Credit Cards - What do you use & what do you get?

Camalot said:
Question

I did a balance transfer to a tesco card with no interest for 18 months or something like that.

Anyway, I set up online account and the direct debit on the 10th, due date being 24th. Just checked my account and can't see the dd , checked my tesco acc and see a late payment charge! I checked payment options and can see my dd set up all correct.

I phoned them and complained saying this will mark down my credit file now etc etc, she said she removed the late payment and the charge from my account and talked some bull about not giving enough time for the dd.

Question is, will this still likely appear on my credit file and wreck my `score'?
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I posted something similar to this in the tesco CC thread - they have a bizarrely short period for accepting the first payment.
 
I've just got a capital one aspire world credit card. No fee and gives me 1.25% cashback on all spending. Should come in handy as I have a wedding coming up!

I don't have any debt and I can't bothered with stoozing or any of that lark so I was only interested in cards that offered rewards rather than interest free periods etc. AMEX was the only card I found that gave better offers, but was a little worried about places not accepting AMEX.

Up until a few months ago I'd always had a Natwest CC but ditched it as I realised I didn't get anything from it.
 
Only CC I use regularly is my Halifax Clarity for abroad spending. Spent 6 months travelling through 6+ countries and not one problem and only got charged about £2 interest in total for the whole trip (they charge interest on cash withdrawals even if you pay it off but I only ever got charged if I didn't pay it off within about a week). Exchange rates were always perfect (matched xe.com). Didn't get anything back from it as such, but the fact that I didn't pay anything to get local currencies is enough for me :)
 
Thought I'd bump this thread up as I'm looking at getting a CC which helps me earn as I spend (only use it for work fuel and expenses so paid straight back in to zero the balance) moneysupermarket says I should go for the Virgin Money card as its

Great for
  • 20% off Virgin Experience Days, plus many more Virgin Group discounts
  • Cashback with over 500 top brands when you sign up and shop online through Virgin Money Back
  • Exclusive access to Virgin Money's high street customer lounges in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester, Sheffield, Norwich, London Eagle Place and London Haymarket
Or maybe I go for something else? Any other good cards out there rewards wise?
 
I only ever use my credit card unless I'm withdrawing cash.
I have a £2500 limit and pay it off every month in full. I've never missed a payment (and don't intend to).
I'm also more protected in terms of recovering funds if the card is lost, stolen, duped, whatever. My brother had thousands stolen from his credit card (we think from duping) and if it happened on his debit card it may have been far more difficult to recover the money.
It's a Tesco CC linked to clubcard points so I regularly go out for free meals or more recently spent half of the points on a PS4.
 
I have 3 cards, 1 I use frequently, 1 less so and another stays at home and is for emergencies only.

One card has about a couple of hundred pounds left to pay off and the other card is paid off in full every month.

I use one main card for travel, food, groceries, essentially where I can I avoid using debit card anywhere.
 
I also use the American Express Preferred Gold. For those debating the difference between a charge card and a credit card, in law they are different (E.g. credit card's get lots of protections that charge cards do not). Mainly I put work expenses on that card (because they I pay for them in advance and they take a round a month to pay me back). In general it's considered the best card for those introducing themselves to credit / charge cards.

I also have Halifax something or other credit card with a high limit which is my emergency card.
 
American Express Platinum Cashback Everyday Credit Card

No fees, 5% cashback for the first 3 months then 1%. Great service, great app. Very happy with it.

Also have a Halifax Clarity card for overseas usage and Santander debit for the rare occasion AMEX isn't taken but thinking about should probably get a Visa/Mastercard that gives me something in return for using it...
 
Ahleckz said:
American Express Platinum Cashback Everyday Credit Card

No fees, 5% cashback for the first 3 months then 1%. Great service, great app. Very happy with it.

Also have a Halifax Clarity card for overseas usage and Santander debit for the rare occasion AMEX isn't taken but thinking about should probably get a Visa/Mastercard that gives me something in return for using it...
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I've got the Halifax clarity card for when I go to the US

Will look at the Amex platinum
 
Just cancelled my Amex British Airways Platinum as I got my voucher back in July and have put £47k on it since with only really avios points to show for it. Used the voucher and the all points to date (137,500) for two business tickets to LA. Got my wife one too so she can do the same.

Now I need to figure out what to get instead for my daily spend - has anyone done a comparison of what is more valuable if you were considering say Amex Platinum (charge), Amex Gold (credit), Amex Platinum Cashback (credit)? Looking at the benefits of the amex platinum and amex gold - it looks like most of the perks are not that great i.e. lounge access (I get that anyway with BA gold) etc. I can't see what the value of the reward points are because you need to have an account to actually get prices in points for goods/services.

I'm thinking Amex platinum cashback card? yearly average spend usually around £35k-40k
 
kaktus said:
Just cancelled my Amex British Airways Platinum as I got my voucher back in July and have put £47k on it since with only really avios points to show for it. Used the voucher and the all points to date (137,500) for two business tickets to LA. Got my wife one too so she can do the same.

Now I need to figure out what to get instead for my daily spend - has anyone done a comparison of what is more valuable if you were considering say Amex Platinum (charge), Amex Gold (credit), Amex Platinum Cashback (credit)? Looking at the benefits of the amex platinum and amex gold - it looks like most of the perks are not that great i.e. lounge access (I get that anyway with BA gold) etc. I can't see what the value of the reward points are because you need to have an account to actually get prices in points for goods/services.

I'm thinking Amex platinum cashback card? yearly average spend usually around £35k-40k
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The best strategy is simply to keep switching between Amex Gold and Amex BA Premium every 6 months. The sign up bonus miles combined with the companion voucher cannot be matched for value.
 
kaktus said:
Just cancelled my Amex British Airways Platinum as I got my voucher back in July and have put £47k on it since with only really avios points to show for it. Used the voucher and the all points to date (137,500) for two business tickets to LA. Got my wife one too so she can do the same.

Now I need to figure out what to get instead for my daily spend - has anyone done a comparison of what is more valuable if you were considering say Amex Platinum (charge), Amex Gold (credit), Amex Platinum Cashback (credit)? Looking at the benefits of the amex platinum and amex gold - it looks like most of the perks are not that great i.e. lounge access (I get that anyway with BA gold) etc. I can't see what the value of the reward points are because you need to have an account to actually get prices in points for goods/services.

I'm thinking Amex platinum cashback card? yearly average spend usually around £35k-40k
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I signed up Amex Gold last month for the sign up bonus. Once that is done I think I will get the BA Platinium for its sign up bonus, use that for 12 months then cancel and then get the Amex Platinium Charge card for that sign up bonus...

I think for Pure Avois points BA Platnium is best at 3x? But Amex Platinium get you Priority Pass + Centurion lounge Access and I believe also travel insurance and car insurance when paid with it (need to check...sometimes I confuse it with the US version as they have more perks).

Amex Platinium has a £450 up front cost, Gold is waved for first 12 months but £140 2nd year and BA Platinium is £195.

If you travel a lot then Amex Platinium is the best one, otherwise Gold is better value.
 
weringo said:
The best strategy is simply to keep switching between Amex Gold and Amex BA Premium every 6 months. The sign up bonus miles combined with the companion voucher cannot be matched for value.
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I thought these are life time bonuses, once you get it, you can't get it again?
 
I have been switching between the Amex Gold and BA. Work travel is pretty much always BA so I get plenty of extra Avios from that.
 
I've never been in debt, never had a loan and I yet can't even get a credit card of any description. Even one of the basic crappy ones like that Vanquis won't allow me to apply. Despite being born in this country, working here all my life and paying into the system all that time each and every credit check says I don't exist.
 
Malevolence said:
I've never been in debt, never had a loan and I yet can't even get a credit card of any description. Even one of the basic crappy ones like that Vanquis won't allow me to apply. Despite being born in this country, working here all my life and paying into the system all that time each and every credit check says I don't exist.
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It's not about being in debt, it is about having a history of repaying debt...you need to start small, get a phone contract or some ridiculous 1000% APR card and use that for a few months to get a credit history and work your way up.

People think "i've never had a credit card" shows you are responsible with your money, to the banks that proves nothing. Having a credit card (and being responsible) with it, can be made to your advantage, saving you money. Work the system, play the game and you can get free stuff, free flights, free hotel stays, free holiday, free drinks at the airport, free food, massages etc.

The idea is that credit card, those who are in debt and paying interests all the time and paying for all the free stuff that you are getting by playing the game. The incentive are the free stuff, but the banks knows a number of people who pays interests on their debt will be where the profit comes from. You want to be the segment of customers who are the one getting all the perks and the other way round.
 
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