How To Dodge Shop’s Minimum Credit Card Purchase Requirements

The minimum purchase requirement for credit card users set by some stores can make the average consumer spend more than what he intended.

Minimum credit card purchase requirements can be a downright pain in the butt when you find yourself stuck at the coffee shop checkout and no cash in your pocket. Usually this requirement forces you to gig deeper into your credit pockets by buying more than you really want to be able to pay for your goods.

However, despite the widely held belief that these minimum credit card purchase requirements are actually governed by law, they are not.

Finance blog Credit Card Outlaw reports that businesses that accept MasterCard and Visa are not allowed to set those requirements. In fact, credit card companies have forbidden this practice. The only one who does allow this is American Express. Having said this, Amex isn’t forcing this practice to consumers – they too want to keep them happy.

So what can we make of the commonly used practice of minimum credit card purchase requirements? Short of bashing the manager on the head demanding your rights there isn’t much you can do except point the owners to the law. In the end they can do as they please.

Some managers might give you the waived policy option treatment while others insist you follow their rules. Card Outlaw also urges consumers to:

Always use credit cards for their purchases, especially if your card is coupled with rewards of some kind. You should not be bullied into whipping out your cash – if you’ve got it with you – to avoid the minimum payment requirement.

Source: Lifehacker

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