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That 5% gap that's blocking your purchase
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SPENDING & ACCEPTANCE • BALANCE BUFFER
Why did my purchase get declined with money still on the card?You probably ran into the 95% balance policy. Here's exactly what that means and how to avoid it next time. |
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READING TIME 2 minutes |
LEVEL Basic |
YOU'LL NEED Nothing |
Short answer: a single transaction can't use more than roughly 95% of your available card balance. A small buffer always needs to stay free — this is normal, not a bug.
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Why this buffer exists |
Some purchases authorize for slightly more than the final price — think rounding, currency conversion, or small fees applied right at the point of payment. The 5% buffer makes sure there's always a little room for that, so your transaction doesn't fail at the last second over a few cents.
| Card Balance | Maximum Single Transaction |
| $20.00 | ~ $19.00 |
| $50.00 | ~ $47.50 |
| $100.00 | ~ $95.00 |
For example, a $20.00 purchase will typically need a card balance of at least $21.10 to go through.
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How to avoid hitting it |
| ● | Keep your balance a bit above the purchase amount, not exactly equal to it |
| ● | If a purchase is close to your full balance, try a slightly smaller amount |
| ● | If the merchant allows it, split a large purchase into smaller payments |
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Important A declined transaction still carries a small decline fee — $0.15 for a domestic decline, $0.55 if it's international — even when the decline is due to this 95% policy. It's worth leaving a buffer up front rather than retrying close to the limit. |
Want us to double-check a specific decline?
Share the merchant name and transaction amount and we'll take a look.
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