Comment Re:Ah, America! (Score 2) 562
The American Express charge card does the same thing, and yet it is not called a credit card for a reason. You are expected to pay the monthly bill off in full each month; you are not allowed to carry a balance. Taking advantage of a bank floating you the cost of sundry goods purchased on a credit or charge card, then paying the bill off in full each month (thus avoiding any interest charges) is sound financial practice. Being able to leave your money in a (admittedly low-rate) savings account for a period of time after purchasing something means that you are in effect getting a discount for the item purchased. This is a win-win scenario, as the bank makes money via transaction fees, and you make money because the bank is floating you the money for the purchase. While this is not optimally profitable for the bank (which is why credit card companies make it very easy for you to carry a balance from month to month on their cards), it is sensible, and good for both parties, to take advantage.