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Post by Deleted on Aug 15, 2018 21:43:55 GMT -5
Where I feel bad is that I pretty much charge everything. Sometimes the merchant is annoyed. Once the merchant told me just to take the newspaper. I did pay him for it the next time, but I felt guilty for not having $3 cash.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 15, 2018 21:56:24 GMT -5
Where I feel bad is that I pretty much charge everything. Sometimes the merchant is annoyed. Once the merchant told me just to take the newspaper. I did pay him for it the next time, but I felt guilty for not having $3 cash. My SIL used to own a scrapbooking store in town. Sometimes people would come in and want to buy just a couple sheets of paper and put it on the card. It would have cost her more to run the transaction than the paper was worth, so she'd tell them to just take it. Eventually she instituted a minimum charge allowed for credit card purchases. I go to a family owned feed store in town and will go out of my way to get cash for crickets or mealworms for the gecko instead of charging a few dollars when I go there.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 16, 2018 8:59:55 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Aug 16, 2018 10:13:05 GMT -5
I think only using credit cards just kept me from getting scammed.
A young man in the hospital waiting room was calling his family, one by one, because he had been here three days and only had $1.50. He needed $25. I offered to pay it so he could go to work. He noticed I was going to pay by CC and muttered something about how he hoped he had the right ticket.
When he inserted it, it came up $102! Being me, I made him talk to Parking, who told him it was an old ticket. He then thanked me for offering, said his sister must have the right ticket, and ducked into the restroom.
I know it seems an elaborate scam for $25, but the hospital is located on a college campus. That's why I offered to help--because he was just a kid.
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hoops902
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Post by hoops902 on Aug 16, 2018 11:28:25 GMT -5
I never use cash. Everything goes on the credit card and gets paid off at the end of the month. I alternate between the Southwest Visa and my Discover card. I haven't paid for a domestic flight in years with all the points I rack up and I love the cashback option with Discover.
I don't really know why anyone would use cash unless they just don't know how to monitor spending with a credit card.
Because for small transactions cash is faster and the local merchants won't want to stab you in the neck for buying something for $1 on a card that's going to cost them more in processing fees than they make on the item. Also there are things that don't take cards...like most pop machines, some small stores, roadside stands, etc. Although I suppose it's also true that I don't monitor spending with a credit card, but I don't really monitor spending with cash either. I buy what I want, when I want, with either. Sometimes cash is just more convenient to use.
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movingforward
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Post by movingforward on Aug 16, 2018 11:38:18 GMT -5
I never use cash. Everything goes on the credit card and gets paid off at the end of the month. I alternate between the Southwest Visa and my Discover card. I haven't paid for a domestic flight in years with all the points I rack up and I love the cashback option with Discover.
I don't really know why anyone would use cash unless they just don't know how to monitor spending with a credit card.
Because for small transactions cash is faster and the local merchants won't want to stab you in the neck for buying something for $1 on a card that's going to cost them more in processing fees than they make on the item. Also there are things that don't take cards...like most pop machines, some small stores, roadside stands, etc. Although I suppose it's also true that I don't monitor spending with a credit card, but I don't really monitor spending with cash either. I buy what I want, when I want, with either. Sometimes cash is just more convenient to use. I have never noticed anyone at a cash register who gives two craps about how I pay for something. Typically they are minimum wage employees who are just there to do a job. They could not care less if the owner has to pay a processing fee. There are a couple of local places I go that have policies in place (e.g. a local dry cleaners that only allows you to use a credit card when you spend over $12). IF local merchants don't want you to use a credit card for small transactions then they need to put a policy in place. I carry zero cash...even most of the farmers market merchants take credit cards...The only time I have cash on hand is when I am going gambling
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Rukh O'Rorke
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Post by Rukh O'Rorke on Aug 16, 2018 12:59:34 GMT -5
I agree that its something of a racket, but the actions of individual consumers will not going to make an dent in the practices.
Its good to be aware of it, and try not to disadvantage small retailers with small cc purchases, but other than that, any actions are symbolic.
But irritated retailers are out of line being irritated, imo. Sometimes it's a situation where you can't accommodate them using cash or making a larger purchase and they should just smile and file it under "cost of doing business".
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Aug 16, 2018 13:00:33 GMT -5
I carry cash and cards because there ARE still places where they do not accept cards. Not only that, I carry both Canadian and US $ because we are in Canada so frequently.
We frequently utilize local small businesses, and many times, they are cash only.
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wvugurl26
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Post by wvugurl26 on Aug 16, 2018 13:32:52 GMT -5
I typically don't have a lot of cash. If I'm going to a small business I will make sure I have cash. If I just have random cash it tends to be spent and I have no idea what for.
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Chocolate Lover
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Post by Chocolate Lover on Aug 16, 2018 14:14:59 GMT -5
I never use cash. Everything goes on the credit card and gets paid off at the end of the month. I alternate between the Southwest Visa and my Discover card. I haven't paid for a domestic flight in years with all the points I rack up and I love the cashback option with Discover.
I don't really know why anyone would use cash unless they just don't know how to monitor spending with a credit card.
Because for small transactions cash is faster and the local merchants won't want to stab you in the neck for buying something for $1 on a card that's going to cost them more in processing fees than they make on the item. Also there are things that don't take cards...like most pop machines, some small stores, roadside stands, etc. Although I suppose it's also true that I don't monitor spending with a credit card, but I don't really monitor spending with cash either. I buy what I want, when I want, with either. Sometimes cash is just more convenient to use. Our local malls have machines that take cards. Drink and food vending ones. IIRC, there's even an ice cream machine out there somewhere.
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zibazinski
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Post by zibazinski on Aug 16, 2018 19:20:24 GMT -5
Our hospital gift shop adds a fee to anyone using a credit or debit card.
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sesfw
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Post by sesfw on Aug 16, 2018 19:45:22 GMT -5
I always have cash in my wallet and can go weeks without spending it.
I have a grocery store reloadable card and I use a CC to load it while shopping. When it needs more funds on it I put $100 so when I run in for just one or two items there is no problem.
I'm at the age where I don't want more stuff.
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lynnerself
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Post by lynnerself on Aug 16, 2018 22:42:05 GMT -5
Mostly I use cash at the farmers market, for lottery tickets, to pay for wine tasting (unless I buy wine also) and for food and beer venders at events.
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chapeau
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Post by chapeau on Aug 16, 2018 23:29:14 GMT -5
I have a strict cash-only policy for buying alcohol and groceries. I don’t want anyone but me knowing what or how often I buy—booze or chocolate or ice cream. (Seriously, I just don’t want to charge necessities like food, but I don’t want my alcohol purchases being tracked. I was the only one of my college friends who was 21 for 9 months, cash was how they may or may not have paid for the beer I may or may not have bought for them. That habit has never died.) Just came back from a trip with DH and DD. Paid cash for everything but gas and hotel. It’s great not to have to move money out of savings next month because we spent more than we budgeted. We even brought cash home! I live in a small town and shop for groceries at some local mom and pop stores. I use cash there because I know how thin their margins are. And we have a local gas station that gives a cash discount, but it’s a left turn across the 4-lane, so I don’t go there. Gas is usually the same as their discounted price in the town where I work anyway, so it’s not really a savings...
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zibazinski
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Post by zibazinski on Aug 18, 2018 6:15:55 GMT -5
Me except for hotel last night my whole trip. Tonight I’m wroting a check because it’s a B&B and he asked if I would.
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finnime
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Post by finnime on Aug 18, 2018 7:38:44 GMT -5
I use cash when I can for tips, and for the mom-and-pop deli, and for farmer's markets, and for very small purchases except at CVS. I use debit at CVS and grocery stores, debit or credit cards otherwise, depending on purchase risk. As a number of people commented, credit is less risky.
When I sell, I accept any and all of: cash, checks, Paypal, Venmo or even Zelle. Most sales are in the $15 - $30 range. I deposit checks electronically using my phone.
DS works in NYC and he told me cash is preferred there much of the time for its anonymity and unhackability. Interesting.
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wvugurl26
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Post by wvugurl26 on Aug 18, 2018 8:22:13 GMT -5
I also use cash at the farmers market at work and the post office there. It's usually just a slightly bigger envelope that needs extra postage that I'm mailing. You have to spend $10 to use a card. If I have a package I usually create the label online and pay there via credit card.
We have an ATM at work and my main checking account reimburses up to six out of network fees per month so I can get cash if I need to for those things easily.
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ilovedolphins
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Post by ilovedolphins on Aug 21, 2018 19:14:20 GMT -5
I like to use cash mostly but big items like my car or house insurance I put on my cards to get back rewards. I like the rewards but I know I spend a lot more money when I shop with a credit card than I do when I shop with cash.
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toomuchreality
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Post by toomuchreality on Aug 22, 2018 0:36:56 GMT -5
My mechanic gives a decent discount if I pay in cash.
Since I divorced #2 I have not had any credit cards. If I pay for something online, I use my debit card. Only once have I run into a problem by not having a CC- it was at the Vet's office after my ferret had been stepped on by my neighbor. They would only help/treat my ferret in/for the amount of cash I had on hand. If I had a lot, they were willing to run every single test possible. If not, they pretty much did nothing. I had never been to that vet's office before and I haven't been back. (I'm kind of glad I didn't have a credit card now. But at the time...)
Cash works for me.
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weltschmerz
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Post by weltschmerz on Aug 22, 2018 3:22:47 GMT -5
My mechanic gives a decent discount if I pay in cash. Since I divorced #2 I have not had any credit cards. If I pay for something online, I use my debit card. Only once have I run into a problem by not having a CC- it was at the Vet's office after my ferret had been stepped on by my neighbor. They would only help/treat my ferret in/for the amount of cash I had on hand. If I had a lot, they were willing to run every single test possible. If not, they pretty much did nothing. I had never been to that vet's office before and I haven't been back. (I'm kind of glad I didn't have a credit card now. But at the time...) Cash works for me. What happened with the ferret? Did he make it?
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toomuchreality
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Post by toomuchreality on Aug 22, 2018 18:37:57 GMT -5
My mechanic gives a decent discount if I pay in cash. Since I divorced #2 I have not had any credit cards. If I pay for something online, I use my debit card. Only once have I run into a problem by not having a CC- it was at the Vet's office after my ferret had been stepped on by my neighbor. They would only help/treat my ferret in/for the amount of cash I had on hand. If I had a lot, they were willing to run every single test possible. If not, they pretty much did nothing. I had never been to that vet's office before and I haven't been back. (I'm kind of glad I didn't have a credit card now. But at the time...) Cash works for me. What happened with the ferret? Did he make it? Yep. Ferret was okay. (No thanks to neighbor... wouldn't even give me a ride to the vet (my car wasn't running at the time), much less help pay the bill. And no thanks to vet!) Ugh. Thanks for asking!
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