How do I use a credit card at the grocery?

[joestay]

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@jaysdad2k wrote:

Joe,

If you are using your new TE card, they will use it as your member card and swipe it.

Then they will ask if you want to leave your purchase on the card. You can say, Yes, then sign on the screen.

Tada!

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Thanks everyone.  That's what happen there but instead of signing on the screen, I signed the reciept paper.

Btw,  GO LAKERSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!

[fused]

The Lakers won, now its round two for them. Rock on!

[haulingthescoreup]

Don't space out and go for the cash back option as if you were using your debit card. If you do that with a credit card (except Discover), you'll start paying interest on the cash back amount immediately.

I use a rewards credit card for all my grocery shopping and save the receipts. It's pretty sobering at the end of the month to total them up!

[joestay]

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@haulingthescoreup wrote:

Don't space out and go for the cash back option as if you were using your debit card. If you do that with a credit card (except Discover), you'll start paying interest on the cash back amount immediately.

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What do you mean?

[Anonymous]

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@joestay wrote:

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@haulingthescoreup wrote:

Don't space out and go for the cash back option as if you were using your debit card. If you do that with a credit card (except Discover), you'll start paying interest on the cash back amount immediately.

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What do you mean?

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Inputting a PIN for a debit card just pulls the money out of your account. Using a PIN with a credit card will treat the whole transaction as a cash advance- which means no grace period and interest starts building instantly. Plus, most banks will charge higher rates and a cash advance fee. Just make sure to select "Credit" and if it asks for a PIN, hit Cancel.

[joestay]

Okay, thanks.  One thing though, I never got a PIN.  Was I supposed to get one?

[tengtengvn]

You don't have to have one. Call the number on the back of your card to setup the PIN number.

[haulingthescoreup]

Just to add: I haven't read about this happening recently (that I can recall), but in the past CCC's sometimes took AA (adverse action) against cardholders who used a CC for a cash advance, especially if the card was newish. Presumably it looks as if you're truly desperate for cash.

I don't have a PIN for any of my CC's, or if they came with one (I think my PenFed Visa has one), I promptly forgot it.

[Uniqua]

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@haulingthescoreup wrote:

Just to add: I haven't read about this happening recently (that I can recall), but in the past CCC's sometimes took AA (adverse action) against cardholders who used a CC for a cash advance, especially if the card was newish. Presumably it looks as if you're truly desperate for cash.

I don't have a PIN for any of my CC's, or if they came with one (I think my PenFed Visa has one), I promptly forgot it.

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I've been reading that there is actually one CCC that does not consider it a cash advance, or am I mistaken?  In any case, when I had my BofA CC, I used my pin to get back roughly $40 and they indeed considered that a cash advance.  No adverse action was taken, but this was long before the credit crunch we're facing today.

[Jazzzy]

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@Uniqua wrote:

I've been reading that there is actually one CCC that does not consider it a cash advance, or am I mistaken?  In any case, when I had my BofA CC, I used my pin to get back roughly $40 and they indeed considered that a cash advance.  No adverse action was taken, but this was long before the credit crunch we're facing today.

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Hi Uniqua...it seems (if my memory serves me...which is not all the time) that Discover does not consider the cash-over option to be a cash advance. I've never done it though.