Abstract

Structure for and method of facilitating charge transactions by the holder of a plurality of charge cards, issued by a plurality of separate charge card issuers, utilizing a single universal charge card selector card, facilitating card holder reconciliation of card holder receipts and a consolidated statement, and providing the universal card holder with a single consolidated statement for all of the card holder's charge transactions during a statement period. The structure for facilitating the charge transaction includes a charge card selector card, having card holder, charge card selector, and a plurality of separate charge card issuers' data thereon, point of charge transaction means at a charge card accepting merchant, means for transferring identification and charge transaction data from the point of charge transaction means to point of charge card selection means at a charge card selector, point of charge card selection means for selecting a predetermined charge card for the charge transaction, and transferring identification data to the charge card issuer of the selected charge card, point of credit authorization means at the charge card issuer, including means for generating credit authorizing data and transferring the identification and credit authorizing data to the charge card accepting merchant through the charge card selector. The method of the invention includes the steps of obtaining a charge card selector card and presenting it to a charge card accepting merchant, presenting identification and charge transaction data to the charge card selector by the merchant, selection of a predetermined charge card issuer by the charge card selector, obtaining credit authorization from the selected charge card issuer by the charge card selector and transferring the credit authorization data back to the merchant.