slo’s THURSDAY 10/10 poll - Store Credit Cards 💳

[wallawallakids]

I wrote I have one, but I am not sure it is really a "store" credit card. It is a Costco Citi card. So you can use it everywhere, but I get extra points at Costco. I have a few other cards. I basically use them only for points for certain things. Like I have a Disney card that I use when I take Disney vacations etc. but none of them are store cards.

 

[DisneyHardin]

I have quite a few store cards that I use regularly. They all have ridiculous interest rates, so I always pay them off every month, but I like the rewards/discounts/etc that come with using them.

Kohl's
Macy's
Torrid
Lane Bryant
Lowe's
Target

 

[BlueStarryHat]

I had a JC Penney card back in the day. Now I don't have any-I only have a debit card I use for online purchases and paying my online bills.

 

[lovesmurfs]

I have a Kohl's card (recently changed to Capital One that I can apparently use everywhere, though) and a Full Beauty brand (Catherine's Plus Sizes) one.

Kohls I use mostly for sales/Black Friday. Full Beauty, I use when ordering clothes, maybe 2-3 times a year. Both I pay off as quickly as possible.

 

[BrianL]

Store cards can be good for getting discounts, but bad for interest. Also watch out for terms where if you pay late, you lose those discounts, even on stuff you already purchased! If you always pay them off in full, then there is no issue in suing them, but I prefer to just use my Visa or AMEX. They often offer deals too, or at least points.

 

[KPeterso]

I have a Macy's and a Kohl's card. And the Target red card that is a debit card tied to my checking account.

 

[robinb]

I have a Kohl’s card and Target card for discounts. When I was young I built my credit on store cards but most are pretty useless for me now.

 

[fla4fun]

I have three credit cards, but no store cards. I use one for travel or large purchases only, one for online purchases only, and one for risky transactions (like paying for gas at the pump when I evacuated). They each get used a few times a year and are paid off at the end of the month.

 

[CdnCarrie]

Not sure we have many stores that offer credit cards here anymore. Some may have teamed up with Visa or Mastercard.

 

[CynBeth]

No.

 

[CGB]

Yes. I have Target, JCP and Sam's Club. I usually only use them if I can get a discount and never carry balances.

 

[tvguy]

I voted no, but I realize I have a Neiman Marcus card but I haven't used it in 40 years. So it may not even be open anymore. My wife has a JCPenney card because when we bought new curtains from them, we got 25% off if we applied for the card.
I used to have two gas cards. A Mobil and an ARCO. All the Mobils around here closed, and ARCO stopped taking credit cards and went cash only. Now, of course, after 20 years, ARCO again has their own credit card and take other cards, for an additional 10 cents a gallon.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I have a Kohl's and DH has a Home Depot.

 

[georgina]

Purely a store credit card, only Target. I use it for discounts when an offer requires it but otherwise I use the Target gift cards they sell for 10% off a couple of times a year. In the past I had a Kohls card but I don't live as close to one any more so let it go.

Co-branded, that can be used at other places, I have a Costco Citi and an REI Capital One. Use to have an LL Bean card (free shipping) but not anymore. I only use these when shopping at those stores.

I also have some co-branded travel (airline and hotel) cards.

 

[leebee]

I have a few: Kohl's, Penney's, Target, and probably some I've forgotten about. I only use them if I get a good discount for card holders, or at Target I'll use the RedCard to get 5% off on Disney gift cards. Usually I stick to my Disney VISA or whatever other card I'm using for the introductory bonus points (yeah, I juggle credit cards a bit, but they all always are paid in full each month).

 

[_19disnA]

Nope, have never had any individual store credit cards. Don't buy enough at any one location to make those worthwhile. I can recall when growing up before the days of Visa/MasterCard, my mom used to have a few cards from individual stores. The cards I do have accumulate points I can use for travel or other purposes. I believe having many open credit card accounts can adversely impact your credit score.

 

[MillauFr]

I prefer to keep things simple and just charge everything on one of the 2% cash back cards.

 

[BayouQueen]

Way back when, many stores did not accept Master Card and Visa and I got several store credit cards. Then when the stores did accept MC and Visa I stopped using the store cards and most of them expired. Every so often nowadays a store offers a discount or a rebate for opening or using their credit card so I may get one. Then stop using it until if an when they offer a new one time or whatever promotion or discount for existing cardholders.

At one time Home Depot allowed someone to get three credit cards. I got two just to take advantage of the sign on bonus but chose not to open a (the) third.

I'd forgotten about that...that many stores back in the day didn't let you use Master Card or Visa or American Express. Only their own store accounts. Gosh the retail industry must have been less competitive back then. Nowadays they'd sink fast trying to do that.

I guess that's why in the past I felt the need to have quite a few store accounts. Now it's just Kohl's and Target -- for their discounts.

 

[The Mayor]

No store credit cards. I have three left that I’ve had since I traveled for work, JetBlue, Southwest and Hilton. Keeping them open until I use up all the points I accumulated. I closed out my Delta, AA and United once I used up all my miles.

 

[tvguy]

I'd forgotten about that...that many stores back in the day didn't let you use Master Card or Visa or American Express. Only their own store accounts. Gosh the retail industry must have been less competitive back then. Nowadays they'd sink fast trying to do that.

I guess that's why in the past I felt the need to have quite a few store accounts. Now it's just Kohl's and Target -- for their discounts.

Yeah, my wife went to Sears and picked out a bunch of clothes for our honeymoon only to find out they only took Sears cards. She only had a Visa.
Of course, I am old enough to remember when Visa was BankAmericard, and when Mastercard and Discovery card came out and few people took them, and outside the business travel world, American Express and Diners Club were not universally accepted. Store cards were very common then, the old metal "Charg-a-Plates".