Using credit cards means students pay extra hidden fees.

Kaylyn Krzemien News Reporter	April 20, 2010

You’re looking to buy food on campus and cannot decide how to pay for it. Should you use Jaybucks or your credit card? They’re both the same right? Wrong. Using a credit card may give you to pay hidden fees that you would not have to worry about if using Jaybucks.

Recently, a group of workers from Card Services met about the differences between credit cards and Jaybucks. What they concluded is that using credit cards often means extra fees for the consumer and the university.

“We want students to know that there is a good time to use credit cards and another time when a different methodology would be better,” said Brenda Hovden of Card Services.

According to Hovden, it was decided at the meeting that it is much cheaper for students to use Jaybucks, which are reliable, and no one will be charged hidden fees.

“The use of credit cards on campus has become very expensive for us,” Hovden said. “There is a line item of what we usually pay for credit card fees, and it continues to grow.”

Also at the meeting, the issue of student knowledge was discussed, according to Hovden.

“We want to know how much information students have about hidden fees and make sure they know exactly what they are being charged,” Hovden said.

In February, the federal Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009 took effect. The law is supposed to eliminate the hidden fees and interest charges credit card companies can charge their consumers; however, these charges brought in upwards of $12 billion annually. This means credit card companies are now looking for new ways to make extra money.

One way of doing this, according to a Wall Street Journal article, is for companies to increase their annual fees and balance-transfer charges,

These companies are allowed to increase their rates at will as long as they give consumers a 45-day notice.

Other credit card companies, like American Express, are punishing their rewards customers who miss payments. In fact, they are revoking earned points from anyone who pays late.

“These are just a few of the hidden fees that come with using a credit card. Even when you buy something small, you are getting charged more than the price of the item,” Hovden said.

“Ultimately you’re paying for it. People want to know about fees up front and not be surprised when they get their bill.”

In order to avoid pesky hidden fees, consider using Jaybucks next time you buy on campus.