Using only AmEx and Discover?

Anonymous · ‎06-15-2015

Just curious if there is anyone who only uses AmEx and Discover for their purchases. I suppose it would be manageable, as long as you use Discovers "cash over" to always carry around extra money, for those places that only accept Visa or MC.

longtimelurker · ‎06-15-2015

@Anonymous wrote:
Just curious if there is anyone who only uses AmEx and Discover for their purchases. I suppose it would be manageable, as long as you use Discovers "cash over" to always carry around extra money, for those places that only accept Visa or MC.

That would assume you don't make big purchases at V/MC places, where you don't want to use cash (and you don't need cashover, just use an ATM).

It would be a little risky and also constraining, Discover has very few cards. I would want to always have at least one MC or Visa.

SunriseEarth · ‎06-15-2015

For me, there are still too many places that only accept V/MC. The Discover "cash-over" feature is nice, but you may not always have time to stop before going to your destination that only takes V/MC.

Anonymous · ‎06-15-2015

i have only gone to one place to not accept amex and that was the local library

SunriseEarth · ‎06-15-2015

It's usually small businesses that have an issue with Amex or Discover acceptance. Last night, I went to Super Mex (they're a Mexican casual dining restaurant with about 20 locations in the Long Beach/Orange County area of SoCal) and tried using my Discover. They didn't take it, but they did take AMEX. There's also a drive-thru restaurant called Miguel's Jr. (Mexican fast food place in Riverside and Orange Counties); they also don't take Discover.

So far in SoCal, I haven't seen too many places that accept Discover but not AMEX, but the reverse is definitely true.

Anonymous · ‎06-15-2015

I see lots of places in SoCal that don't take Amex, but do take discover. It seems to be the most popular card to drop in OC.

DeeBee78 · ‎06-15-2015

Personally, I wouldn't risk not having my card accepted. There are too many small businesses that still don't accept Amex and Discover because of the higher interchange fees.

Anonymous · ‎06-15-2015

they lose more money by not accepting them honestly.

SunriseEarth · ‎06-15-2015

@Anonymous wrote:
I see lots of places in SoCal that don't take Amex, but do take discover. It seems to be the most popular card to drop in OC.

Sounds like we need to trade lists!

longtimelurker · ‎06-15-2015

@Anonymous wrote:
they lose more money by not accepting them honestly.

I don't know if that is true. Depends on those that go elsewhere because of the lack of acceptence, vs the lower fee charged on those that do purchase. I suspect that the majority of real world people don't really care which card is used. If they only have an Amex or Discover, yes, you could lose business, but I doubt if that is a huge segment.