Visa vs. Visa Electron

[Mette]

I am going on a trip to South Africa. My finansial adviser uggested that I should bring a Visa Electron rather that a regular Visa to avoid overdraft. My question is: Can I use the Visa Electron in as many stores as a Visa? Because I do not want to bring a Visa Electron if that will limit the possibility of using the card.

[Michael H]

Why dont you take both and just keep track of your spending?

[dj_ajax]

Visa electron is getting increasing more commonly accepted now you can either get a McDonalds with it.

[zeus]

alot of stores do accept it now but the are hiddin charges that take place. Who do you bank with?

[gaga girl]

You can't actually use the Visa Electron on the internet or over the phone. I'd take both and limit the use of the Visa.

[akaceefax]

electron cards can only be used when the store can check transactions electronically with the bank, which occurs on every transaction. It is possible to purchase things over the internet using an electron card as i have done so. So, the answer is that u cannot use it in as many places as visa though it is becoming more widely usable

[arnie7]

When used internationally, it doesn't stop you going overdrawn! What it will do is to stop you going very much overdrawn (usually you can only go overdrawn by approximately the amount of the foreign usage charges).

Normal Visa is more widely accepted and I suspect much, much more widely accepted in SA, depending on where you are going. The major downside of Visa Electron is that it can't be used when the shop doesn't have an online authorisation facility, which is something to bear in mind if you are going off the beaten track.

It can actually be used online these days with most retailers.