Travelling around the USA without a Credit Card. Can it be done?

[Sapphire]

Re: Travelling around the USA without a Credit Card. Can it be done?

My Nationwide debit card works in the Far east, used many a time??

One we found useless was The pre paid Caxton fx Card and that one O.H. used this year ( or more so the card failed each attempt) so cost me monies to send money via western union, only to complain to Caxton fx to be told make sure she was using Visa ATM ,I know the machines she was using as they were Visa ATMs which in the past I used my Nationwide Visa Debit Card?

That's weird because ours wouldn't work in Australia last year, and we phoned them the other day to tell them we're going to Thailand next Tuesday and they told us that it won't work there either, because its a Visa Debit card not a credit card, and they told us that their credit cards work around the world.

[Pixie]

Re: Travelling around the USA without a Credit Card. Can it be done?

Just a thought Elsie. Could you apply for a Vanquis card just to use on the trip? You should be far enough down the line with UE to get one.

[Elsie52]

Re: Travelling around the USA without a Credit Card. Can it be done?

Just a thought Elsie. Could you apply for a Vanquis card just to use on the trip? You should be far enough down the line with UE to get one.

Don't know whether we could or not Pixie. Don't they do a credit check on us? Wouldn't want to flag us up on anyone's radar.....only 20 months left of our 6 years, so scared of bringing attention to ourselves. Will have to look into this..

Hope you are well.!

[Pixie]

Re: Travelling around the USA without a Credit Card. Can it be done?

I think that you're okay once your defaults are over 3 years old. However, if you're "lying low" then I can see why you wouldn't want to apply. It was just a thought.

Yes, I'm well...how about you?

[alland]

Re: Travelling around the USA without a Credit Card. Can it be done?

So you mean there is a real risk that the hire car company won't accept a debit card?


If you think Elsie would get a better price deal by pre-paying in the UK then that would be a great saving. And if there are any problems with the rental she'll be fighting the battle with a UK firm which will be easier than fighting with a US firm because she could report them to Trading Standards or take them to the county court in the event of a dispute.


If she's pre-paid for the hire car then all the rental company will require is some sort of financial security against parking fines etc so a debit card may be more readily accepted. If it's for the whole rental they are more likely to be picky




Elsie the other thing I would suggest is to tell your bank that you're going abroad with dates etc because in my experience the bank's Fraud Department often block a debit card after three or so international transactions and ask you to call them to get it unblocked by verifying the usage..

I mean they do not like debit cards full stop, but they don't point blank refuse them as long as you comply with their requirements by showing your dated return flight tickets. The desk clerks are generally very basically trained and if you don't get the answers you want you simply demand a supervisor comes out and sorts it. One thing I see all the time in the US is the multi national companies are very big on PR image and bend over backwards to please the customer, unlike many of their counterparts in the UK ....


prepaying the rental in the UK is purely a financial advantage, you get a much better deal than simply getting off the plane and wandering up to a car rental agents desk, for one thing paying for the car in the UK legally requires them to include all the necessary insurances, whereas renting in the US all the insurance is added on at a separate cost per day which can amount to a few hundred more dollars on the overall cost. Note: they will still try and sell you extra insurance at the desk which of course you don't need, they will also try to sell you an upgrade to a higher class of car, best thing is only book the smallest cheapest car anyway, they never have any at the airport rental offices anyway because Americans won't drive a small car so you always get a free upgrade .


Anyway I digress, going back to debit against credit cards...they don't like debits because in the event of any fines ect coming in after you have flown home,if there is no money in the bank account it is declined, they can't swipe a debit card to secure funds at the time you take the car because it takes the money out of your account immediately, but with a credit card they can swipe it to hold as security with a preset amount of say $500 or whatever and get an advance authorisation code but not process it unless they need to do.


I do agree with informing your bank that you will be using your debit card in the US and give them dates you are there, I have made the mistake of not doing so and have had my card declined until I contacted the bank in the UK and had the suspension on it lifted. Personally not so much of a problem now has I have a US debit card.


One more or every important thing for anyone travelling to the US, make sure you have rock solid travel insurance, medical costs are astronomical ! Even the most minor of things like a visit to the dentist for a filling or extraction will cost around $400
a friend of mine was unlucky enough to have a heart attack has he was walking through San Francisco airport to catch a flight home, Although he considered himself very lucky if it had happened an hour later he would have been on the plane and the outcome could have been different ! his medical bill was in excess of €60,000 for treatment and a two week stay in hospital ! Fortunately his insurance covered all the cost. So it is important you pick a good reputable company and check the small print if going for more than 30 days, most cover is only up to this amount of time.

[Elsie52]

Re: Travelling around the USA without a Credit Card. Can it be done?

Thanks for the further information Alland. I especially need to make sure my insurance is good, which I always do because I have a heart condition, and although I have had this for 10 years, my insurance is still high. Will be researching that asap, I know the last time we went to America for a 2 week holiday my insurance was around £270 just for me.!! All these things need to be sorted before I would dare to book our flights. Thanks for the help everyone.

[The Tech Clerk]

Re: Travelling around the USA without a Credit Card. Can it be done?

That's weird because ours wouldn't work in Australia last year, and we phoned them the other day to tell them we're going to Thailand next Tuesday and they told us that it won't work there either, because its a Visa Debit card not a credit card, and they told us that their credit cards work around the world.

well in the far east I had no problem and I was there for 3 months couple of years ago and withdrew every week, only thing I learnt was double check the Bank ATM I was using as China Bank charged a withdrawal fee at the time whereas other local Banks did not, so I was double charges to use the ATM, I only used theirs because the other machines were empty.


The payment slips even gave the Balance of monies in account before & after withdrawal.

[DNW]

Re: Travelling around the USA without a Credit Card. Can it be done?

Apologies if someone else has posted this and I missed it - I used http://indigocarhire.co.uk/ when I went to France for my brothers wedding last year and it does look like they cover US. I hadn't got access to a credit card so made the booking over the phone, they said that the no CC wasn't an issue, but insisted we have a balance of 500 euros available in the account we'd paid with the debit card from (though how they'd actually check this I've no idea).

[helmsman]

Re: Travelling around the USA without a Credit Card. Can it be done?

well in the far east I had no problem and I was there for 3 months couple of years ago and withdrew every week, only thing I learnt was double check the Bank ATM I was using as China Bank charged a withdrawal fee at the time whereas other local Banks did not, so I was double charges to use the ATM, I only used theirs because the other machines were empty.


The payment slips even gave the Balance of monies in account before & after withdrawal.

Came back from Florida on 26th May 3 weeks lovelly, Booked car with Alamo direct using Nationwide debit card no problem(have no credit card) used the card in all atms no problem at all The exchange rate was around $163 to the £ we were getting $168 using the card but about $2 charged by the atm company. The dollar is over $170 now so even better so enjoy.