Curve Card Review : A Few Months Later
|You might be reading this because you read my original Curve Card Review and wanted to know how I was getting on. The truth is, I’m not in love with my Curve Card, however I do really like it. Odd statement to make? I know. Read on! You can even get a £5 free credit to use if you sign up to Curve using the details below.
Curve Card Review : A Few Months Later
Time has rolled on and I have tried to exclusively use my Curve Card everywhere that I’ve needed to make a payment since the middle of December. Everything has been mostly seamless in the whole process of using it.
Be it contactless or chip and pin, I’ve used it on a massive number of transactions. I’ve still not come across an occasion to swipe the magnetic strip, but does anywhere do that anymore? I can’t remember the last time!
I am still amazed at how this works and you can clearly see that a lot of thought has gone into the product. I’m still not 100% how it happened, but I’ve ended up with what appears to be a “Premium” Black card. It looks good when I’m paying to me. I’m not even sure if a Black card is still a desirable asset.
As someone interested in money, and a being a tech nerd, I signed up to Revolut some time ago as a means of getting around fees when buying CryptoCurrency. With only a virtual Revolut card at my disposal, I could now spend from that in physical stores rather than just online by using my Curve Card!
Curve Card Review : The Problems
The main reason that I wanted to write this post is about the couple of little frustrations that I have with the Curve Card. I don’t like to moan, but wanted to give my feedback for anyone looking to invest in this tech.
Pay at Pump
I have a Tesco Clubcard Credit Card that I use exclusively at the fuel station to fill up the car. It’s something I need to do and I get extra Clubcard points for using it. Winner! Adding the Tesco Mastercard into my Curve Card app wasn’t a problem either. The problem is that I have not successfully managed to “Pay at Pump” with my Curve Card. It just isn’t accepted. Admittedly, from what I can recall, I have only tried this at Tesco filling stations, so it could be their issue. I did however use the Curve Card to pay for fuel recently, with my Tesco Credit Card selected, but at the till as there was no pay at pump service available. This worked fine. In the most part though, I have just kept my Tesco card in my wallet, kind of defeats the object though.
No Signal
I feel a bit picky even mentioning this one. It happened once and I think my phone needed a restart rather than there being a network outage. But on one occasion, I had no service and This seemed to mean that I had difficulty selecting a different card from within the Curve App. Thankfully when network connectivity was available again, I used the time machine feature to change where the payment came from. Easy, but worth mentioning.
The Process
This is me being very picky again and I think that I’m more to blame than the Curve Card it’s self! Picture this. I’m in a queue at the supermarket with a basket full of shopping, I am holding my daughters hand. I get my daughter to help me unload the basket onto the belt (one of her favourite tasks) and I have to get my card out ready. Then I can’t remember which card I left selected on the app. I get out my phone to check while my daughter tries to wander off and I feel like I’m left juggling multiple things in my hands. I need to work out how to use the card as a process that works and stick to it. Selecting the card before entering the shop maybe? Who knows. It’s one for me to ponder.
Credit Card Protection
When you buy something costing between £100 and £30,000 on a credit card you are covered by Section 75 protection This means that you’re protected jointly by the retailer and the card provider should things go wrong. Using the Curve Card for these kinds of purchases doesn’t pass that protection through, so it’s best to keep your original card on hand for any big purchases you have planned.
Get a Curve Card and a free £5! : Curve Card Review
Getting a curve card couldn’t be simpler and if you use my code, we both get £5.
- Head over to The Curve Website and enter your phone number or download Curve from your respective app store.
- Follow the sign up process using the app (Use code VV1NJ where prompted if you want £5 free Curve Rewards after your first transaction – if you don’t use the code, you can still get the card, but no bonus).
- Once the signup is completed, wait a few days for your card to be delivered.
- While you’re waiting for your new card, register your existing cards in the app – this takes a small payment to allow you validate the card. This is refunded.
- When it’s delivered, verify your card in the app.
- Replace your default cards with your shiny new Curve card.
- Keep your original cards safe and enjoy your slim wallet!
Got your Curve Card and Free £5 from the Curve App and want more?
I’ve made a collection of other apps that offer similar signup rewards. The spare change really does add up! See how I made £20 by just installing four different apps on my smartphone!
Have you got Curve? Or used something different? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.