Phil's Blog

Hi All !

Yeah, as usual, it is a long time since my last post ;). My last post was something about the Foleo, a product which never comes out :( . So about computers, I'm looking on the eeePC side. But I'm waiting the 10 inches siz screen ;). Anyway, this post is about American Express Card. I am using one since January 2008 in Paris, and I will sum up the way to use it there ;).

So, first of all why I have chosen to order a second card? You know, in 2007, I brought my Visa card. Plus, I had no more "checks". So I spent 2 weeks without a way to get money ! (except through friends). About Visa, with a classic card (no premiere one or gold), your card is edited again in a week. Then, you have to go to your bank to get it. Thus, I decided to get a second credit card. So if I ever loose my traditionnal one, I can use a second one ;). But usually, your two cards are in the same wallet. So what happened if you loose it? Same trouble as before...
The main advantages of American Express Card are :
- your card is edited again in 48 hours and send to you by UPS,
- membership program (okay, it is not very interesting to me today),
- you pay all your bills once a month,
- a kind of insurance on your bought products,
- after 6 months, you can use it in ATM machin to get cash (interesting overall in foreign countries)
- no payment limit,
- you can add a nice insurrance when you buy a fly ticket through Global Assist,
- useful in foreign country whan you pay with : better change.

All these stuff are included in any Amex Card. I have chosen the blue one, because I'm just starting working, and I don't want to pay for a second card. The blue one is free if you spend at least 4000euros a year. It is not to difficult here in Paris ;)

How I am spending my money with it, here in Paris? You can use it :
- in any Stabucks coffee, with no minimum bills,
- in McDo close to "Jardin du Luxembourg" (Luxembourg garden),
- in RATP agency and train stations (ex: "La Garenne Colombe station by train") to pay your Orange Card / Navigo Pass monthly
- in Monoprix and some Champion to buy your goshories
- in FNAC stores to buy your concert tickets for exemple (website FNAC is okay too)
- in SNCF stores and website for your train tickets
- in BP gas station
- in VIP Room Club with no minimum
- in Six Seven Club with 150euros minimum (it's uggly I know...)
- in Drug Stores (Pharmacie?) from La Defense with 50 euros minimum (it's unfair too)
- in Gaumont theatres (I should check that)
- in Footsie Bar, the one at Saint Germain / Cluny La Sorbonne subway stop
- in any Indiana Café
- in AZTECA restaurant (Nice Mexican food close to chatelet / louvre-rivoli stop)
- on usenext website for newsgroup
- on Orange Mobile Phone to pay your bills
- in Haggen Dazz store (champs elysée)
- LE BERNICA restaurant, rue de la gaieté
- THAI ELEPHANT restaurant, indian food. Very tasty, but very expensive too.
- in any hippopotamus restaurant
- to rent a Velib'
- to buy flowers in many flower shops
- fly tickets
- BHV
- Galeries Lafayette
- courir stores (shoes)
- Fnac website
- amazon.com
- Club Med Agency (at least, the one rue pierre Charron, 75008)


But you can't use it on Navigo machin to fill your pass. (it doesn't work where I tried)

Web sites :
- clothing
* http://www.menattitude.com
* http://www.planet-undies.com
* https://www.yoox.com

Feel free to add comments about way to use an Amex card in Paris.

In Poland, you can use it every where : hostel, inn, pubs, restaurants, clubs, taxi :D It is so great ;)
In Moscow, you can use it pretty every where, except in the airport (only 1 or 2 duty free shops accept it...it is a shame !)

When you pay in an other money tha euro (for me) you really save money (compare to a Visa card). Wages are less expensive with Amex than a visa.