Debit/Credit card question

CrazYmonkeY159

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Hi, I'm a student with no income/job but I would like to buy things online (without using PayPal)

I've been using PayPal (with FNB) but some international e-stores dont accept PayPal

Thanks :)
 
I'm currently at Wits fulltime Chemical Engineering and have an Absa Student Credit Card with a R50 limit. I just whip out my phone, go to online banking, top up the card and pay online for things with it.

The good thing is that as far as anyone / any business is concerned, it is a credit card, so I have all the convenience that comes with it. (Even though I use it technically as a pre paid debit card)
 
I've been using PayPal, and recently started making use of Entropay as well, which is very good.
 
When I say debit card can't be used I'm referring to Maestro or Visa electron cards debit cards that most banks dish out as debit cards. Proper Visa and Mastercards can be used online. Most banks will label these cards cheque (or credit cards depending if the card actually has credit) but I suppose some banks like capitec must call them debit cards as well.
 
When I say debit card can't be used I'm referring to Maestro or Visa electron cards debit cards that most banks dish out as debit cards.
How to use Maestro

It seems though that the refusal to accept these cards is likely coming from the online retailers as even Electron can be used online.
 
I'm currently at Wits fulltime Chemical Engineering and have an Absa Student Credit Card with a R50 limit. I just whip out my phone, go to online banking, top up the card and pay online for things with it.

The good thing is that as far as anyone / any business is concerned, it is a credit card, so I have all the convenience that comes with it. (Even though I use it technically as a pre paid debit card)

Didn't know these existed, been looking for something exactly like this for a while. Any info on how you got it would be most appreciated.

EDIT:- I'm with ABSA already and can't be bothered with the mission of moving debit orders etc to Capitec, also have bursary money coming in from overseas so will be a major mission to move banks.
 
Didn't know these existed, been looking for something exactly like this for a while. Any info on how you got it would be most appreciated.

EDIT:- I'm with ABSA already and can't be bothered with the mission of moving debit orders etc to Capitec, also have bursary money coming in from overseas so will be a major mission to move banks.

I just waltz'ed into the ABSA branch on the Wits property, spoke to the guy that handled "new" customers, signed some papers and had my card a week later. When he asked what the limit should be, I said R50. When he asked if I wanted it to increase every year, I said no. Simple as that.

This is a great way to start building a good credit history.
 
How to use Maestro

It seems though that the refusal to accept these cards is likely coming from the online retailers as even Electron can be used online.

Gambit is correct, you not so much.

Cheque card = credit card and can be accepted anywhere online that takes Visa or Mastercard.

Your plain old Debit card is only accepted online, and in SA, by payd.net merchants which are few and far between and
worse - only std and nedbank cards, and u must have an mtn or vodacom sim card

how crap is that
 
I just waltz'ed into the ABSA branch on the Wits property, spoke to the guy that handled "new" customers, signed some papers and had my card a week later. When he asked what the limit should be, I said R50. When he asked if I wanted it to increase every year, I said no. Simple as that.

This is a great way to start building a good credit history.

Is this a per-transaction limit or a per-day limit. Because well, when I buy something online, the Item usually costs $50-$100 (usually stuff I can't get in SA)

so R50 is kinda small.
 
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