Debit card / overdraft - Financial Management

Birdy · 05-18-2009, 01:34 PM

My USAA debit card will come back as "denied" if I try to use it when there is no money, but my Bank of America one doesn't. I went 45 cents over last week and got slapped with $70 worth of overdraft fees ($35 per day since I didn't catch it until Friday when I went to deposit my paycheck).

The woman at BoA said there is no way to make a card come back as denied, I just have to always know my account balance. But that doesn't make sense to me since the USAA card does it. Does that seem right? Should I just call Bank of America directly instead of dealing with the teller?

rosebud* · 05-18-2009, 01:36 PM

BOA is shady, first.
Second USAA will take any pending transactions out of your available balance so you available balance is what you can use ( even if they haven't gone through yet) with me so far.
BOA makes their money by allowing you to use your card even if you don't have the money in there.
The teller just doesn't realize how it works, or is going off the BOA party line. All banks could do what USAA does, but they don't because then they couldn't make money off all the NFS fees.

socalgirly · 05-18-2009, 01:38 PM

The only account that I have had that will get denied is USAA. I dont think there is much you can do about it though.

usmc_wifey85 · 05-18-2009, 01:40 PM

Originally Posted by rosebud*

BOA is shady, first.
Second USAA will take any pending transactions out of your available balance so you available balance is what you can use ( even if they haven't gone through yet) with me so far.
BOA makes their money by allowing you to use your card even if you don't have the money in there.
The teller just doesn't realize how it works, or is going off the BOA party line. All banks could do what USAA does, but they don't because then they couldn't make money off all the NFS fees.

and this is why we don't use BOA anymore.

Jayo · 05-18-2009, 01:41 PM

That's shady, but that's how alot of banks are making $$, charging ridiculous fees for simple errors.
Have you thought to ask about opening an overdraft acct? I have one in place from Navy Fed. It's comparable to a small loan with a pretty high interest rate BUT checks won't "bounce" because they will transfer the "loan" money into your checking acct if need be. It doesn't cost if you don't use it. I haven't used it, but have had it about 8 years now and it does add a piece of mind for those just in case oops's.

Jen · 05-18-2009, 02:15 PM

Originally Posted by rosebud*

BOA is shady, first.
Second USAA will take any pending transactions out of your available balance so you available balance is what you can use ( even if they haven't gone through yet) with me so far.
BOA makes their money by allowing you to use your card even if you don't have the money in there.
The teller just doesn't realize how it works, or is going off the BOA party line. All banks could do what USAA does, but they don't because then they couldn't make money off all the NFS fees.

exactly why I made DH close his BOA account

I have overdraft on my USAA account and it still gets denied if I don't have enough money in there

nicoleclare · 05-18-2009, 02:16 PM

with my BOA if i accidentally overdraft, they just pull the money out of my savings. i dont get charged fees of any kind

carolinagirll · 05-18-2009, 02:31 PM

I have a lot of friends who have had issues with USAA and cards.

We use Wachovia and if we ever overdraft it comes out of our savings.

Birdy · 05-18-2009, 02:37 PM

I don't have a savings account with Bank of America, only USAA. BoA never has more than $200 or so in it since its just my "fun money". Bills, gas, groceries, etc. come from USAA.

Navywife85 · 05-18-2009, 03:08 PM

i don't know if my navy fed card does the whole denied thing but i know my card for my bank in tx does not do that but my bank in tx also gave me back the overdraft fees figureing my hubs was in the military and lived so far away... I have been a customer for a while now and am in good standing (except for that one overdraft) so they try to help out as much as they can..

05-18-2009, 01:34 PM	#1 (permalink)
Birdy I got all this, and personality too. Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 4,586 Classifieds: (0) Activity: 36% Longevity: 24%	Debit card / overdraft My USAA debit card will come back as "denied" if I try to use it when there is no money, but my Bank of America one doesn't. I went 45 cents over last week and got slapped with $70 worth of overdraft fees ($35 per day since I didn't catch it until Friday when I went to deposit my paycheck). The woman at BoA said there is no way to make a card come back as denied, I just have to always know my account balance. But that doesn't make sense to me since the USAA card does it. Does that seem right? Should I just call Bank of America directly instead of dealing with the teller? __________________ Alice asked the Chesire Cat, who was sitting in a tree, "What road do I take?" The cat asked, "Where do you want to go?" "I don't know", Alice answered. "Then," said the cat, "it really doesn't matter, does it?" It was only a kiss. It was only a kiss.

05-18-2009, 01:36 PM	#2 (permalink)
rosebud* rosebud*<3 Brittany Jo && <3 thekels9 Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: [wherever his heart is] Posts: 32,651 Blog Entries: 2 Classifieds: (0) Activity: 50% Longevity: 67%	BOA is shady, first. Second USAA will take any pending transactions out of your available balance so you available balance is what you can use ( even if they haven't gone through yet) with me so far. BOA makes their money by allowing you to use your card even if you don't have the money in there. The teller just doesn't realize how it works, or is going off the BOA party line. All banks could do what USAA does, but they don't because then they couldn't make money off all the NFS fees. __________________

05-18-2009, 01:38 PM	#3 (permalink)
socalgirly Always loving my soldierman! Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Schofield Barracks HI Posts: 818 Blog Entries: 1 Classifieds: (0) Activity: 5% Longevity: 23%	The only account that I have had that will get denied is USAA. I dont think there is much you can do about it though. __________________

05-18-2009, 01:41 PM	#5 (permalink)
Jayo Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 5,612 Classifieds: (0) Activity: 70% Longevity: 37%	That's shady, but that's how alot of banks are making $$, charging ridiculous fees for simple errors. Have you thought to ask about opening an overdraft acct? I have one in place from Navy Fed. It's comparable to a small loan with a pretty high interest rate BUT checks won't "bounce" because they will transfer the "loan" money into your checking acct if need be. It doesn't cost if you don't use it. I haven't used it, but have had it about 8 years now and it does add a piece of mind for those just in case oops's. __________________ Queen of Deployments Survived#12

05-18-2009, 02:31 PM	#8 (permalink)
carolinagirll Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 2,676 Classifieds: (0) Activity: 44% Longevity: 19%	I have a lot of friends who have had issues with USAA and cards. We use Wachovia and if we ever overdraft it comes out of our savings. __________________

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05-18-2009, 02:16 PM	#7 (permalink)
nicoleclare formerly H3ad0v3rh33ls Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Posts: 6,728 Classifieds: (0) Activity: 47% Longevity: 14%	with my BOA if i accidentally overdraft, they just pull the money out of my savings. i dont get charged fees of any kind

05-18-2009, 02:37 PM	#9 (permalink)
Birdy I got all this, and personality too. Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 4,586 Classifieds: (0) Activity: 36% Longevity: 24%	I don't have a savings account with Bank of America, only USAA. BoA never has more than $200 or so in it since its just my "fun money". Bills, gas, groceries, etc. come from USAA. __________________ Alice asked the Chesire Cat, who was sitting in a tree, "What road do I take?" The cat asked, "Where do you want to go?" "I don't know", Alice answered. "Then," said the cat, "it really doesn't matter, does it?" It was only a kiss. It was only a kiss.

05-18-2009, 03:08 PM	#10 (permalink)
Navywife85 luvin my Sailor Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: WA Posts: 4,724 Blog Entries: 4 Classifieds: (0) Activity: 18% Longevity: 31%	i don't know if my navy fed card does the whole denied thing but i know my card for my bank in tx does not do that but my bank in tx also gave me back the overdraft fees figureing my hubs was in the military and lived so far away... I have been a customer for a while now and am in good standing (except for that one overdraft) so they try to help out as much as they can.. __________________