forcing the travel agent (expedia, etc.) to pay them which will then be passed on to the customer.

"That means those agencies will have to start paying the 3.5 percent credit card processing fees that UAL currently absorbs -- $17.50 on a $500 ticket -- a cost that will likely be passed on to customers."

(from NY Post)

if using your credit card added 3.5% to the cost of whatever you bought, would you pay with cash??

What cash? Also, 3.5% doesn't look so bad beside 21.5% p/month on outstanding balances, which y'know is what, a $30 dollar minimum payment? Les do this fooooooorever. *headeesk*

I'd be lying if I said I hadn't been caught but . . Unless hey're going to offer me a cash incentive.

My credit card company has already sent me a letter telling me that the minimum payment will be raised.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/01/AR2009070103868.html

Hmmm last I knew, it was illegal to pass the credit card fee on to the consumer.

Anyway I almost always pay with cash whenever I can.

"Hmmm last I knew, it was illegal to pass the credit card fee on to the consumer."

well, it will be in the form of a service charge... sort of like the pizza place with "free delivery" that charges a "fuel fee".  One way or the other, it trickles down!

I saw something on TV recently where CC companies are also looking at raising your rates if they find you are spending lots of money at discount places - thrift stores, etc. Like that is more of a risk to them...Um...ok. So being smarter with how you spend now makes you a risk?

I don't have any credit cards anymore, but my friend told me her rates got jacked up before the new credit card law went into effect. 

It ALL always gets passed back to the individual consumer, one way or another.

Gahh! Bastards! I hate credit card companies! They are always trying to cheat money out of the customer. They take forever to process your payment - then charge you a late fee as if it is your fault, though you mailed it 7-9 days before the due date. They send back a payment - because you accidentally paid too much - and instead of putting a credit on your account, they send it back "for correction". And then have tha gall to charge a late fee, and up your interest rate. Yep. Just recently experienced that one! I personally only use them for mail order stuff. though for work sometimes its unavoidable.  I try to only use paypal online. I guess for mail order I could use a check but it adds so long to the processing & shipping time I am too impatient. Maybe the mail order co's can accept debit cards instead. Avoid the credit card co's altogether and cut them right out!

vajra - i use bank debit cards and/or the paypal debit for everything. haven't had a regular credit card in a few years, and it's been longer since I actively used the one i had before. no problems at all for buying stuff online. i'd figure mail order would be the same. my debit card says "Visa" and is accepted the same.

nothing better to help keep your finances in control than limit the buy-now-pay-later stuff.

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Vajra (<font color="#878ba5">message</font>)

Hmmm last I knew, it was illegal to pass the credit card fee on to the consumer.

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This is not illegal in Michigan.  When gas got to $4/gallon.  One brave gas station started charging a separate price for cash transaction and a separate price for credit/debit transactions.  Once the one was able to do it, it became commonplace.  As the price of gas went down, this separate of charges did not go away.  Stations charge anywhere for 8-10 cents different/gallon based on your method of payment.  I have not seen this in other states.

Wow! Far as I know it is still illegal in Mass.

I know of one company who I like who instead offers a *discount* if you pay by check - a way around it I guess.

Ya Goddess I do the d-card thing online too - but with a special account I keep very little money in. Have a very smart IT (prior hacker) friend who gave me the great compliment when I mentioned it of saying it was the smartest thing he has heard of yet for limiting loss. May it remain so.

I received a letter today from Citibank saying that they would be raising the rate on my card to 29.99% on Nov. 30th. There isn't a balance so Citibank, it's not fuck me, it's fuck you! Give someone a bonus for me and Happy Thanksgiving too.

LOL, Tam. I got into serious credit card debt a long time ago, which eventually I paid off, but I learned a big lesson. Now I pay the full balance every month.

I use my credit cards for online purchases mainly. I haven't bought plane tickets in awhile, not sure when I'll be going anywhere that will require flying again.

For some reason my comment posted twice. Deleting this one.

I got that letter from Citibank too.  Much good may it do them; I pay off my balance every month anyway, and have severely cut down my credit card usage over the past year or so.

It pissed me off because I have been with them 15 years! I feel bad for anyone carry a balance, especially this time of year.

Here is a story about them cutting peoples cards off

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33388210/

Tam, thanks for the link.  I'm going to have to check the status of my ExxonMobil Mastercard now, just in case they've canceled it on me.

They take forever to process your payment - then charge you a late fee as if it is your fault, though you mailed it 7-9 days before the due date.

That's exactly what happened to me earlier this year.  I got hit with late fees just after I paid off the remaining balance on one CC.  How did I fix them?  I reported them to the Better Business Bureau.  The fees went bye-bye!

Hmmm last I knew, it was illegal to pass the credit card fee on to the consumer.

It wasn't illegal in New Jersey.  Stations stopped doing it when the gas prices slipped back below $2/gallon late last year.

I don't have any more CCs and refuse to get another one.  I use the debit card, cash, or hubs' American Express for online purchases.