What is ATV?

[Almighty1]

The spelling "Visa" means something different yet. The term VISA as applied to the popular credit card is a "recursive acronym" and is capitalized as as an acronym. It stands for Visa International Service Association.

The "visa" spelling is the immigration document.

These useful distinctions are being chipped away at by texters and those who post "in crayon" (all caps).

Never knew the credit card VISA was a acronym as it was originally known as BankAmericard before it was known as Visa, atleast when our restaurant accepted it in the mid-1970s.

Visa is actually used by the credit card company because I own the stock and even it it's form 10-K found here:

https://d18rn0p25nwr6d.cloudfront.net/CIK-0001403161/849d0b35-b550-4d4a-95e3-611146a657f2.pdf

on page 2:

and ofcourse, their legal page also references Visa:

Visa Legal

Review Visa legal rules information and feel free to browse, download from and otherwise use the Visa Site.

usa.visa.com

The acronym is interesting though as it can use the entire acronym for the first word.
as for the immigration document, it is both capitalized as "VISA" and also as "Visa" as seen in the sample USA version below:

As for the all CAPS, it's fine if only the word itself is capitalized but if the entire message is capitalized, that's supposedly the same as yelling or shouting. LOL.

 

[Almighty1]

Lol, I literally work in tech and even have an apple tv device.
I'm not doubting the acronym just that's the first I've heard of it for appke tv.

Same here, Apple TV sounds better but I guess some people will want to save typing 4 characters less each time which does add up... LOL

 

[harshness]

Lol, I literally work in tech and even have an apple tv device.

Those on the front end aren't necessarily privy to the terms that have caught on in the discussion forums.

In the streaming user space, the Apple TV is widely referred to as "ATV" (and ATV4K as appropriate) while Apple TV Plus is referred to as ATV+.

 

[harshness]

Never knew the credit card VISA was a acronym as it was originally known as BankAmericard before it was known as Visa, atleast when our restaurant accepted it in the mid-1970s.

I remember well my grandmother referring to the VISA card as the "Bank America Card" all through the 20th century even though her's was offered through a local S&L.

 

[Almighty1]

I remember well my grandmother referring to the VISA card as the "Bank America Card" all through the 20th century even though her's was offered through a local S&L.

Yes because that was the original name for it just like MasterCard was called Master Charge and Discover Bank was originally known as Greenwood Trust Bank which was part of the Sears, Roebuck & Co. financial empire just like Allstate, H&R Block and Coldwell Banker. BankAmericard is still a name used on some of the cards even though none of them are Visa but MasterCard's.

 

[harshness]

Yes because that was the original name for it

The name on the card was VISA after 1976 but she called it "Bank America Card" anyway. Not the same thing as Bank Americard (circa 1958) which was an invention of Bank of America to extend credit to consumers and the progenitor of the VISA card.

I'm just glad Costco now uses VISA (through Citibank) instead of Amex.

 

[Almighty1]

The name on the card was VISA after 1976 but she called it "Bank America Card" anyway. Not the same thing as Bank Americard (circa 1958) which was an invention of Bank of America to extend credit to consumers and the progenitor of the VISA card.

I'm just glad Costco now uses VISA (through Citibank) instead of Amex.

But BankAmericard still remains in use today as I have the card above which finally was converted to a Bank of America Unlimited Cash Rewards World MasterCard in May 2023. People are just used to old names as I am sure some people still call a Bank of America ATM as a Versateller machine but that was the old Bank of America, NT&SA which used an eagle as the logo while the current Bank of America, N.A. is NatonsBanc buying Bank of America and keeping the Bank of America name. As for Costco, it's interesting that they accept only Visa and not MasterCard as usually both would be accepted together at other places even though Discover and AMEX might or might not be accepted.

 

[harshness]

As for Costco, it's interesting that they accept only Visa and not MasterCard as usually both would be accepted together at other places even though Discover and AMEX might or might not be accepted.

Costco only contracts with one card brand for their rebate structure.

4% fuel and EV charging
3% restaurants and specific travel
2% Costco purchases
1% everything else

 

[Almighty1]

Costco only contracts with one card brand for their rebate structure.

4% fuel and EV charging
3% restaurants and specific travel
2% Costco purchases
1% everything else

Yes but nothing unique about it as I get more using a non-Citi Visa which is atleast 2.75% on all purchases. Restaurants is 4% with U.S. Bank, Travel is 5% with U.S. Bank. Even when it was Amex, I get 2% for everything with a Fidelity AMEX issued by BofA/FIA.

 

[harshness]

Yes but nothing unique about it as I get more using a non-Citi Visa which is atleast 2.75% on all purchases. Restaurants is 4% with U.S. Bank, Travel is 5% with U.S. Bank. Even when it was Amex, I get 2% for everything with a Fidelity AMEX issued by BofA/FIA.

My preference is finding the right combination of discounts rather than packing a wad of different credit cards into my wallet.

Admittedly, my largest monthly financial drain (other than health insurance) is Costco for gas and groceries.

 

[Almighty1]

My preference is finding the right combination of discounts rather than packing a wad of different credit cards into my wallet.

Admittedly, my largest monthly financial drain (other than health insurance) is Costco for gas and groceries.

True but even for groceries, I believe Amex Blue Cash Everyday has a higher reward than others. It still doesn't require a lot of different credit cards in the wallet as it really requires just 2 cards, the Citi Costco for gas and then then Bank of America Customize Cash Rewards for the groceries part. The others you can literally keep at home as for example, I use US Bank Cash+ Visa Signature for 5% for Public Transportation, Utilities (Gas, Electricity, Water, Garbage Collecting) and Chase Business Ink Cash Visa Signature for 5% Office Supplies, Internet/Cable TV/Satellite TV. I don't drive yet.

 

[harshness]

It still doesn't require a lot of different credit cards in the wallet as it really requires just 2 cards, the Citi Costco for gas and then then Bank of America Customize Cash Rewards for the groceries part.

Since I buy my groceries at Costco, a third-party rewards credit card is not an option.

 

[Almighty1]

Since I buy my groceries at Costco, a third-party rewards credit card is not an option.

Ofcourse it is, you can use any Visa card at Costco just like when they took AMEX, you can use any Amex card, they don't care about the issuer as long as it is the same type of card so all Visa cards are accepted inside the warehouse and even the gas pump as mentioned here:

What payment methods are accepted at Costco?

Welcome to the Costco Customer Service page. Explore our many helpful self-service options and learn more about popular topics.

customerservice.costco.com

7 Best Credit Cards Accepted at Costco (Nov. 2023)

www.cardrates.com

 

[harshness]

Ofcourse it is, you can use any Visa card at Costco just like when they took AMEX, you can use any Amex card, they don't care about the issuer as long as it is the same type of card so all Visa cards are accepted inside the warehouse and even the gas pump as mentioned here:

Since I have a Costco VISA, I don't have a conventional membership card. I suppose I could flash my Costco VISA and pay with a different card but that's not really worth the trouble since I usually buy things other than groceries as well. Credit card discount programs will always be a YMMV thing.

 

[Almighty1]

Since I have a Costco VISA, I don't have a conventional membership card. I suppose I could flash my Costco VISA and pay with a different card but that's not really worth the trouble since I usually buy things other than groceries as well. Credit card discount programs will always be a YMMV thing.

Well, you are still supposed to have a conventional membership card regardless if you have the Costco Visa or not as they are two separate things and you would do the paying part yourself. Not really worth the trouble is funny because the rewards is almost twice what the Costco Visa would give you depending on how much shopping you actually do so it does not matter what you buy, basically anything you buy from Costco would have the same rewards, it's not limited to groceries only.

 

[harshness]

Well, you are still supposed to have a conventional membership card regardless if you have the Costco Visa or not as they are two separate things and you would do the paying part yourself.

They took my membership card when I first used my Costco VISA.

I'm not one of those types that builds my budget on coupons, rebates and gift cards. That's just too much work given the value that I place on my time. I use them where I can but I don't allow them to drive how I shop.

 

[raoul5788]

They took my membership card when I first used my Costco VISA.

I'm not one of those types that builds my budget on coupons, rebates and gift cards. That's just too much work given the value that I place on my time. I use them where I can but I don't allow them to drive how I shop.

They took your membership card? Sounds like BS to me.

 

[Bruce]

I'm not one of those types that builds my budget on coupons, rebates and gift cards. That's just too much work given the value that I place on my time.

I did and still do, using those types of things allowed me to save, which then allowed us to put more in our investment account.

Still do so, use my CC points to get digital gift cards for all the streaming stuff I get.

Basically free money, might as well use it.

 

[Almighty1]

They took my membership card when I first used my Costco VISA.

I'm not one of those types that builds my budget on coupons, rebates and gift cards. That's just too much work given the value that I place on my time. I use them where I can but I don't allow them to drive how I shop.

That is weird as I still have both since remember Citi or you can cancel the Visa card at any time and I have joined and cancel my Costco membership over 5 times in the last 10 years and they never take away the membership card. I even lost my membership card, both Gold Star and Executive while having the credit card and they still provided me with a replacement card on the spot.

Ofcourse not, it's your choice and what work is there when you would already know what to use in advance and only once. The only reason you might be concerned is because of the 5/24 restriction which is at Chase and at one point also at Citi and ofcourse your credit score as well. Besides, in post #28, you were the one who talked about rebate structure which obviously is important even though you can claim anything you want but everyone knows that Money Talk$ and B.$. walks in the U.S. and pretty much anywhere in the world. If you didn't care, you wouldn't even need a Costco VISA in the first place and just use any Visa even if it offered 0% in return for using it.

 

[harshness]

That is weird as I still have both since remember Citi or you can cancel the Visa card at any time and I have joined and cancel my Costco membership over 5 times in the last 10 years and they never take away the membership card.

My card was seized by a check-out clerk less than a year ago. I haven't needed it so I'm not particularly up-in-arms about it.