Fantastic, thanks Joe, knowing our stupid customs they will take it as one - 5mg loz every 4 days, for sure mate.
thanks again
Brian

Hi Sue, I only joined Paypal a couple months back, i have been using it on Ebay as well, but not all sellers on Ebay in Australia will accept it, but a few do.
I dislike credit cards myself, don't like spending money that i haven't saved already myself, that's the good thing about Paypal it just deducts money from my own bank account and doesn't cost a mint to run, like some credit cards do.
all the best,
Brian

Why the absolute refusal for a credit card?

Is it because you think it will be stolen...used without your permission?

Or do you not trust yourself ( I know this is embarassing to ask)

If it is the former...let me offer this experience.

We have one Visa that we only use on the internet. I have used it to buy music CDs from Britain and it worked very well.
In the several years we have used it...on many sites, there has never been a theft. But then we only use it on secured places.
Visa has a guarantee that any fraud purchase is quickly refunded.

My son years ago bought something from a "person" with his Capitol one card.
That person did steal the number for use at a porn site. He just called them up and all purchases were refunded that were fraudently done. No fights, nada. That was his only experience, so now he knows to use only secured places.

If you got a Visa to only use the way we do carefully, it is easy to track, and very refundable. It would solve the whole problem and secure for you what you need at a very low price, with little effort. So basically that is what I would do. Use a Visa.

We are not big credit card users. Emergency car repairs is the most I've done on them. We use two rebate Visa cards now locally, and pay them off each month and get rebates on them besides. It takes some discipline, but now it is working for us. Each one is sponsored from a discount club, so their rebates pay for the membership plus more for us.

I don't know how Aussies do their laws however, but I would expect Visa to have similar rules across the board. That is just my 2 cents.

If you have "credit" issues, there are cards now that YOU pay into, like a bank and then use to buy things. I wonder if you have
those there down under? They are really handy. That way you really control how much is available to spend if you worry about theft.

Hi Mrs D, i have always only used cash for everything i buy, i know it's old fashioned these days but just feel a lot safer that way, i have a bank auto teller card for any emergencies, which nearly all retailers and other's in OZ will accept no problems, so i am also covered for like any major repair's for my car that may pop up if traveling a long way away from home too.

My reluctance for having a credit card is that if say my wallet got stolen or lost or the possibility of someone hacking into my credit card details on the net is a worry, i know you can notify the credit card company when you realize its been stolen or lost but i don't need all the hassles of proving it was not me that wasn't spending the money in the time i had not noticed it gone, i don't use internet banking for the same reason, there are a lot of very clever cyber thief's out there that are very capable of getting into what is thought to be a secure site, they can even get through very sophisticated large banking securities and transfer people's money to other overseas accounts, so this is my reasons as well as the extremely high interest rates that credit cards seem to attract.
I am even considering closing my Paypal account, there is already a bogus Paypal site been found, so it looks like postal cheques are for me if buying stuff off the net, but i do appreciate your thoughts.
thanks,
Brian

In my case, I don't like PayPal at all, I refuse to use it. So it is very individual.

If you don't use the card alot, and save it only for a certain purpose, it won't be likely stolen or misused.

I was dubious when the Visa check card came to us from our bank years ago without our asking. But it has been 10 yrs now and not one error.

I just wanted to assure you that the horror stories don't happen to everyone.

Good luck in what you choose. Just get what you need...that is important.

G'day mrsd and Brian!
You're not alone, Brian. I don't like credit either. Many reasons. No internet banking either. I think we're a cautious lot. I ended up getting a visa debit card rather than a credit card. Works exactly the same way except that it's not credit, only uses money that I have in account. Works for all the same things a credit card would work for though. They used to be very hard to get, with banks preferring people get credit and make a fortune out of their customers and give absolutely nothing in return. Banks are almost giving away credit cards here and targeting people who just shouldn't be getting them.

You go to a bank to get robbed around here. I think I've only used it online once to order a TS dvd for someone in NZ who didn't have a credit card lol

here in the states you can get a pre-paid visa card at grocery and gas stations now. you load it with however much you want. you don't have to give them any personal information.

works great for online buying.

brian, let me see if i can find the website. my 13 yr old got one for her birthday last spring. new fangled gift card. but i have put money on it since. safer than her using cash when going to the movies with friends, that type of thing.

G'day curious. Thanks for the reminder. I vaguely remember my daughter telling me about them here too. Very new here. i.e. last few months or so (my daughter... the shopaholic should never be allowed a credit card LOL)

p.s. Bopo is one here in Au.
http://www.bopo.com.au/Home.aspx#
Can recharge at newsagents. No bank account needed.
There are others.

Pardon if someone has already mentioned any of this.

Credit cards are actually very safe. Not only is there a low limit (if any) that you would be held responsible for, but there is also extra leverage if there is a problem with a product or service. And many cards even provide extra warrantee time.

Watch out for cards that draw from your bank account. Yikes.

I have never had a problem with using my credit card online (and have done so for years), but several years ago my employer stole my identity. Aaaargh. Who'da ever thought that would happen.

rose

Rose,
It's a very personalized decision I guess.
Not all of us are working any more. Need to be employed to have a credit card here unless something has drastically changed. I've never had a problem with my debit card either but I very rarely use it. Usually I just use my regular debit card (not visa but same accounts) There is no need. It's just very handy to have that number when a card is required. e.g. car hire on vacation. Can't hire unless have a visa card, either debit or credit. Lot of places work that way.