Black Friday Deals - Tablets & eReaders

[Shane R]

I do not know if this is permanent or not, but Amazon is selling the Dell Venue 8 tablet for only $249 now. Down from $299.

It runs Windows, so anything you have on your laptop works (though you have to consider screen size) and comes with the full Office suite. A very well reviewed device.

http://www.amazon.com/Dell-Venue-Pro...dp/B00FEE7B1I/

[Tarana]

I guess I was fortunate. My card was replaced just this month because it expired, so no problems. I haven't done any after-Thanksgiving shopping with a credit card (using up gift cards at Amazon and B&N for ebooks).

Its nothing to me if you don't shop Target, but what does that leave you?? Walmart? Where they profit off their employees and taxpayers? This is a banking snafu. Could have just as easily happened anywhere else. I do sympathize with people being stuck somewhere with difficulty getting home. That happened to me twice due to screwups by a bank. Both times, I was over 1000 miles from home with no other credit cards and certainly not enough cash. Travel by credit card is always a hazard.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by Tarana

Travel by credit card is always a hazard.

True; and relying on one credit card is also a hazard.

[wawasteele]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

True; and relying on one credit card is also a hazard.

This is so true. We have one credit card that is our main one, that we pay off monthly. We use it instead of paying with an ATM card. We have heard that with a credit card the most we can be liable for is $50 of unauthorized charges, but an ATM card can get access to our bank account. However, we still always have a 2nd credit card with us, just in case of some problem, like the Target mess.

Once we had our main one declined because we had too many charges out of our normal area. When I could finally call about it, they said it was for security reasons. They suggested that if we were traveling, it's a good thing to let them know in advance. I sure didn't know that before.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by wawasteele

This is so true. We have one credit card that is our main one, that we pay off monthly. We use it instead of paying with an ATM card. We have heard that with a credit card the most we can be liable for is $50 of unauthorized charges, but an ATM card can get access to our bank account. However, we still always have a 2nd credit card with us, just in case of some problem, like the Target mess.

Once we had our main one declined because we had too many charges out of our normal area. When I could finally call about it, they said it was for security reasons. They suggested that if we were traveling, it's a good thing to let them know in advance. I sure didn't know that before.

I have two cards and pay them both off every month. I never run a balance. I charge everything I can, all the way from groceries to utility bills, so I can build up those reward points. That money then goes into my gadget fund.

On Black Friday, my card is routinely blocked; and this year was no different. A phone call clears it up and the charge goes through.

[Shane R]

Originally Posted by wawasteele

This is so true. We have one credit card that is our main one, that we pay off monthly. We use it instead of paying with an ATM card. We have heard that with a credit card the most we can be liable for is $50 of unauthorized charges, but an ATM card can get access to our bank account. However, we still always have a 2nd credit card with us, just in case of some problem, like the Target mess.

Once we had our main one declined because we had too many charges out of our normal area. When I could finally call about it, they said it was for security reasons. They suggested that if we were traveling, it's a good thing to let them know in advance. I sure didn't know that before.

In my experience, the bigger banks are usually pretty quick about helping customers who've lost access to funds due to fraud.

[Fbone]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

I have two cards and pay them both off every month. I never run a balance. I charge everything I can, all the way from groceries to utility bills, so I can build up those reward points. That money then goes into my gadget fund.

On Black Friday, my card is routinely blocked; and this year was no different. A phone call clears it up and the charge goes through.

This is what I do also. Earn 2% cash back and pay in full each month. I estimate I earned $250 in rewards for 2013.

My card was blocked after using Kobo's unlimited 95% off code 7 times in one day. A pleasant woman called the next day inquiring about my recent purchases.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by Tarana

. I do sympathize with people being stuck somewhere with difficulty getting home. That happened to me twice due to screwups by a bank. Both times, I was over 1000 miles from home with no other credit cards and certainly not enough cash. Travel by credit card is always a hazard.

That's just it some of us can't get a real credit card all we got is our Bank debit Card which is tied to our bank account. I did have a prepaid card that using at Kobo made me lose it.

I read a few stories about people we like okay no problem we'll just write a check only to have the check processor deny the check! Why? It turns out that check processor denied due to check writing not being in the customer regular spending habits! What are these poor people to do?

Kudos to Chase bank for staying open late and on Sunday so people could withdrawal money from their account! I am very impressed with them right now.

I read heartbreaking stories everyday from people who are victims of this mess. The timing of this is just horrible. I really hope these $#%$! are stopped and the book is thrown at them. To take a child's Christmas is one of the worst crimes I can think of. However all these cards are being sold to so many different people through the Black Market it's impossible to find them all.

[silverraven]

I also learned the hard way about carrying more than one credit card. Hubby and I bought tires at Walmart, they were around the $500 mark. They accidentally rang up the wrong size, so they had to do a refund and a new charge instead of an exchange. No problem. But, by the time I got done grocery shopping and ready to pay my card had been cut off. Suspicious activity. And the only way to get it re-activated was by calling from my home number, not Walmart's phone. Luckily hubby had another card to use. After that point I always carry two different cards, like a Visa and a Master Card.
It was rather embarrassing having my card denied......
S

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by silverraven

It was rather embarrassing having my card denied......
S

It never bothered me to have my card denied. I've always been able to use the store's phone to get the block lifted.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

It never bothered me to have my card denied. I've always been able to use the store's phone to get the block lifted.

It depends where it happens. I've seen some cashiers go out of their way to make sure everyone in the line and the next knew about it. I remember one poor woman in front of me had it happen to her and the cashier was made sure she raised her voice so we knew. The man behind me said "Aren't you suppose to cut them up when that happens?" I guess he seen too many movies or was joking. I was about to offer to pay for it as it was just a few groceries but the woman had cash in her purse. I was so mad I would have spoken to the manager but he was right in hearing distance. I don't think he cared. I told hubby I am never coming here again.
This was years ago but I still remember her face.

I had it once or twice when I had my PayPal debit Card. The network would be too busy or down in my area. I would quickly explain to them what kind of card it was and pay with Cash or Bank Card.

[wawasteele]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

It never bothered me to have my card denied. I've always been able to use the store's phone to get the block lifted.

Originally Posted by Blossom

It depends where it happens.

You both are braver than I am. The few times it's happened to me, even though it got straightened out on the spot, I still managed to turn bright red! It was so embarrassing and it shouldn't have been, it wasn't my fault. But there you go, guess I am just a wimp!

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by Blossom

It depends where it happens. I've seen some cashiers go out of their way to make sure everyone in the line and the next knew about it. I remember one poor woman in front of me had it happen to her and the cashier was made sure she raised her voice so we knew. The man behind me said "Aren't you suppose to cut them up when that happens?" I guess he seen too many movies or was joking.

I never find the situation embarrassing in the least. Whenever this happens, it's because I've made too many transactions in a short period; and that's nothing to fret about. I don't care how many people in line know about it. At this point, the cashier has two options: either let me make a phone call to get the block lifted or cancel the entire transaction.

One time this happened while I was grocery shopping. I had lots of refrigerated and frozen stuff. When they refused to let me make the call to get the block lifted, I told them to cancel the entire transaction. I then moved off to the side (well within hearing distance of everyone involved), made the call, and got the block lifted. I then turned to the person I was with and said "let's go grocery shopping again". We then went and re-shopped for everything we previously had and made a point to go back to the same cashier. She gave me a look and I held up my card and said "same card, let's do this again"; grinning the whole time. I don't think they were too thrilled about having to put my first cart of groceries away; especially since it contained so many cold products, forcing them to do it right away. But hey, I gave them an easy out and they rejected it.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by wawasteele

You both are braver than I am. The few times it's happened to me, even though it got straightened out on the spot, I still managed to turn bright red! It was so embarrassing and it shouldn't have been, it wasn't my fault. But there you go, guess I am just a wimp!

Just learn to own the situation, and the "red" will go away

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by wawasteele

You both are braver than I am. The few times it's happened to me, even though it got straightened out on the spot, I still managed to turn bright red! It was so embarrassing and it shouldn't have been, it wasn't my fault. But there you go, guess I am just a wimp!

I'm with you. Happened to me once, loudmouth cashier and long line of impatient holiday shoppers behind me. Not my fault, but I was the one on the spot; how could I not be embarrassed?