cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Backup Card

tag
Anonymous
Not applicable

Backup Card

Hi to all.

My wife was in Bed, bath, and Beyond yesterday, and tried to use her Citi Double Cash. The chip reader rejected it twice, and the line behind her was pretty long. She used her Costco Visa instead. The next store, Citi worked fine.

 

It got me to thinking what if she were in a store and only had AMEX as a backup, and they didn't take AMEX?

 

That is my situation. As mentioned previously, I only carry Citi DC and AMEX BCP to simplify my charging. I have Cap One Savor and Chase Freedom in the SD. 

 

Rare as this incident was, it still happened.

 

I wonder , in my case, whether AMEX BCP (which I only really use for the 6% groceries) is a decent backup for the Citi DC or should I use 

one of the other two cards I have as a backup in the wallet in case this happens to me and the store does not take AMEX.

 

Or am I worrying too much and don't need to carry a backup other than the AMEX?

 

Have a great Christmas, all of you, in any case. I have learned so much from this forum !!Smiley Happy

Message 1 of 14
13 REPLIES 13
iheartwings
Valued Contributor

Re: Backup Card



Do you carry your debit card? That could be your second backup (though you wouldn't get rewards). 

Message 2 of 14
longtimelurker
Epic Contributor

Re: Backup Card

Assuming you use a cell phone, consider loading a mobile wallet with one of the SD cards.   You don't need to use it except in these backup cases

 

 

Message 3 of 14
kdm31091
Super Contributor

Re: Backup Card

I think you’re over worrying honestly. The chances of the incident occurring and the place also not taking Amex are very very small IMO

Can always use debit for backup too
Message 4 of 14
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Backup Card

Longtimelurker's suggestion is good, especially since Chase Pay has been a category on the Freedom card like all year.
Message 5 of 14
wasCB14
Super Contributor

Re: Backup Card

Is this a question of a wallet's physical capacity, or of organizational simplicity?

 

If the former, a mobile wallet may be an option as discussed.

 

If the latter, you can carry a card and simply decide to only use it if any when the two other cards are, for whatever reason, unusable.

Personal spend: Amex Gold, Amex Schwab Plat., BofA PR+CCR(x2), Costco
Business use: Amex Bus. Plat., BBP, Lowes Amex AU, CFU AU
Perks: Delta Plat., United Explorer, IHG49, Hyatt, "Old SPG"
Mostly SD: Freedom Flex, Freedom, Arrival
Upgrade/Downgrade games: ED, BCE
SUB chasing: AA Platinum Select
Message 6 of 14
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Backup Card

Simply swipe the card; the magnetic strip should still work.

 

Also sometimes it helps to clean the front of the card near the chip.

Message 7 of 14
NRB525
Super Contributor

Re: Backup Card


@Anonymous wrote:

Simply swipe the card; the magnetic strip should still work.

 

Also sometimes it helps to clean the front of the card near the chip.


This.

DW only tried the chip twice. Often the cashier wants to see three failures on the chip, then the terminal goes to swipe, and the mag stripe should work. If the chip isn't working and you know the card is fine, the cashier will often take steps to get it to work. The inconvenience of 30 more seconds to the people behind you .... is not. If they wanted to get out ahead of you, they should have made their purchase decisions earlier.

 

The mobile wallet (in your phone) is good also, though that does require appropriate phone and terminal.

 

And in this case, with a national retailer, AMEX would have been just as good.

High Bal Jan 2009 $116k on $146k limits 80% Util.
Oct 2014 $46k on $127k 36% util EQ 722 TU 727 EX 727
April 2018 $18k on $344k 5% util EQ 806 TU 810 EX 812
Jan 2019 $7.6k on $360k EQ 832 TU 839 EX 831
March 2021 $33k on $312k EQ 796 TU 798 EX 801
May 2021 Paid all Installments and Mortgages, one new Mortgage EQ 761 TY 774 EX 777
April 2022 EQ=811 TU=807 EX=805 - TU VS 3.0 765
Message 8 of 14
RonM21
Valued Contributor

Re: Backup Card


@NRB525 wrote:

 If they wanted to get out ahead of you, they should have made their purchase decisions earlier.

 

Lol.....game....set....match! Smiley Very Happy

 



Total CL: $321.7kUTL: 2%AAoA: 7.0yrsBaddies: 0Other: Lease, Loan, *No Mortgage, All Inq's from Jun '20 Car Shopping

BoA-55k | NFCU-45k | AMEX-42k | DISC-40.6k | PENFED-38.4k | LOWES-35k | ALLIANT-25k | CITI-15.7k | BARCLAYS-15k | CHASE-10k

Message 9 of 14
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Backup Card

NRB525 "they should have made their purchase decisions earlier" yeah, cuz everyone in the store is just gonna know who's gonna take extra time to try to get their declined card to work, and is also going to be paying attention to when that person is about to check out.

Are you one of those people who spends like 2 minutes stacking 30 coupons on a grocery run? Or who drives 5 mph under the speed limit in the fast lane while intentionally not letting anyone pass?

Do you not see how these annoying, self-centered behaviors are similar to what you're talking about? If every single person adopted your mindset, we'd all be spending most of our time in lines. (Oh, and if it feels like 30 seconds to you in that circumstance it's probably more like 60-90). Imagine what the line is like for the big roller coasters at theme parks in the summer...now pretend that's your line at the grocery store on Sundays.
Message 10 of 14
Advertiser Disclosure: The offers that appear on this site are from third party advertisers from whom FICO receives compensation.