On Thu, 2003-01-23 at 15:32, Austin Acton wrote: > On Thu, 2003-01-23 at 09:02, Adam Williamson wrote: > > Tiny point - you don't need a credit card. Lots of debit cards work OK. > > My PayPal account uses my VISA debit card. > > Funny you mention that. What we call 'debit cards' in Canada are > actually 'bank cards' or Interac. While originally intended for ATM > machines, they have really caught on in Ontario for in-store purchases. > They offer this in most provinces I think, but in Ontario, purchasing > with a bank card is rampant - to the degree that many of my friends > don't carry cash at all, just a bank card. (madness)
That's how it's been in the UK for ages, and it's exactly what I do. For one thing, if you don't carry any cash, it can never get stolen. Yes, I went to Australia recently, and was rather caught off-balance by the fact they have different cards for deposit and checking accounts, this just doesn't happen in the UK :). You have a bank account with a debit card that acts as an ATM withdrawal card, cheque guarantee card, and which you can buy stuff with, plus a separate credit card. Handy. > Too bad there's no secure way to use Interac online. > Austin Well, my card's provided by VISA - it works just like a VISA credit card for online stuff. The other big provider in the UK is Switch, and many sites accept their cards too. I know you can get similar accounts in the US, but I guess from what you say they aren't very popular. Funny, I find my card a lifesaver :) -- adamw
