Well, if you’re interested in “less than good” news here it is – paying at the pump has just gotten a little more painful.  The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Visa and Mastercard, have decided to up the amount gas stations can hold when you use your credit or debit card at the pump – in the past that hold was $125; it’s now been raised to $175.

According to “Kelley Blue Book” – Most stations require you to swipe your card prior to pumping gasoline, because they have no way of knowing if you’re going to buy one  gallon or two dozen – and all stations will pre-authorize your card by placing a short-term hold on some of the money in your account – and they’ll later charge you for the amount of gas you actually bought and release the hold.”  The hold typically lasts a few hours but, in some cases, can last for days.   

That change comes as gasoline prices across the country have topped $4.68 a gallon –  up from $3.10 from the same time a year ago.  AAA states pre-authorization is no big deal, if you have enough credit on your card or cash in the bank to cover the hold; if you don’t – you risk being put in arrears on your card, potentially triggering overdraft fees.

Kelly Blue Book has some tips for avoiding those large holds:  cashiers at stations can typically pre-authorize smaller transactions.   Go inside and ask cashiers to set the amount for the pump you plan to use.   The exact amount can then be pre-authorized and many stores require that you pay in advance anyway.  Another way to avoid the charges is to pre-pay in cash.

Gasoline prices in Cherokee County, as of Friday, July 1st, are ranging anywhere from $4.27 to $4.35 a gallon according to gasbuddy.com

(AL.COM/www.al.com)