Credit Card Question

[willhslade100]

Hi all,

I've got a PC Financial Mastercard, a Citbank Mastercard and the BMO Prepaid Mastercard. One thing I've noticed is that if you buy something at, say, noon on a Tuesday, it often won't show up online on your statement for a few days.

Not that I can't wait, or that I can't set up a spreadsheet to track where I am, but it would be more convenient if there was a card that updated in real time, or at least the same day. Do Visas or American Express work like this, or is it just these cards that I am using.

Thanks,
Slade

[Anteros]

My MBNA Mastercard seems to be updated in real time on the website. check out the Smart Cash card a few threads down if you're interested.

I think it's just that some companies don't show the temporary authorizations and wait until they actually go through before posting them.

[comicbookguy]

i found that it depends on the vendors sometimes as well. dominion always shows up quickly. i've had some charges take over three days. i use both visa and amex and have found the same is true for both.

[casperr]

It is not up to the vendor really.

There are only two credit cards AFAIK that show your real time transactions online

MBNA Mastercard
Desjardins Visa

[AllWheelDrift]

It is not up to the vendor really.
Well, some vendors seem to be much slower to post the final transaction after the initial preauth, so if you don't have a card that shows the temporary transactions (MBNA and Desjardins) the vendor can make a difference.

[jmc0]

Makes a big different when it's done manually, by hand via the old carbon paper and card imprint. There are still places that does this, don't know if it's because the vendor only have these devices or if their electronic device was down...

[casperr]

Well, some vendors seem to be much slower to post the final transaction after the initial preauth, so if you don't have a card that shows the temporary transactions (MBNA and Desjardins) the vendor can make a difference.

I know but the OP is curious to see if for other cards, the transactions show instantly online, just like how the mentioned cards work. Even if some vendors are fast in posting, they still won't be able to see the transactions online for at least a day, and that's probably the fastest

[Jucius Maximus]

Honestly, I think most CC providers do this to prevent the online display from compounding any feelings of buyer's remorse. They want you to keep spending without having to immediately deal with the feelings of having spent that money. That is what credit cards are all about: People make larger amounts of purchases because they don't "feel" the money leaving them the same way it is with cash.

[CompWizrd]

Citibank is really slow, i've seen my card messed up for two weeks because they're adding and removing holds(even when i haven't used the card), but they figure it out by the time a statement goes out.

[boyoflondon]

Honestly, I think most CC providers do this to prevent the online display from compounding any feelings of buyer's remorse. They want you to keep spending without having to immediately deal with the feelings of having spent that money. That is what credit cards are all about: People make larger amounts of purchases because they don't "feel" the money leaving them the same way it is with cash.

What does this have to do with anything? Do you actually think that majority of people out there have the online account set up? Very unlikely.


Citibank is really slow, i've seen my card messed up for two weeks because they're adding and removing holds(even when i haven't used the card), but they figure it out by the time a statement goes out.

Citi (or any bank for that matter) are not the ones who are "adding and removing" holds. Any hold placed on the account is dictated by the merchant. CC issuer has nothing to do with those holds until they are released from the account by the merchant bank.

[brunes]

It is not up to the vendor really.

There are only two credit cards AFAIK that show your real time transactions online

MBNA Mastercard
Desjardins Visa

This is true. MBNA also shows the pre-auths in real time.

IE, if you go buy gas, you will see the $100 pre-auth/hold on your card instantly at the MBNA website.