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This summer I tried to rent a car in Warsaw without a credit card. It wasn't an easy task and it took my hours of talking until I could convince them that it is possible. However, I had to pay the whole bail money in cash.

For the next time, I would like to ensure if there is a company in Poland that does not require a credit card for renting a car.

Last time I used Budget.

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    I think that this is a usual procedure for car rental companies, no? They need to be able to recover their excess in case you crash the car.
    – Grzenio
    Commented Oct 24, 2011 at 8:30
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    Yes it is usual. That's why I'm asking here for the unusual solution.
    – RoflcoptrException
    Commented Oct 24, 2011 at 8:41
  • Debit card? You'd need to have enough money in your account for it to work though. Otherwise, just get a credit card, it'll make your life much much easier for this sort of thing!
    – Gagravarr
    Commented Oct 24, 2011 at 10:08
  • The problem is when you have a rather low income and a unregular income, it isn't so easy to get one in Switzerland.
    – RoflcoptrException
    Commented Oct 24, 2011 at 10:10

1 Answer 1

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Maybe a solution in between the usual and the unusual would be to use prepaid credit cards. On my last visit to the US (Florida), I saw them being sold in many stores. All major CC seems to offer them (VISA, MC, AMEX). Semantically they are Debit cards, but apparently everybody accepting credit cards, accept these prepaid cards as well.

I haven't seen these cards being sold in shops elsewhere, but there are different companies that offer them on the Internet Google for "Prepaid Credit card" to find one in your area.

See money.stackexchange.com which might be related

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    I also tried it once with a prepaid credit card in Poland. The problem with that is that you cannot refund money (at least they told me so). So you can't get your deposit back.
    – RoflcoptrException
    Commented Oct 24, 2011 at 10:09
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    These are just called "debit cards" in Australia. A card that allows access to your own money but is not part of the Visa or Mastercard network are called "ATM cards". I think I have heard that some countries use the term "debit card" for what we call "ATM card" so it's all confusing. You can definitely refund money to a Visa/Mastercard debit card in Australia. They are functionally identical to credit cards only without being an instant bank loan.
    – hippietrail
    Commented Oct 24, 2011 at 10:16
  • @Roflcoptr The correct car rentals should never charge your Credit Card for the caution. They only reserve the right to charge your card later for a given amount. At the final payment this right is returned. I often pay my carrentals with my ATM card or cash, to keep my cc as "full" as possible
    – user141
    Commented Oct 24, 2011 at 10:25
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    A tip: avoid the terms "credit card" and "debit card". Just say "Visa card" or "Mastercard" to prevent the other person from second guessing what you mean.
    – hippietrail
    Commented Oct 24, 2011 at 10:36
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    @hippietrail: Almost but worse (in terms of the confusing difference): we have debit cards issued by our banks for direct access to our own money .... and those are on the VISA (or Mastercard) networks :D
    – Lightness Races in Orbit
    Commented Sep 30, 2016 at 18:52

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