Odd Uses for a Credit Card

15 Responses to “Odd Uses for a Credit Card”

1. 1
   Lance @ Money Life and More Says:
   November 15th, 2012 at 7:33 pm

   I’ve heard of a few people who use them to break into locked rooms. Don’t know if it works or not though.

2. 2
   Chris Says:
   November 15th, 2012 at 9:13 pm

   - I have used a credit card to scrape the frost (ice) from my truck windows if it is not too thick.

3. 3
   Mike B. Says:
   November 16th, 2012 at 11:08 am

   It’s the tool of choice when spreading thermal grease on a CPU before installing a heatsink.

4. 4
   Jo Says:
   November 16th, 2012 at 11:40 am

   Nickel, you are too funny. I find it rather interesting about all the different topics you write, and this one certainly fits right into that criteria. LOL

   I still read them all, no matter the subject. Keep on writing. You and PT are two of my top faves when it comes to reading about finance topics.

   Thanks for doing such a great job. If I don’t reply to any upcoming topics, I wish you and your family a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. ;-D

5. 5
   Joe S Says:
   November 16th, 2012 at 11:48 am

   July 4th my wife and I got home from her parents house around 9pm. We decided last minute that we were going to go to Boston for the fireworks. Right as I walked out the door and latched it behind me I realized I left my keys on the kitchen counter. I immediately asked my wife did you bring your keys she said no we were locked out I tried to Jimmy open the door with a credit card for 10 minutes or so. It was at that time I realized I wouldn’t make for a good robber. We ended up sitting on the front stoop for a half hour until her parents brought us the spare set of keys. Needless to say we didn’t get to see the fireworks that year.

6. 6
   Nickel Says:
   November 16th, 2012 at 12:05 pm

   Thanks, Jo. I appreciate the kind words.

   Happy Thanksgiving to you, too.

7. 7
   Donna Says:
   November 16th, 2012 at 12:12 pm

   I also used a credit card to scrap the frost off the windows … in a tundra buggy in Churchill, Manitoba.

8. 8
   Viola Says:
   November 16th, 2012 at 1:15 pm

   I definitely use a credit card to smooth out the bubbles from holiday window clings. Works like a charm!

9. 9
   Nickel Says:
   November 16th, 2012 at 2:13 pm

   Viola: Ahhh, yes. I do something similar when applying a screen protector to my cell phone or when putting the parking sticker on my windshield.

10. 10
    Bonnie Says:
    November 16th, 2012 at 9:02 pm

    I’m a landlord and do all of the cleaning in our rentals. Kitchens usually have the worst messes — in the stoves and refrigerators, and also the floors underneath them. In the stoves that we use (cheaper models), the burners are not sealed, so all the grease that flies around when they cook settles and finds its way down the hole around the burners. Not to mention bits of rice, macaroni, popcorn (popped and unpopped!), peas, corn, spaghetti, toothpicks, you name it. All those bits stick to the grease, so when I lift the cooktop and find the inevitable mess, I pull out an old credit card and start scraping. Works well on the greasy floors underneath, and the bottom of the fridge, under the crispers – I usually find messes there too. I use old cards because they get really filthy. If I live to be 100, I’ll never understand how tenants make such messes, but they almost all do. The credit card has drastically reduced my plastic putty knife expenses!

11. 11
    suzy Says:
    November 16th, 2012 at 9:20 pm

    Credit cards work great for opening ‘privacy’ door locks when kids have locked themselves in/parent out.

    One night at work I returned from dinner to discover that the heavy glass front doors had been locked earlier than usual. To avoid walking down a dark hill in the pouring rain to reach the back door, I decided to try a card (actually needed two cards) to open the latch. It worked beautifully, so I went directly to the security guard to let him know how easily anyone could enter. Instead of thanking me for reporting the breach, he began to yell at me and threaten dire consequences for my action. Oh well.

12. 12
    marcus Says:
    November 17th, 2012 at 10:54 am

    While not an odd different use of a card..I purchased my vet hospital with cash down payment from my card! The bank had never heard of that but went ahead and approved it! It was paid down almost immediately ..and that was 15 years ago.On another note I did use an old credit card in an older television that was arcing between two capacitors..apparently they are excellent electrical insulators!

13. 13
    Dan Says:
    November 18th, 2012 at 2:20 pm

    I use them to make a perfect line with silicone. I just snip the end to the size I want and run it down after the gun. Works like a charm!

14. 14
    David Bressler Says:
    November 18th, 2012 at 10:53 pm

    Shoehorn.

    Especially on airplanes when traveling for business and business meetings where i can take my shoes off if I’ll be sitting for a while.

    David

15. 15
    Sarah Jessica Farber Says:
    November 23rd, 2012 at 1:56 pm

    My puppy knocked over a can of primer onto hardwood floors in my old house. Goo Gone and an old credit card worked great removing the paint. (Floors were already shot, wouldn’t recommend Goo Gone on hardwoods in good shape).