American Express Green (American Express)

Member Name: patrickruddick

Product:	American Express
Date:	27/02/03 (2814 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great Customer Service, Card looks so cool, Cannot run up huge credit bill

Disadvantages: £37.50 a year, Some (usually average shops) dont accept it

I have had Amex Green Card for 3 years and am extremely happy with it.

It is the best looking card on the market - you can see through it if you hold it up to the light - and I still get some shop keepers admiring the card when I use it which feels good.

I have used the card outside the UK many times including EU and USA and have never been charged commission. If I buy something in New York for $100 then it appears on my statement for $100 and the equivalent in UK pound. Therefore I do not understand why another reviewer has compalined of a 2.75% charge - never happened to me!

The customer service team are excellent and answer the call quickly - I have never had any problem. I did see one transaction on my account that I did not regonise and I was refunded immediately - no paperwork to fill out.

I live in west london and I find 95% of the shops in Kensington and central London accept the card - though outside London it does seem less people do - though not to an irritating extent...I find I avoid shops that do not accept it.

The Green Card is differant from the blus as it is not a credit card - you must settle the balance at the end of the month. Some people question the need for green - "why not use switch?" however I like the fact I can buy products with green, earn points, have the insurance and also will only spend what I can afford that month.

£37.50 a year is more than Visa/Mastercard - but it ensures that I can only spend what I can afford each month and do not run up a huge credit card bill to worry about later.
The Gold at £90 is not worth it as you gain virtually no extra benifet except for an ugly card.
The essentials points scheme is free and ok, the better scheme is another £23 a year - though have not tried it.

FLEXSELECT - this is a new feature on the AMex Green where if you are accepted to this plan you can choose to turn the green card into a credit card for a purchase
over £200. Therefore at the end of the month you will recieve your bill for all purchases and for anything over £200 you can chose to pay only part of what is owing for that purchase. This allows you to use your Green card for charge and credit purchases at he same time. Though the interest on a flexselect purchase is 20% per year.

Handy Hint - dont use flex select - get a cheap credit card and buy everything with American Express Green. If you want to pay off a purchase over time - dont flexselect but balance transfer the amount across to the cheap card. It is much cheaper and gives you the benifet of getting the Amex points for the purchase and the 90 days insurance but the intetest rate of a cheap card. I have done this many times with Virgin MasterCard.

You can pay your bill using the AMEX travel shops which are open quite late and also on Saturdays.
Good restaurant promotions on the website.

Summary: