"if maybe they had a universal no-pin needed, load anywhere use anywhere kind of card I could get on board"

Um, isn't that called money?

;) Yes it is K. Perhaps I had a point there. I don't know. Sometimes a rant is just a rant.

I have to speak up and say the Thrify's card is an oddball. Sox and I each have a Thrifty's card (by choice). They are linked to an association, and every time we load the card, a percentage of what we load gets donated to the association. For us, the association is a friends figure skating club. The more funds they raise for their club, the less they have to pay in terms of ice rentals and fees. Most places don't do that. Home Depot card anyone?

I think that the Starbucks card (or any other coffee shop card), makes sense since the tiny transactions can kill a retailer. It costs them every time Interac is used, and for a $2.00 item, that can eat away their profit. Home Depot card anyone? How many times have you gotten out of Home Depot under $100? Interac or Credit Card for me.