# Can I preload my credit card?



## Bubbly Scot (19 Jun 2008)

(and this has nothing to do with the 16 year old! )

I'm going on holiday soon and my husband mentioned that friends at work told him to preload his credit card with his spending money, safer than cash. I did this once in the UK and my CC was frozen, it took an irate call to the company to assure them I was not money laundering (their words). I've never done it since.

Sure the other way is to "buy now, pay later" but I've saved the spends and Himself can't be faffed with travellers cheques since we're going to a Euro country.

Does laser work in France?


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## z105 (19 Jun 2008)

> Does laser work in France?



Laser is an Irish card, used exclusively in Ireland, what you might have on the back of your laser card is Cirrus or Maestro and then you can use your card in ATMs like here. They don't know what Laser is in France.

Have a listen back to the Joe Duffy show on Monday (I think) or Tuesday, a guy loaded his card and it was "stopped" by his CC company and he ran into terrible problems by the sounds of it. You can hear it on www.rte.ie follow to Radio, then Liveline.


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## Alex (19 Jun 2008)

i have put my halifax cc into credit numerous times without any problems.


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## Syd2207 (19 Jun 2008)

I travelled around the world last year with both my laser card and my Credit Card with plenty of cash on both of them. 

If you have money on your Credit Card, when you use it abroad you won't get charged transactions fee.. Bearing in mind if you go into the red on it they will charge you and advanced cash fee.With your laser card you will a fee for using it aborad. 

Def better to use the CC with Credit on it....You should give your bank a quick call in advance to tell them you are heading overseas as they might class it as unusual activity on your account! better to be safe tho!


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## Bubbly Scot (19 Jun 2008)

Syd2207 said:


> You should give your bank a quick call in advance to tell them you are heading overseas as they might class it as unusual activity on your account! better to be safe tho!


 
Yes, he mentioned that as well, it's on my "To do" list.


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## NicolaM (19 Jun 2008)

Syd2207 said:


> If you have money on your Credit Card, when you use it abroad you won't get charged transactions fee.. Bearing in mind if you go into the red on it they will charge you and advanced cash fee.With your laser card you will a fee for using it aborad.


I don't think this is necessarily correct. You would need to check with your company, as at least some of the CC companies charge for any cash withdrawals, account in credit or not.
The other thing you need to consider if insurance: if the card is stolen money that is in credit may not be covered by the credit card insurance (certainly in the past this was the case with my credit card). If this is the case, it is certainly no safer than carrying cash.
You should ring your credit card provider to ask them re these two issues (better safe than sorry!)
Fine to use your debit card once it has cirrus/maestro on it, in France (eurozone). 
Nicola
additional info
Cash advance fee
This is a transaction fee charged each time you make a cash withdrawal on your credit card. Some providers charge this fee even if you have already paid enough cash into your account to cover the withdrawal amount. (itsyourmoney.ie)


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## NicolaM (19 Jun 2008)

Here are the t&c for the main credit cards.
The majority of them charge a cash advance fee, even if account in credit 
Nicola


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## Bubbly Scot (19 Jun 2008)

Thanks guys. I was hoping to preload the cc to pay for petrol, dinner etc and use laser to withdraw from ATMs. I don't mind a little surcharge for having the convenience, I was just worried my card would be stopped which would be a tad inconvenient.


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## NicolaM (19 Jun 2008)

Hi
The fee is for _cash advances_, at 1.5% of the transaction (which all adds up...)
However you wouldn't be charged a cash advance fee for paying in a restaurant etc as you would be just using the card, not withdrawing money (if you see what I mean). 
Happy holidays!
Nicola


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## kkontour (19 Jun 2008)

Bubbly Scot said:


> Thanks guys. I was hoping to preload the cc to pay for petrol, dinner etc and use laser to withdraw from ATMs. I don't mind a little surcharge for having the convenience, I was just worried my card would be stopped which would be a tad inconvenient.


If you just need it for petrol and dinner why do you need to preload it?  Just use the CC as normal and pay you bill when it arrives.  I know my cc provider will not cover any preloaded monies on my card if its used fraudulently


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## Bubbly Scot (19 Jun 2008)

Not to be pedantic or anything but I did say "petrol, dinner etc", not really feeling the need to spell out exactly what I would be using the card for. Our use of the credit card will be much higher during that two weeks than in any regular month and we keep a pretty low credit limit on it which is ok for day to day but not the hammering it will get on holiday. 
Thanks for the tip about your cc provider, I think that's standard so something to watch for.


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## Fauve (19 Jun 2008)

Hi Bubbly Scot
Have a great holiday!
We were in France a few weeks ago, used Laser card..that is _Maestro/Cirrus_ which may be somewhere on your card.
Pin numbers required everywhere we were in France, including cc.
Fauve


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