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Online Dialog Forum -> General Forum -> VISA - It's NOWHERE you NEED it to be
Post Info TOPIC: VISA - It's NOWHERE you NEED it to be
Couch Potato


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VISA - It's NOWHERE you NEED it to be
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I thought credit cards were supposed to become easier to use and accepted in more places? 


Here's my complaint:


If I pay my Dominion bill (electric) with a credit card, a $3.95 fee applies.  Richmond Department of Public Utilities (natural gas), will allow you to pay your bill online - but VISA cards are not accepted.  I have *4* VISA cards.  Both of my banks offer VISA debit cards.  Who the hell doesn't take F*%ing VISA???  I cancelled my Discover card when I learned that a total of like two places accepted it.  But VISA?!?!?! 


I write ONE check a month - for the rent - because they do not accept credit cards. 


If all these people really want their money, they shouldn't care how they get it.  These aren't small rinky dink companies either.  Hell, the 7-Eleven takes my VISA. 


If I can charge my Whopper at Burger King why can't I pay my bills the same way? 


With a nation largely depending on credit, I'm wondering if this is intentional.  If all you have is a credit card, you're forced to pay any applicable fees. 


I remember when taking money out of ANY ATM was FREE.  There were no fees.  I used an ATM in a San Diego mall once that charged me an additional $7 in fees because I did not have an account at the bank associated with that ATM.  But what choice did I have?  Finding an M&T in California was going to be tough.


People like the convenience of being able to access their money virtually anywhere....  I've noticed that a lot of things are free in the beginning... then they tend to start adding on the charges once the concept has caught on.


I am one of those people who rarely uses cash.  I charge my food, my gas, my trips to Walmart...  Even my cell phone bill goes on my credit card. 


I despise paying with checks.  You have to pay for the stamp, it takes forever to get to the recipient and oh yeah, I don't get the air miles. 


I'd heard a rumor that checks were becoming extinct.  Apparently, not fast enough. 


I wonder what the future of credit cards will be...???  Even cash doesn't seem like the best way to go.  How many bills can you pay with cash???


VISA - It's NOWHERE you NEED it to be.

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pcguy


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My small local credit union has a free online bill paying service. Most mortgage lenders have accounts set up to accept electronic transfers. I pay my mortgage and utilities via this method. I simply log into their bill payment service and submit a wire transfer to make my payments. It's easier than using a stamp and a paper check.

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Couch Potato


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My bank has an online bill paying service as well... and I pay almost all of my bills online via EFT.  I just wish my credit cards could be used more. 

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Scott Leffler


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CP,

I had always heard it was illegal to charge a special fee in order to accept credit cards. Or maybe not illegal, but against Visa and MC policy.

But I do understand why some SMALLER businesses don't accept it. Visa charges 2 percent per transaction. So for every $10 you spend at Zebbs, for example, Visa gets 20 cents. Might not seem like a huge deal to you, but if you go to Zebbs alot (I'm a big fan) and always use your Visa (I don't carry cash), Visa gets rich while Zebbs loses out.

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Couch Potato


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Scott - I understand why there's a fee to use credit cards (after all, Mastercard needs money to make those Priceless commercials), and I can understand why your nomal small little company won't accept them.  But Dominion is a major energy provider.  And Richmond City runs a CITY.  How can they get by not accepting VISA?


I didn't know you couldn't charge a fee to accept credit cards.  I'll have to look into that further.  I assure you, Dominion can afford the 20 cents (or whatever).


Of course, most of the companies I have bills for will gladly accept electronic checks or other debits from my checking account.  Which is fine by me but recently I attempted to try and put as much as I could on an airline credit card (VISA).  I figured out that if I could put all my bills (including my rent), and all my spending on this credit card each month, then pay it off at the end of the month, in a year, I would earn over two free roundtrip tickets anywhere in the US (Or one nice first class one).  So I went on a mission - see how much I could put on my credit card - and that's where I started to hit the wall. *sighs*



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Mindcrime


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A small clarification: No one can charge you an extra fee for using a credit card or a check rather than cash. They used to do this at gas stations alot, but it was since done away with.


ATM's can charge a fee because they're owned by banks. They do business with credit card companies and that's where the fee goes. Personally I think anything over 50 cents is robbery. ATM withdrawls are a convenience, yes, but they shouldn't be a major spending decision.



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Couch Potato


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VIA RICHMOND CITY'S WEBSITE:


PAY BY CREDIT CARD

Before making the payment, you will need to have your utility bill(s) on hand and your credit card information. OPC accepts the following major credit cards for utility payments:



  • Master Card
  • American Express
  • Discover

PLEASE NOTE: OPC does not accept VISA for utility payments.

OPC will charge a convenience fee based on the amount of your payment. The minimum convenience fee is $4.95. This fee is charged by OPC to cover the transaction charge.


 


DOMINION'S WEBSITE:


Payment methods accepted:



  • Check
  • Credit card (MasterCard, Visa or Discover)
  • Debit card (Star, Pulse, Accel or NYCE network logo on the back)

You will need your Dominion account number and your check or credit/debit card information. Because this online option is not a primary method of payment, there is a fee of $3.95 per transaction. It's a good idea to make note of your unique receipt number for your records.


They're up front about their fees....  But I'm not going to give them extra money just so they can take my money. 



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Mindcrime


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Oh, right, you're in Virginia, law must be different, they do crazy sh-- down there...

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