News alert for the weekend: Visa and Mastercard aren’t the same thing.

Ok, yes, this is obvious, but please keep it in mind while you’re out in the trenches: Just because a technique fails with a Visa doesn’t automatically mean it’ll fail with a Mastercard. Seriously, many fall into the trap of never trying a Mastercard after a Visa doesn’t work. The difference in behavior is true of payment processors, merchant coding, cash advances, and debit card processors to name a few. It’s also true when dealing with both prepaid cards and with credit cards.

Another hint: Mastercard debit cards open more doors than Visa debit cards unless you’re at Walmart money centers.

Michelle from 'Full House' making an exasperated face with the caption 'Duh!'
Gee, thanks MilesEarnAndBurn.com!