Target Debit Vs. Credit Card

[j_casteel]

We use CC's for everything to prevent having to keep up with constantly balancing the checkbook and basically pay a couple bills a month out of it. So based on that we didn't want to apply for the Target CC and just use the Debit card instead. Still get the 5% off and can easily keep track of debit due to our limited use on our checking. Plus, no interest or worrying about having to pay another CC each month.

[GlocksAndCredit]

The Debit card is an electronic check - it isn't a "debit card" - that is how it's marketed though (Hence why it takes 2 days to come out of your account, for processing). When you sign up, you need a check to link it. There is no credit check. 

[GlocksAndCredit]

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@Closingracer99 wrote:

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@bigblue7722 wrote:

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@irrational wrote:

I'd avoid their debit card. If it's anything like similar debit cards I've had in the past, it links directly to your checking account, but any transaction made against it don't show up as pending until days later... This just created a nightmare in trying to keep up with things. Top that off with the fact that it's directly linked to your checking account (OMG!), and I personally wouldn't touch it with a 10 foot pole.

We shop at target a lot, but even their credit card has me MEH.... Just sticking with our normal cards for now.

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I love the red debit card. Its really not that hard to know how much is in your account. If you have 100 and spend 75 at target you should know u only have 25 left not 100. Its pretty simple stuff. The 5% off is great. It really helps with the sallie mae card cause i can buy food and other things i would get at the supermarket and not have to worry about using up my 250 cap on the sallie mae. I highly reccomend the target red debit. I would stay away from the Credit card i have heard a lot of stories about low limits its not really worth the HP if you ask me. 

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Given Target's prior history I rather take a small CL then Give them almost direct access to my Checking account 

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YTD no Target Debit card accounts were hit during the breach - it is an electronic check.

[Closingracer99]

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@collinsridge wrote:

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@Closingracer99 wrote:

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@bigblue7722 wrote:

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@irrational wrote:

I'd avoid their debit card. If it's anything like similar debit cards I've had in the past, it links directly to your checking account, but any transaction made against it don't show up as pending until days later... This just created a nightmare in trying to keep up with things. Top that off with the fact that it's directly linked to your checking account (OMG!), and I personally wouldn't touch it with a 10 foot pole.

We shop at target a lot, but even their credit card has me MEH.... Just sticking with our normal cards for now.

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I love the red debit card. Its really not that hard to know how much is in your account. If you have 100 and spend 75 at target you should know u only have 25 left not 100. Its pretty simple stuff. The 5% off is great. It really helps with the sallie mae card cause i can buy food and other things i would get at the supermarket and not have to worry about using up my 250 cap on the sallie mae. I highly reccomend the target red debit. I would stay away from the Credit card i have heard a lot of stories about low limits its not really worth the HP if you ask me. 

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Given Target's prior history I rather take a small CL then Give them almost direct access to my Checking account 

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YTD no Target Debit card accounts were hit during the breach - it is an electronic check.

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So what ... I personally wouldn't touch those cards with a 10 foot pole 

[Anonymous]

 I applied for the debit card yesterday for exactly that reason. No hard pulls from anyone but barclay untill I get my SM card

[Callandra]

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@collinsridge wrote:

The Debit card is an electronic check - it isn't a "debit card" - that is how it's marketed though (Hence why it takes 2 days to come out of your account, for processing). When you sign up, you need a check to link it. There is no credit check. 

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When I worked at Target, I always had tons of customers who had trouble doing more than one transaction with the debit card in the same day (I think there's a "hold" on some accounts since it's not a true debit card and the money isn't automatically taken so they want to prevent losing out on sales due to no money in the checking account). I would try to explain why but most people didn't understand the concept of the check (hey, I'm in my 20s and I even know how to write a check!) and that payments take time to clear. 

I would recommend the credit one for Target for obvious reasons (you really want a store to have direct access to your checking account? Unless you do what the previous poster suggested about opening a second checking account and leaving only a little money there).

Maybe it was just the store I worked at but the VAST majority of applications were for the debit card, not credit and I could never figure out why. I don't know why so many young people are credit-phobs.