INDIANAPOLIS — With the price of gas on the rise, more people are finding "hold fees" after buying gas.
The hold is a "pre-authorization" charge, a security measure to ensure you're able to pay for the full amount of gas you put in your tank.
WRTV found gas at $5.09 on Monday. The higher the price per gallon means more money for you when filling up your tank.
Financial expert, Matt Will from the University of Indianapolis said the higher gas price might mean higher holding charges for your account.
Will said this isn't anything new, and you shouldn't be too worried about it.
He said the hold only happens on a credit card, not a debit card. On a debit card, you are only charged for the amount you paid.
The holding charge is pending meaning that the total isn't taken out of your bank until it's cleared for the amount that you pay.
Will's advice is to pay inside and use cash when possible to ensure you don't go over your budget.
If a holding charge sends you over your credit limit, Will said it depends on the bank you use and your credit score.
If you are in good standing, you may be able to charge the gas purchase. If not, your card could get declined.
The hold itself isn't placed by the bank, but by the merchant themselves.
-
'It means that I can go to work': Local single mom gets free car
A single mom who’s been without a car for months got a new set of wheels Wednesday, and it didn't cost her a dime thanks to an auto-repair company with local ties.South Madison Fire Territory expansion canceled due to new property tax law
Eight local governing bodies had previously agreed to expand the South Madison Fire Protection Territory, but now, that plan has to be scrapped.Neighbors seek changes to the intersection of 16th and Delaware Street
Neighbors and community leaders on Indy’s Old North Side are calling for additional safety measures for what they say has long been a dangerous intersection.AI data processing center could rise in Hancock County
Cloud computer technology, including artificial intelligence, needs data centers to function. A developer hopes to convert more than 700 acres of Hancock County farmland into an AI data campus.