What's wrong with Discover cards?

[QuinnMac]

I don't currently have a credit card, so this is confusing.

My dad uses a Discover card.
Chris Billinger, University of Kansas

Apparently this is hilarious, it was on Collegehumor

Link

[jeffy]

I don't get it either.

But then again, I've started thinking that anyone who uses a credit card is funny.

[Saulbadguy]

I don't get it either.

But then again, I've started thinking that anyone who uses a credit card is funny.

Why's that? They give you free money.

[jeffy]

I don't get it either.

But then again, I've started thinking that anyone who uses a credit card is funny.

Why's that? They give you free money.

My tax dollars have given the credit cards enough free money.  I don't need any percentages of any purchases going to "help" them.  That's pretty much an automatic 4% I can take off when I'm negotiating a bargain.

[Saulbadguy]

I don't get it either.

But then again, I've started thinking that anyone who uses a credit card is funny.

Why's that? They give you free money.

My tax dollars have given the credit cards enough free money.  I don't need any percentages of any purchases going to "help" them.  That's pretty much an automatic 4% I can take off when I'm negotiating a bargain.

Do you negotiate a bargain when purchasing groceries, gas, or a restaurant bill?

As long as you pay your balance every month they give you free crap.

[hemmy]

Credit cards are handy to have, just never keep a balance and you will be fine

[Kat Kid]

I don't get it either.

But then again, I've started thinking that anyone who uses a credit card is funny.

Why's that? They give you free money.

My tax dollars have given the credit cards enough free money.  I don't need any percentages of any purchases going to "help" them.  That's pretty much an automatic 4% I can take off when I'm negotiating a bargain.

Why do you hate bankruptcies so much?  They subsidize entrepreneurship.  Rugged individualism baby!

[Rick Daris]

discover charges a higher % to businesses for transactions than mastercard/visa so a lot of places don't take discover. they assume that you will also have a visa/mastercard that you can use.

 i guess it could get old to always have your dad asking "do you guys take discover?".

[jthutch]

Have a Discover business card for my business.  Got 5% back on all fuel purchases.  Came in handy when gas was $4.50 a couple years ago.  Also 3% at places like staples and office max.

[Saulbadguy]

discover charges a higher % to businesses for transactions than mastercard/visa so a lot of places don't take discover. they assume that you will also have a visa/mastercard that you can use.

 i guess it could get old to always have your dad asking "do you guys take discover?".

Always check the door for the little pictures.

[steve dave]

Don't have a discover but have a Delta Amex for business purchases and a Hilton Visa for personal purchases.  Absolutely retarded to not pay for everything you possibly can with them.  I get more angry than I probably should when I have to pay cash for something. 

[michigancat]

Don't have a discover but have a Delta Amex for business purchases and a Hilton Visa for personal purchases.  Absolutely retarded to not pay for everything you possibly can with them.  I get more angry than I probably should when I have to pay cash for something. 

x2

I hate carrying cash, and lose a ton of money because I can't keep track of my change.  GMAFB, cash. 

[steve dave]

Don't have a discover but have a Delta Amex for business purchases and a Hilton Visa for personal purchases.  Absolutely retarded to not pay for everything you possibly can with them.  I get more angry than I probably should when I have to pay cash for something. 

x2

I hate carrying cash, and lose a ton of money because I can't keep track of my change.  GMAFB, cash. 

Hey cash, my grandfather called and said he enjoys making purchases with you 

[LimestoneOutcropping]

Don't have a discover but have a Delta Amex for business purchases and a Hilton Visa for personal purchases.  Absolutely retarded to not pay for everything you possibly can with them.  I get more angry than I probably should when I have to pay cash for something. 

x2

I hate carrying cash, and lose a ton of money because I can't keep track of my change.  GMAFB, cash. 

Hey cash, my grandfather called and said he enjoys making purchases with you 

Right on.  What's next, wampum?  Shells and beads?  Retarded to not slide a slick looking card into the leather restaurant booklet bill thing to pay your tab. 

[KSU176]

I don't get it either.

But then again, I've started thinking that anyone who uses a credit card is funny.

Why's that? They give you free money.

My tax dollars have given the credit cards enough free money.  I don't need any percentages of any purchases going to "help" them.  That's pretty much an automatic 4% I can take off when I'm negotiating a bargain.

Do you negotiate a bargain when purchasing groceries, gas, or a restaurant bill?

As long as you pay your balance every month they give you free crap.

No kidding.  We get hundreds of dollars in free money every year just by using credit cards.  Discover have 5% cash back for different categories every quarter.  It adds up.

[Rick Daris]

hey guys-

money just called and it said to be sure and wash your hands after using it because of all the absolutely dirty/filthy places it's been. thought i'd pass it along.

-daris

[steve dave]

Hey guys, your local bartender just called and said he enjoys seeing the figure you write into the tip line at the end off the evening.  Also mentioned that he rarely sees the guys put the dollars in his jar. 

[Rick Daris]

just got this text from a penny-

"sry d00dz. iknowisuck. don't blame everybody for wanted to get rid of me :( "

[QuinnMac]

so what you're all saying is that it doesn't make sense and I should get like 5 of these bad boys?

[steve dave]

so what you're all saying is that it doesn't make sense and I should get like 5 of these bad boys?

No, generally, discover cards are the lame.  Mainly because you can't use them a ton of places and can get good benefits from a universally usable visa or amex.  I guess having one as an alternate card or something wouldn't hurt though.

[QuinnMac]

Oh I actually wasn't meaning specifically Discover, just a card. But I do understand now about Discover cards.

[RonLongshaft]

Oh I actually wasn't meaning specifically Discover, just a card. But I do understand now about Discover cards.

good idea quinn, get some plastic so you can buy me some meatloaf

[Kat Kid]

so what you're all saying is that it doesn't make sense and I should get like 5 of these bad boys?

pay off the entire balance at end of month.  never carry balance.

if you can't do that/afford to do that don't get them.

[doom]

I've gotten over $150 of free cabela's dollars just for using my visa and I don't ever owe them anything. 

[FelixRex]

I used my Visa to effectively launder all my housing expenses, car expenses, food and pretty much everything else. Pay it off at the end of the month, and you can just about rack up a free flight to Europe every year (thanks to the morons who carry a huge balance and pay the minimum every month). I think of it as my tax-payers revenge against the morons whose existence I have to subsidize. Makes me feel a little better (vengeance is a pretty underrated narcotic IMO; no diminishing returns as far as I can tell).

[steve dave]

I used my Visa to effectively launder all my housing expenses, car expenses, food and pretty much everything else. Pay it off at the end of the month, and you can just about rack up a free flight to Europe every year (thanks to the morons who carry a huge balance and pay the minimum every month). I think of it as my tax-payers revenge against the morons whose existence I have to subsidize. Makes me feel a little better (vengeance is a pretty underrated narcotic IMO; no diminishing returns as far as I can tell).

Which card?  Specific airline?

[Kat Kid]

I used my Visa to effectively launder all my housing expenses, car expenses, food and pretty much everything else. Pay it off at the end of the month, and you can just about rack up a free flight to Europe every year (thanks to the morons who carry a huge balance and pay the minimum every month). I think of it as my tax-payers revenge against the morons whose existence I have to subsidize. Makes me feel a little better (vengeance is a pretty underrated narcotic IMO; no diminishing returns as far as I can tell).

Which card?  Specific airline?

You better not get mrs. dave in on the ground level.  wait till your ready then casually be all like "let me know when you can get a few days off lover.  I'd like to do a 5 day weekend in Barcelona."

[catdude33]

Studies show when you use a credit card you overspend by 12% - 18%.  So even if you're paying the balance off every month and getting 2-3% back you are losing money as compared to those people paying with cash.

Looks like somebody just leveled the playing field.

[jeffy]

Credit cards are handy to have, just never keep a balance and you will be fine

Using credit cards statistically results in spending 12-18% more than you spend with cash.  It makes it painless to spend money.  Paying with cash makes you feel like you are buying something and you are more cognizant over how much you are spending. (looks like catdude just beat me to it)

Do you negotiate a bargain when purchasing groceries, gas, or a restaurant bill?

As long as you pay your balance every month they give you free crap.

Not typically, but my discount also comes from spending that 15% less. 

Also, having had my identity stolen and not really knowing where it happened, I quit giving restaurant workers my credit card to take out of my site long before I ever got rid of them all.

Even the most basic identity theft is no fun to deal with.

[Kat Kid]

Credit cards are handy to have, just never keep a balance and you will be fine

Using credit cards statistically results in spending 12-18% more than you spend with cash.  It makes it painless to spend money.  Paying with cash makes you feel like you are buying something and you are more cognizant over how much you are spending. (looks like catdude just beat me to it)

Do you negotiate a bargain when purchasing groceries, gas, or a restaurant bill?

As long as you pay your balance every month they give you free crap.

Not typically, but my discount also comes from spending that 15% less. 

Also, having had my identity stolen and not really knowing where it happened, I quit giving restaurant workers my credit card to take out of my site long before I ever got rid of them all.

Even the most basic identity theft is no fun to deal with.

Honest question:

Do you really think that statistic is distributed evenly?  I mean considering that most people carry a balance and none of the people in this discussion seem to, wouldn't you suppose that might not be an accurate figure?

If you have the self control and financial wherewithall to pay off the card every month, it is probably a net gain.

Personally, I go in cycles but find it much easier to use credit card/debit card so that I can easily track where I'm spending my money without a Costanza wallet.