# Tesco Credit Card



## munsterman25 (19 Apr 2010)

Hi

I currently use an AIB Visa card. Use it quite a bit but pay it off in full every month. 

Was thinking of switching to the tesco visa card and availing of the tesco points I could collect rather than getting nothing off AIB.

Anyone any expereince of the tesco card, and catches? Interest rates etc dont concern me as I pay in full every month.

thanks


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## BOXtheFOX (19 Apr 2010)

I have a credit limit on my credit card of €10k. Like yourself, I pay mine off in full every month. I have never used the credit. The only reason I keep my current card is because I might need the credit sometime. Maybe if I was stuck in Spain because of volcanoes etc.
If you have no credit limit worth talking about I would certainly switch to Tesco or Ulster Bank.
How does the government tax work if you switch cards mid year? Do you end up paying both?


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## munsterman25 (19 Apr 2010)

BOXtheFOX said:


> I have a credit limit on my credit card of €10k. Like yourself, I pay mine off in full every month. I have never used the credit. The only reason I keep my current card is because I might need the credit sometime. Maybe if I was stuck in Spain because of volcanoes etc.
> If you have no credit limit worth talking about I would certainly switch to Tesco or Ulster Bank.
> How does the government tax work if you switch cards mid year? Do you end up paying both?


 
My limit is 5,200 I think..........why do Tesco impose a much lower limit?

I think you get a letter from your previous card provider to say you have paid this years stamp duty and you dont have to pay again......I think


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## demoivre (19 Apr 2010)

munsterman25 said:


> My limit is 5,200 I think..........why do Tesco impose a much lower limit?
> 
> I think you get a letter from your previous card provider to say you have paid this years stamp duty and you dont have to pay again......I think



You're right - Ask your old credit card issuer for a Letter of Closure, which proves  that you paid the stamp duty for that year, and give it to the new credit card issuer.


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## my2leftfeet (19 Apr 2010)

I also pay bill in full every month - and Tesco credit card works very well for me. I have AIB Visa also but Tesco card is used for all large purchases - and the points do mount up and are always a bonus.

I may in time phase out AIB Visa but haven't yet because you can't view 
your transactions on line with Tesco Visa.  When buying on line from companies i haven't dealt with previously I tend to use AIB Visa because I can track/monitor transaction on line.  With Tesco I get a monthly bill in the post which can be some time after the original transaction.

Also - if you withdraw cash on Tesco Visa you pay interest from date of withdrawal.  This is not the case with AIB Visa. You pay a one off transaction charge.

With regard to paying your bill - you can pay through on-line banking. I rang through to helpline and got their bank details. Much more convenient than writing a cheque/going to bank.

In summary - if you manage properly - the Tesco card can be used to great advantage.

Note the points don't have to be spent in Tesco - you can get 4 times the value if you go for the Deals.  Mine are usually spent in Milano [€2.50 worth of points buys €10 voucher]

One last thing - as far as I can recall - the incentive to sign up covered the first year stamp duty.


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## munsterman25 (19 Apr 2010)

my2leftfeet said:


> I also pay bill in full every month - and Tesco credit card works very well for me. I have AIB Visa also but Tesco card is used for all large purchases - and the points do mount up and are always a bonus.
> 
> I may in time phase out AIB Visa but haven't yet because you can't view
> your transactions on line with Tesco Visa. When buying on line from companies i haven't dealt with previously I tend to use AIB Visa because I can track/monitor transaction on line. With Tesco I get a monthly bill in the post which can be some time after the original transaction.
> ...


 
Ya sounds like it would work for me.....I always pay off the balance in full and never withdraw cash with it. One thing I wondered when I read the T and C's was about foreign currency transactions, do these incur an interest charge or does that occur only when you withdraw foreign currency from an ATM abroad


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## POC (5 May 2010)

*Tesco visa card*

I have a Tesco card too, and pay in full each month. The clubcard points do add up! We have used them for ferry fares, meals out, Legoland tickets, zoo tickets, magazine subs etc. I'm delighted with the card. However they are quick to freeze the card if they see unusual transactions or patterns. It is always resolved immediately on the phone - but we were embarrassed once in a sports shop in France when it was refused and we couldn't speak French! We had enough cash to pay instead (approx 250 euro) - I rang them on my mobile from the car park, and once they knew it was the card holder attempting the transaction they cleared us to use the card again. All in all I'd prefer their security to be tight - even if it means they occasionally ring us to query a transaction - especially if it's an overseas website or purchase. It hasn't happened for a few years. I sometimes ring them before going on a holiday, to let them know what countries we will be making transactions in - so as to avoid a repeat of the French sports shop episode!


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## MáirtInide (6 May 2010)

Hi Munsterman

Do you have the AIB Platinum, coz I think it was mentioned, there is a bonus payment due each month, depending on your spend, 0.5% I think, subject to conditions, see below:



> Features
> 
> 
> Cash Back Awards
> ...



Sorry,can't post link due to posting restrictions, hopefully soon


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## canicemcavoy (26 May 2010)

Does anyone know if you can pay your Tesco credit card through AIB Online Banking? Am thinking of getting one but would like this convienience.

EDIT: Having seen how poor their customer service is rated, though, I'm reconsidering:

http://www.reviewcentre.com/reviews2784.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/blog/2009/mar/30/tesco-bank-account


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## Gervan (26 May 2010)

Yes, AIB online banking can be used to pay the Tesco Visa card.


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## babaduck (26 May 2010)

We've had one for the past 2 years and we've very happy with it.  We got it to maximise our Tesco Clubcard points and we use it for everything over €10 and pay off the card in full every month, rather than using cash or laser.  I've also no problem in lending to my sis for booking flights etc as she pays her share the next day via the Post Office.

We use the Tesco points for Clubcard Deals tokens - this year our saved points converted to €1200 in Deal Tokens which paid for our ferry to France and a mobile home with Siblu.  All we had to add in cash was €90.  To us, the card is working the way we want it to.  We always notify them if we're travelling abroad to make sure there's no problems using the card.  Our limit is €5k which is plenty - we don't need a bigger one.  I pay it using billpay.ie as we transfer money from our own bank accounts & the joint account.


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## lassie (30 May 2010)

I've applied for a tesco credit card and got an letter saying my new tesco card was just a signature away including a credit  agreement which i signed and sent back to them in the prepaid envelope. I got a second letter the next day saying my application was approved and asking for prof of address etc . I sent on the required documents , does any one know how long it will be before I receive the card ?


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## mimmi (22 Jun 2010)

How long does it take to hear ANYTHING back from Tescos? I sent off my application over 2 weeks ago and nothing yet, not even ' thank you..we are preocessing your application'.

How long did it take others to get their card approved?


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## annetcl (22 Jun 2010)

I have had a torrid time getting my application finalised...granted it was complicated by the fact that i moved house in the middle of my application....my application was sent in March and i havent yet gotten my card even though it is supposedly just a signature away! they are tremendously petty about the documents to verify identity so be sure to handover everything required as complete as possible is all I can say. Do not expect them to call you after your submission....customer service is practically non-existant. I have had to call them more than 5 times to check on the status of my application and each time I get more frustrated than the previous time. If the latest document submission is still not adequate, then I give up - I am just going to apply for the Ulster CCard. It really shouldnt be this difficult to card. I got my application to TDWaterhouse sorted in a week!


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## mimmi (23 Jun 2010)

Thanks annetcl

Oh dear, does not sound good - no service level agreements then!!

Maybe I should go with MBA as they hound me all the time, but I wanted my Club Points as a Bonus with a Tesco CC. Oh well, just stick with AIB then.

Out of interest what number did you call them on? The CC Customer Support line wanted a Teasco CC Number - I gave up !!


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## qwerty? (28 Jun 2010)

mimmi said:


> How long does it take to hear ANYTHING back from Tescos? I sent off my application over 2 weeks ago and nothing yet, not even ' thank you..we are preocessing your application'.
> 
> How long did it take others to get their card approved?



I applied in April, finally got it today... I sent wrong documentation twice, so I'm partially to blame, but they are in no hurry to get back to you when theres a problem.

I knew they had no online banking, but thought there was a telephone banking number for balance checking - can't find a number for it thou in the documentation, anyone confirm this?


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## babaduck (28 Jun 2010)

1800 555743 is the number


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## annetcl (29 Jun 2010)

mimmi said:


> Thanks annetcl
> 
> Oh dear, does not sound good - no service level agreements then!!
> 
> ...



Hi Mimmi

Sorry for the late reply. I have no problem calling them at this number: 1800555739 - whether they are of any help or not is another matter. Have not heard from them since i resent my documents!


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## annetcl (30 Jun 2010)

mimmi said:


> Thanks annetcl
> 
> Oh dear, does not sound good - no service level agreements then!!
> 
> ...


 
I am officially giving up on Tesco! Called for the 10th time and they managed to find another 'fault' in the documents I sent! I can't believe this! Ulster it is for me!


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## qwerty? (2 Jul 2010)

babaduck said:


> 1800 555743 is the number



Apparently thats the number to activate the card. The number for Balance Inquiries is 0845 6040409.


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## Willy Fogg (2 Jul 2010)

qwerty? said:


> Apparently thats the number to activate the card. The number for Balance Inquiries is 0845 6040409.



That's a UK number.


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## patrickjd (5 Jul 2010)

sorry my error


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## patrickjd (5 Jul 2010)

Do posters fund that the Tesco card pays for itself?
i.e. is it worth paying the EUR30 govt fee jus to use it in Tesco throughout the year? I already have an AIB Visa card which I intend to keep hold of.


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## mimmi (8 Jul 2010)

annetcl said:


> I am officially giving up on Tesco! Called for the 10th time and they managed to find another 'fault' in the documents I sent! I can't believe this! Ulster it is for me!


 

I have been lucky, I have not had to resend documents. I just got my acceptance letter today and PIN number - awaiting the card now. I would say it's taken nearly 6 weeks to get this far, so it's quite a slow process. Anyway so long as I can get it to work for me I will be happy.


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## CoKildare (19 Jul 2010)

the govt tax is 30 euro per year at the moment. normally you would pay it on closure of your existing card. when the balance on that card is zero, you can call aib for a govt stamp duty cert which confirms you have paid it for 2010. you can send that into tesco then so that you are not charged the 30 euro in april 2011. the closure letter sent does not mention govt stamp duty being paid. i got one and it mention govt stamp duty has been applied on closure and to cancel any subscriptions on the card. when the balance was zero, i called them and had the exemption cert within 3 days.


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