Transaction card system and approach

A purchase transaction system for managing transaction cards issued to respective users relative to their status at a banking institution at which they hold a consideration-bearing banking account, the system comprising a computer arrangement configured and arranged, for each user having a transaction card, for:

• establishing a transaction card purchase limit as a function of a transaction balance of the consideration-bearing bank account and of unpaid purchases against the transaction card;
• authorizing and tracking purchases against the transaction card as a function of the transaction card purchase limit;
• and
• at the end of a billing cycle:
• issuing a statement to each user indicating a balance in the consideration-bearing banking account and unpaid transaction card purchases,
• providing a time window for users to provide funds for the transaction card purchases, and
• for each user, automatically transferring funds for the transaction card purchases reflected on the statement as a function of the transaction card purchases and a communication protocol implemented with the user during the time window.

A purchase transaction processor arrangement for use with transaction cards associated with respective users as a function of at least one consideration-bearing banking account status for each user, the processor arrangement configured and arranged, for each user, for:

• approving funds for purchases against the user's transaction card as a function of a transaction balance of the user's consideration-bearing banking account;
• automatically tracking purchases against the transaction card in a transaction card purchase account that is separate from the consideration-bearing banking account;
• at the end of a billing cycle:
• notifying each user of a balance in the transaction card purchase account, the balance including purchases made against the transaction card during the billing cycle, and
• providing a time window for users to provide funds for the balance in the transaction card purchase account, and
• for each user, automatically transferring funds for at least some of the balance in the transaction card purchase account as a function of the transaction card purchases and a communication protocol implemented with the user during the time window.