That will £1 extra please!!! WHAT!!!!

Things are getting ridiculous. We were recently notified by our banks, that they were going to start charging a fee everytime we utilize our check card/debit/credit. That's ridiculous this is our money that we work with, not a credit card you apply for. How can banks actually start charging to use their cards. They are going to charge for using the debit cards at stores and even at the ATM machines. How stupid can that be. My hubby and I decided to close out one of the accounts, because its ridiculous. I can't recall what the fee is, but this is our money that we deposit in our banks and we work hard for.

I have never caught out like you told. Apparently, I won't use my card to pay ice cream. I thought it was not worth buying ice using our card. How you forgot about money? You should have known that you need to get some cash along with you when you were about to go somewhere with kids. Otherwise, you will have to be ready to get caught, will you not ?

This is really annoying and maybe i was also caught in similar fashion once when i had gone for dinner without much money in my pocket as i was holding a debit card with me and the bill was above the cash i had in my pocket and when i gave debit card fro clearance, they told me their cash machine was out of order and i had to pay only through cash.It was so disturbing and annoying situation for me and i went to little far away ATM center to get some cash leaving my partner in the hotel

What you're paying for is for someone to sit somewhere the extra moment it takes to count the 'money' you're 'giving' the rink. I know that might sound like someone's 'scamming' you, but think of what you get; How much would you have paid someone to run to the nearest cash-machine?

Well, I don't know how much a pound is, but I'd guess it's a couple of dollars. I've heard talk about merchants charging people for using their cards but it has never happened to me yet. I wonder why they want cash instead? I never carry cash.

Yes Anne the other thing is that all the special offers are dropped when the kids are on half term. There has been a lot of anger over the levying of charges when using credit cards especially when booking holidays and flights online. These are the occasions when you can only use a debit card or credit card.

I think that one pound is equal to two of our U.S. dollars, but I am not so sure on that. I know that their money is certainly worth more than ours these days.

It feels really pinching to pay extra one pound for using credit card. It happens sometimes here also, when some of the store managers tell us that if we pay through our credit card, we will be charged 2% extra of the cost of the product.

I know it costs a business a small amount when they process a card transaction,but it's the first time I've heard of a business (Other than Ryanair,anyway...) charging a supplement for using a card...so how did they spring this on you? Was there any warning at the till that card transactions cost more,or that cash had a "Discount"?

Same here in India! The basic concept is simple. Anything when introduced, is promoted with all sorts of incentives, facilities and stuffs like that. For instance, we can use our cards at ATMs, shops, online shops etc for free when less people use it and they want to promote the cards. When lot of us start using it, they start charging us with a variety of weird names. Even in India, we can withdraw money from ATMs only 5 times in a month for free (earlier it was free for any number of withdrawals). Similarly shops are charging anywhere between 2 to 5% for buying stuff using cards!

A person just can't win! Some places give you a break if you use your cards while others make you pay more. It is annoying. I don't carry cash a security precaution. We used to have a ice rink here but haven't for probably close to twenty years. Not popular around here anymore.

I actually think that it is illegal for places to charge you extra if you are using a credit or debit card. However, they are allowed to give you a discount for using cash. The reason that this is becoming a practice that is far more common is because of the charges that the issuing banks charge on transactions that use cards. That is one of the sources of revenue for the banks, but it is something that costs money to the places that accept the cards.

You mentioned a cash machine in your discussion... Most of the time I don't have cash in my pocket or wallet as I always use my debit card. Once in a while there would be establishments that don't accept any cards, but they have cash machines out. What I hate is that I'm being charge $1.50 for using the cash machine, and when I see my bank statement I was charged another $2.00 for using a cash machine which is not from the bank. All this because I don't have cash on hand! I hate it.

That is common practice in UK. When you shop in small shops and you would like to use the card you have to pay some extra just for using the card. I have no idea why is that as when you shop in big shops or supermarket you you pay by card you don't have to pay this extra cost. So I'm wondering the cost depends of what exactly?

It's not surprising, sadly. The companies are getting charged more by the banks to process card transactions so they are passing that onto the ones using the cards. I remember when the debit cards first started coming out and how they were touted as being the next best thing and how easy and convenient they were to use. I remember that all businesses started accepting them, even places like McDonald's, it was great and so easy! Then the banks started charging more. Charging the companies more, charging the consumers more. It seems the banks have gotten greedier by the day! I'm in the US and I use a credit union. The fees are much less, or I don't have them at all, and I don't get the run around about holding a check and getting my money when I want it! It won't surprise me to start seeing businesses here start doing the same thing. The banks have already started charging the consumer's more to have accounts because the laws have changed and put a limit on what they can charge for overdrafts and all of that. They feel they have to "make up that money" somewhere!

Anne hi I have never had that happened but what happened to me was that on the way out of my workplace Idecided to stop at my favorite restaurant for an early dinner. I had just been paid the day before and had kept out some money for various things. but somehow when I went to pay for my dinner, I did not have enough money.So I knew the bank was just a minutes walk as it was that c lose to the restaurant in the same center so I told the cashier I would ru n to the bank and be right back. she insisted on my giving her my social security card to hold. I was back with the rest of the money in five minutes but a different cashier was going to make me pay the part I had already paid but the earlier cashier was still there so she showed him the receipt she had made then he apologized and took the rest to pay my bill. the silly thing was I could have just used my debit card but I had forgot that completely.that is startling to be charged a pound extra for using a credit card. how unusaul I have bnot reun into that here in the US. wow.

I think that sucks. The merchant has to pay a fee for processing the card. Most places just add it in to the cost of product or services as part of the cost of doing business. You never know as everyone pays the same price. Some places here also charge extra for using a card. But then again some places will give a cash discount if you ask which is nice.

^ moneyeaters

That's normal for very small businesses. Although most people don't know it, the banks charge companies a small percentage for accepting credit/debit cards. They don't normally pass it on but if they're a tiny company who can't afford to take the hit on every purchase, they sometimes do. Most places just include it in their markup, of course, but some still charge extra for cards (like the corner shop here did until they were established). It kinda sucks but in a way it's like a discount for cash, since they're not including the extra in the price for everyone.

Hello Anne, I don't use credit cards for this very reason as one has to pay lot of interest for taking credit. But yes 1 pound extra for ice cream is too much if i were in your situation i would have returned home without icecreams *hehehe* I think in every country there is some deduction when we use debit cards(when swap on shops) /credit cards so its our wish if we want to use it or not.I never forget to keep cash in my pocket whenever i go out from home.