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Accepted Everywhere?
Certain transactions traditionally thought to be reserved for cash only are now available on credit cards, thanks largely to technological advancements. Several companies, including Square, Intuit and, most recently, PayPal, have introduced small credit card readers that attach to smartphones, then link to an app so small merchants or individuals can take credit and debit cards just like any other business.“[These readers] are changing the landscape a bit,” says Ben Woolsey, director of marketing and consumer research with CreditCards.com. “It’s really lowering the barrier to entry.”
Woolsey adds that electronic payments for public services can also save states and municipalities time and money, which has led to an increased adoption of plastic. Read on to find out what types of unexpected items you can now charge to your favorite credit card.
Photo Credit: SquareUp.com
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Make a Donation to a Salvation Army Kettle
Square enabled the Salvation Army to accept credit card donations at its kettles this past holiday season, allowing Good Samaritans to swipe their cards on readers attached to Android phones donated to bell ringers by Sprint.The option was only available in select markets, including New York, Chicago, Dallas and San Francisco. There’s no official word yet on whether the nonprofit plans on expanding the option in 2012, though it did announce in January that the new technology (it also introduced online kettles that accepted donations via plastic) led to a fundraising record of $147.6 million raised in 2011.
Photo Credit: SalvationArmy.org
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Pay Your Library Fees
Many libraries, including the San Francisco Public Library and the New York Public Library, allow you to pay fines and late fees online with a debit or credit card. But residents of Columbus, Ga., recently were given the option to charge their library fees to their Visa or MasterCard in person.Photo Credit: CCAC North Library
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Buy Girl Scout Cookies
The Girl Scouts announced in February 2011 that troops in northeast Ohio would be ringing up cookie sales by accepting credit cards on their mobile phones with GoPayment, another app, plus a card reader that lets smartphone owners accept credit cards.“We've lost out on sales in the past because many potential cookie customers did not carry cash,” said Marianne Love, director of business services for Girl Scouts of North East Ohio, in a press release.
The Girl Scouts recently switched to Sage Mobile Payments for their 2012 sales season.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
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Make a Political Donation … on the Campaign Trail
You probably know that many politicians accept credit card donations via their campaign’s official website, but thanks to these plastic card readers, they can also accept funds after a candidate speaks on the campaign trail. Reports have surfaced that both the Obama and Romney campaigns are using Square while stumping and GoPayment issued a press release just this week targeted towards getting campaign managers to use its application to accept political donations as well.Photo Credit: IowaPolitics.com
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Purchase Goods at a Flea Market
Card readers have also made it possible for small merchants to accept credit card payments at flea markets and local craft fairs. Yelp reviews indicate several flea markets in New York City feature vendors that will accept your plastic payment methods.Photo Credit: Sneakerdog
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Post Bail
Certain municipalities will allow you to use a credit card as collateral for a traffic ticket, says Chris Mettler, founder of CompareCards.com. The card essentially serves as a bond that prevents you from losing your license while you wait for your court date. Other cities will also let you post bail with a credit card, according to CreditCards.com, although there are often heavy fees attached to doing so.Photo Credit: Joe Shlabotnik
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Pay a Parking Meter
More and more, cities are adding credit card readers to their parking meters, including, most recently, uptown Minneapolis, Minn., San Luis Obispo, Calif., and Bethlehem, Pa.The card readers can be advantageous to those who can’t find any change in their pockets (or in between their car seats), but Woolsey says “it’s more of a money-saving thing for a city” since they no longer have to send anyone out to collect the quarters.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
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Get Through a Toll
Many states allow drivers to link a credit or debit card to a service like E-ZPass or PlatePlass, which allow them to zip through a toll and then pay collectively with a credit card at the end of the mouth. But according to Woolsey, many states are moving closer and closer to limiting alternate payment options in another attempt to save money.Photo Credit: Getty Images
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Get Food From a Vending Machine
Similarly, you can also increasingly purchase soda and snacks from local vending machines with your credit card. In Pennslyvania, for instance, you can buy wine from a vending machine using plastic payment methods.
Of course, keep in mind that this doesn’t necessarily mean you should be charging that afternoon snack.
“I’ve never been [in favor of] a soda pop,” says Curtis Arnold, CEO of CardRatings.com.
Photo Credit: champusuicida
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Give a Tithing to Your Church
Another thing Arnold advises against charging is a church tithing or other charitable donation, which has also become more available throughout the past few years. You may be better off putting that on your debit card. A company named SecureGive actually markets a line of kiosks and mobile apps to pastors designed to help their churches accept both credit and debit card donations.Photo Credit: Tony the Misfit
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10 Things You Should Always Buy With Your Credit Card
While some items may still be better suited to cash, there are certain purchases that simply warrant plastic. Check out the 10 Things You Should Always Buy With Your Credit Card in this MainStreet roundup!Photo Credit: Getty Images
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Photo Credit: lawtonchiles
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