Quick question about credit cards

Hey everyone,

I want to start using online payments for really small stuff. By small, I mean maybe $100 total would cover my whole year. But honestly, I don’t want to deal with the "online risk" factor—like, if I pay on some sketchy site and they swipe my info, I don't want to be stuck paying off a massive bill because someone drained my account.

Basically, I'm not looking for a credit card with a huge limit; I just want something where I can set a specific amount, say $233, and leave it at that. Is that even possible?

Thanks

If you’re trying to get things moving with PayPal, your best bet is to head down to Chase, open a foreign currency account, and grab a Visa Intel debit card to link to the account. You can only spend what’s actually sitting in there, so the funds pull instantly and that's the end of it. Plus, if someone hacks your account, the most they can swipe is whatever balance is currently on the card. Just make sure you clear out any overdraft protection.

That’s what I do. It works fine.

Can I actually use a debit card to buy plane tickets online? I've always assumed you could only use credit cards for stuff like that on the web... I guess I might be wrong.

I mean, you could always just use a prepaid debit card...☕

You can actually use a Maestro card from Chase for online shopping. They’re pretty much the only ones in the US offering that specific option right now.

As for credit cards, you can totally set your own limit—even if you want to cap it at something small like $100. Of course, the bank reps will try their hardest to talk you into a higher limit, but honestly? Just stick to your guns.

David Williams7 said:If you’re trying to get things moving with PayPal, your best bet is to head down to Chase, open a foreign currency account, and grab a Visa Intel debit card to link to the account. You can only spend what’s actually sitting in there, so the funds pull instantly and that's the end of it. Plus, if someone hacks your account, the most they can swipe is whatever balance is currently on the card. Just make sure you clear out any overdraft protection.

That’s what I do. It works fine.

You can use it for plane tickets too—concerts, gear, all that stuff—I’ve done it myself and it’s solid👍

And like they said, you really only ever use what you have available, so you could just toss maybe $5 or $10 in there, then when you actually need to buy something specific, you just top it up to the amount you need...😉

AFAIK even Chase offers Mastercard debit cards... it’s basically the same deal where it just pulls directly from your checking account if there's money there, and if you're broke, it just declines, right? The only real physical difference between a standard Mastercard and a debit one is that the debit card isn't embossed—you know, you can't really run it through those old-school machines by swiping the raised numbers—but it works perfectly fine at any terminal or online checkout just like a regular credit card would

I'm not sure if I should start a new thread here, but I have an upcoming flight with Delta Air Lines soon, and they only accept Visa or Mastercard credit cards.

To be honest, I'm trying to be frugal—I'd much rather pay online than deal with a service fee at the airport or agency, which looks to be about $37 to $42 more than the web price.

What’s the easiest way for me to get a Mastercard (ideally through JPMorgan Chase)? Also, do I need to show proof of steady employment to qualify? That might be an issue since I mostly do freelance work.
Can anyone help out? I'm a bit lost when it comes to credit card options.
Is it even worth the hassle? It feels like the annual fees might just eat up any savings I make... though paying online is definitely more convenient.

I mentioned this before, but you can just grab some prepaid cards:

Visa: https://www.chase.com/personal/debit-and-credit/prepaid
Mastercard: https://www.bankofamerica.com/personal/debit-and-credit/prepaid-cards

As for JPMorgan Chase or other major banks, if you aren't consistently employed, you can usually get a card approved based on your savings balance.

Charles Ramos7 said:I mentioned this before, but you can just grab some prepaid cards:

Visa: https://www.chase.com/personal/debit-and-credit/prepaid
Mastercard: https://www.bankofamerica.com/personal/debit-and-credit/prepaid-cards

As for JPMorgan Chase or other major banks, if you aren't consistently employed, you can usually get a card approved based on your savings balance.

Thanks for the heads-up regarding the savings-based card option.
What kind of fees are we looking at for a standard credit card?

Also, from what I’ve skimmed online, those prepaid cards often fail verification on certain websites.

Plus, that gift card link you shared isn't even tied to a specific name—I'm not sure how anyone would manage to pay for an airline ticket online with that...

Nicholas Davis14 said:You can actually use a Maestro card from Chase for online shopping. They’re pretty much the only ones in the US offering that specific option right now.

As for credit cards, you can totally set your own limit—even if you want to cap it at something small like $100. Of course, the bank reps will try their hardest to talk you into a higher limit, but honestly? Just stick to your guns.

It should be an Intel Visa, whether it's for domestic or international transactions.

My bad, I didn't really look into what you can actually do with those prepaid cards. I've picked up a few for friends in the past, so your best bet is probably just finding someone who knows which specific card is the right one to grab.
You can check the Chase fee schedule right here: http://www.chase.com/personal/checking/fees

So, you're telling me I can't even use a prepaid card to snag some plane tickets?

brisktinker15 said:So, you're telling me I can't even use a prepaid card to snag some plane tickets?

Here is what it says on the Visa prepaid site:

The Visa prepaid card is primarily designed for secure online shopping. I don't see why you wouldn't be able to...🤷

Well, it really depends on which prepaid card you're looking at. Honestly, what they claim doesn't matter nearly as much as whether the thing actually handles high-volume transactions—like booking flights or something. I wouldn't bet on it if I were you.

That’s easy to say if you’ve actually used one, but honestly, I feel like there's less point in botherng with them these days since "real" cards are so much easier to come by.

Quick question for the group. Which credit card should I go with at Chase?
Visa Classic
Diners Club Standard
Mastercard standard

Or is there something else out there worth looking into?

I’ll tell you which one isn't great: Diners Club.

As for those other two, honestly, it doesn't matter which one.

Taylor Campbell4 said:Well, it really depends on which prepaid card you're looking at. Honestly, what they claim doesn't matter nearly as much as whether the thing actually handles high-volume transactions—like booking flights or something. I wouldn't bet on it if I were you.

I’ve used a Hyp prepaid Mastercard to buy books on Amazon and book hotels throughout Europe without any issues at all. If you're worried about the card not being in your name, there are plenty of prepaid options you can get under your own name and just top up as needed. Personally, I use them for various reservations—like those small B&B stays where you have to email your card details because they don't have an online booking system. That way, if my data ever gets compromised, they can't drain more than what's actually on the card, and I never keep much on there anyway.🙂

stormysurfer40 said:Quick question for the group. Which credit card should I go with at Chase?
Visa Classic
Diners Club Standard
Mastercard standard

Or is there something else out there worth looking into?

From what I can see, the Visa has an APR of 13.99%, but I can't find the interest rate for the Mastercard.
What have your experiences been with these specific cards?