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Old 02-10-2010, 09:03 AM
 
Location: Sloooowcala Florida
1,392 posts, read 3,114,131 times
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Why wouldn't the overdrawn debit charge be processed as usual and the customer be charged the overdraft fee by the bank?
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Old 02-10-2010, 10:33 AM
 
269 posts, read 907,999 times
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I use my check card for everything. Never had a problem at any hotel and I used to travel a lot for work. I've seen it where the hotel would either hold the money or charge it up front and give any credits at check out. Either way if you have the money on the card you should be good.

However I'd run into problems using smaller rental car companies, larger one's would pull my credit and make sure everything was in check but if you have bad credit then that's not an option. I do think the whole credit card requirement for things is BS and just leads us into the debt problems we're in.
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Old 02-10-2010, 10:37 AM
 
9,912 posts, read 13,860,953 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by marmac View Post
Some motels won't even accept cash anymore.
Yes! And it's the MOST RIDICULOUS thing I've ever had the misfortune to come across.
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Old 02-10-2010, 10:38 AM
 
Location: Frankfort, IN
111 posts, read 434,494 times
Reputation: 57
Quote:
Originally Posted by smartygurl View Post
Why wouldn't the overdrawn debit charge be processed as usual and the customer be charged the overdraft fee by the bank?
It probably varies from bank to bank, but if I don't have the money in my account, my debit card will get denied. Say I have $300 in my account and try to charge $325, it will get denied. If I have $300 and try to charge $195, it will get approved. If I have $300 in my account, have outstanding transactions of $150 and then charge $195 to my card, my card will get approved, but I'll get the overdraft when the outstanding transactions go through. It would all depend on when your other transactions go through on whether or not you'd get hit with the overdraft.

In the hotel scenario, lets say you stay say Friday through Tuesday and they pre-authorize you for $500 on your debit card, and you have $750 in your account. You're still theoretically free to use all $750. If you go charge $300 at restaurants and shows, then that cuts you down to $450, which is less than you'd owe the hotel. If your restaurant and show charges go through the system before the hotel actually charges you, then the hotel will be denied once they try to charge your card. If the hotel charges you before those other charges go through, then the hotel will get approved too, but you'll get the overdraft fee on the other charges.

Keep in mind, debit cards don't always deduct from your account right away. If it's a PIN transaction, it's usually pretty quick, but if you're at a restaurant and just have to sign, it may take a few days to come out.
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Old 02-10-2010, 10:40 AM
 
Location: Frankfort, IN
111 posts, read 434,494 times
Reputation: 57
Quote:
Originally Posted by SLippi View Post
I use my check card for everything. Never had a problem at any hotel and I used to travel a lot for work. I've seen it where the hotel would either hold the money or charge it up front and give any credits at check out. Either way if you have the money on the card you should be good.

However I'd run into problems using smaller rental car companies, larger one's would pull my credit and make sure everything was in check but if you have bad credit then that's not an option. I do think the whole credit card requirement for things is BS and just leads us into the debt problems we're in.
Yes as long as the money is in the account, you should be good. Just make sure that you do have your account balances right and know what you can spend without cutting into what you'd owe the hotel.

Last edited by mdlee3; 02-10-2010 at 11:16 AM..
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Old 02-10-2010, 12:55 PM
 
9,803 posts, read 16,107,669 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Buns View Post
Very true. My Resort doesn't not accept cash...we just highly discourage it. And...we'll typically only accept cash as a full payment at the time of check-out...never at check-in. We always require a credit card on file at check-in(or debit card, in some cases...).
Yup, I ran into that problem at Mobley Missouri one night.

The elderly gentleman at the desk said they needed a credit card at check-in to cover in case the wife and I trashed the place.

Being we are both 64, I suppose we were viewed as most likely suspects to trash the place.

Next trip, we will stop for a motel earlier so if they refuse cash we can tell them they can keep their vacant room and we will look elsewhere !
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Old 02-10-2010, 01:22 PM
 
50 posts, read 570,152 times
Reputation: 65
Quote:
Originally Posted by smartygurl View Post
Why wouldn't the overdrawn debit charge be processed as usual and the customer be charged the overdraft fee by the bank?
There is a difference between a hotel pre-authorizing a charge and actually charging.

Quote:
Originally Posted by mdlee3 View Post
It probably varies from bank to bank, but if I don't have the money in my account, my debit card will get denied. Say I have $300 in my account and try to charge $325, it will get denied. If I have $300 and try to charge $195, it will get approved. If I have $300 in my account, have outstanding transactions of $150 and then charge $195 to my card, my card will get approved, but I'll get the overdraft when the outstanding transactions go through. It would all depend on when your other transactions go through on whether or not you'd get hit with the overdraft.

In the hotel scenario, lets say you stay say Friday through Tuesday and they pre-authorize you for $500 on your debit card, and you have $750 in your account. You're still theoretically free to use all $750. If you go charge $300 at restaurants and shows, then that cuts you down to $450, which is less than you'd owe the hotel. If your restaurant and show charges go through the system before the hotel actually charges you, then the hotel will be denied once they try to charge your card. If the hotel charges you before those other charges go through, then the hotel will get approved too, but you'll get the overdraft fee on the other charges.

Keep in mind, debit cards don't always deduct from your account right away. If it's a PIN transaction, it's usually pretty quick, but if you're at a restaurant and just have to sign, it may take a few days to come out.
Very well said!!


Quote:
Originally Posted by marmac View Post
Yup, I ran into that problem at Mobley Missouri one night.

The elderly gentleman at the desk said they needed a credit card at check-in to cover in case the wife and I trashed the place.

Being we are both 64, I suppose we were viewed as most likely suspects to trash the place.

Next trip, we will stop for a motel earlier so if they refuse cash we can tell them they can keep their vacant room and we will look elsewhere !
64-Year-Old Married Couples are our #1 Suspects when it comes to damaging our rooms ! Just Kidding...but of course you never want to ASS-U-ME anything, right....because you just never know! We certainly don't want to be accused of Age Profiling or anything! Just because you're 64 doesn't mean you don't still know how to party and trash a hotel room!
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Old 02-10-2010, 07:28 PM
 
9,912 posts, read 13,860,953 times
Reputation: 7330
Quote:
Originally Posted by marmac View Post
Yup, I ran into that problem at Mobley Missouri one night.

The elderly gentleman at the desk said they needed a credit card at check-in to cover in case the wife and I trashed the place.

Being we are both 64, I suppose we were viewed as most likely suspects to trash the place.

Next trip, we will stop for a motel earlier so if they refuse cash we can tell them they can keep their vacant room and we will look elsewhere !
Yeah, that's pretty much how I viewed it when I came across it too.

Given my age and the kinds of hotels/motels I book I hardly think they're going to lose a TV out the window or have the chandeliers ripped from the roof by me swinging on them.

I informed the desk clerk at the last place that next time I was in the city I wouldn't be staying there NOR would I recommend the place to friends, none of whom are prone to fits of destruction of property either.
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Old 02-11-2010, 12:10 AM
 
Location: West Michigan
654 posts, read 3,447,002 times
Reputation: 579
I can understand as far as preauthorizing the hotel cost regardless of what card is presented. That's why I feel when it comes to hotels, it makes sense to just have a card just for that purpose only, and use a different card for regular stuff. At least in that way you won't have to worry about being tempted to use the card reserved just for the hotel. So, if the money was tied up for hotel charges (using a debit card) it won't matter because you already have a different card to use for immediate purchases. As long as there is enough money to cover the time of stay, then there should be no problem whatsoever.
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Old 02-11-2010, 08:16 AM
 
Location: Beautiful New England
2,412 posts, read 7,155,605 times
Reputation: 3072
Quote:
Originally Posted by moonshadow View Post
I informed the desk clerk at the last place that next time I was in the city I wouldn't be staying there NOR would I recommend the place to friends, none of whom are prone to fits of destruction of property either.
Since probably 95+% of people who travel have a credit card, this was likely a threat that carried zero fear. Most people who do not have a credit either have really bad credit (and thus have lost any money they may have had) or they had no money to begin with. And these people tend not to do much non-auto travel. Sure, there are a very few exceptions, but they're not enough to worry about from a business perspective. Road warriors and other frequent travelers know that having a credit card is effectively required to make air, hotel, and rental reservations. People without credit cards just don't do these things much.
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