Who carries cash???

[Big Rig]

Am I just old school where cash is king??? Just wonder who does not use cash? And why??

[Serk]

I keep a small amount of emergency "Get me home" cash, other than that I'm debit card.

Why? Because if I lose it or it's stolen or anything of the sort, I'm not out any money. If I lose cash one way or another, it's gone.

And by this point a debit card is so widely accepted, I haven't had to dip into my emergency cash in years...

(Only real exception is gun shows. Because of the way gun companies get screwed over by CC companies, cash IS still king at gun shows...)

[vanavyman]

  Only carry cash when on trips and then only for small purchases.  We carry a credit card with no balance and we put all purchases online or out of town on it and pay it off at the end of the month.  Locally use a debit card for most purchases and usually have less than $40 on me.  We have no problem getting extra cash if needed.  

  I'm intrigued by this new ApplePay but haven't tried it yet.  Would be nice if Credit card numbers were never given to a merchant for a purchase.

Dan & Trish

[old2soon]

I carry cash cause I can see no sense in using plastic for a dollar cup of coffee.   Kinda old school myself!   To this day I keep a pocket full of change cause a LONG time ago I used a LOT of pay phones.   I frequent the golden arches breakfast/supper club now and then and I see a LOT of young folks paying fer a soda with plastic.   Their choice I'm sure but I couldn't do that.   RIDE SAFE.

[MP]

I like cash, because, contrary to the ads of a couple years ago, PLASTIC slows down pay lines!  Almost EVERY time I am behind someone paying with a card, they swipe it, then we all stand there for up to 2 minutes at times, WAITING for approval.  I hand over cash, they give me change, and it is all over.  Seconds.

It also PO's me, that I have to pay a slightly higher price for cash, because the merchants get charged a fee for using plastic, so they need to raise prices a few % points to pay for that.

MP

[Hooter]

Cash and credit card. Cash to do what I want and credit card in case of an emergency. I don't carry a large amount of cash on my person but it is with me. Don't want to pay interest on 12 bucks worth of gas.

[The emperor has no clothes]

Hardly ever use cash anymore.

[Jess Tolbirt]

debit card only,, i havent had over 5 bucs cash in my pockets for many years. most everywhere i go its an instant transaction unless way out in the sticks where dial up is the only option for the merchant..

[Jess from VA]

I keep $50 -70 in my wallet for stuff/emergency.  It lasts a long time, then I top off.

If I go to a gun show (unless I've promised myself it is a window shopping day), I carry a lot more. 

[Pete]

Carry - Cash and credit card
Use - credit card, all things being equal - always

Reason 25 to 30 day use of the banks money before I have to use my money.
1 to 5 percent rebate on credit card purchases into my pocket.

I do not understand why one would do it any differently that this.

[cokebottle10]

To me cash is King. Especially when you do a large purchace. If you ask for a discount for cash you will get it most of the time. They took 15% off on a new roof a few years ago. They did alot of extra things that they could have charged me more for when installing a new heat pump, but because I was paying in cash there was no charge and the discounts came off right away when I started to talk cash for a new car back in December.

Thanks, David in Fletcher NC.

[Serk]

Heh, wanna see somewhere that does NOT like cash? Try buying a car with cash (From a dealership)...

We partially did that for the spousal unit's latest car... They do NOT like it when you whip out piles of cash. Do not like it at ALL... WAY more paperwork and hassle and more people involved, etc...

I threatened to pay for it ALL in cash unless they dropped the price a bit more, and they actually did.

So it works in reverse sometimes...

[Patrick]

I too am a cash guy. I wonder why so many use plastic for everything, especially restaurants.

[Jess from VA]

Last (only) two new car & truck I bought, I wrote a personal check, and drove home.  

Do you want to call my bank?  No, you do know it's a rather large crime to give me a bad check.  Yes, I do, my check is good.  And besides, we know where you live.  

Got me a decent discount on top the factory offers.  But, I told them in exchange for cash/check, I was not going to sit through all the extra BS sales pitches they give on warranties, finance, low jack, maintenence agreements, satellite keys, yada and any other crap they were going to try and sell me (almost worse than a real estate closing).  The gal standing there responsible for all that crap was not happy. Can you just sign off on these things?  NO, I'm not doing that either.

[Serk]

I wonder why so many use plastic for everything, especially restaurants.

What's the down side?

Down side to cash is having cash on you, with a risk of losing it. Having to keep up with bills, having to keep up with change, etc... With a card I see no downside and massive upside.

[Jess from VA]

I do the same.  The only downside is my cards have been compromised a few times in the last couple years.

Did you buy $400 worth of crap in Ireland last week?  NO.  Did you buy a Bissell carpet cleaner in Chicago last week?  NO.  OK, cancel the charge and get me a new card.  Will do.

[R J]

Carry $100.00 in my billfold for mad $$$$$.     This particular bill has been in my billfold since June 1997.   Last time I had to use it was in Northern New Mexico when I blew a radiator hose on the truck.   The mechanic took nothing but cash.

Otherwise I have less than $200.00 in spending $$$$, and my CC.  I pay the CC off every month.

When I bought mom her Highlander for Christmas, I told them when I walked in, it would be a CASH deal, paid in full when I drove off.

They quoted me a price on the road.

Told them it was too firkin high.

Well, how much do I have to come down to close this deal.

Said, 7,000.00.

He said ouch, you are going for the juggler.

I said now it is $8,000.00 for that comment.

Walked out the door 20 minutes later all the paper work done, check written and old plates on the new vehicle.

Yes, I got it for $8,000.00 less than his initial asking difference on the road.

So, yes at times CASH does talk.    Besides he was trying to steal the Trade-In.

It has been over 40 years since I made payments on any vehicle.

I don't like reserving the middle of the front seat for the damn banker.

My next door neighbor, who was a Lincoln dealer in Grass Valley, CA got me into paying CASH.

[cookiedough]

do both,  keep 100 bucks or so on me usually at most times.  Unfortunately, the wife usually takes most of that out of my wallet for her spending sprees.   

I use my credit card for groceries and gas mostly and larger purchases thus getting 1% cash back.

I do have a local gas station that gives a 3 cents per gallon discount if pay with cash since he is old school and hates having to pay at his mom and pop gas station every month about 2.5-3% in merchant fees to the credit card companies for the 'priviledge' to have at the pump the use of a credit card.  I wonder why more gas stations do not offer cash discounts on a gallon of gas since all he is doing is not making a profit but breaking even by saving him the hastle of getting charged to use a credit card at his gas pumps. 

I need both to survive, but spend a ton more on credit cards per month than cash.  I usually spend about 100 bucks per week in cash, but over 1 grand easily in credit card bills per month.  Most of that is gas and food and bills. 

[da prez]

Daugter in law newly divorced asked me how to negociate a new car. After a few pointers, and no mention of cash she squeezed the dealer and did comparison shopping.
  When she got what she wanted at her price , they said they would get the finance manager. No ,she said , I have cash ,and do not bother me with any dribble . It's a done deal or I walk.
  Drove off in her new car.

     Myself , I use both cash and debit. Sams Club fuel is debit/credit only and usually ten to fifteen cents cheaper.

                                   da prez

[Patrick]

My grandfather always said he would spend $4 to make $5 any time of the day. He always had the money on him to make such deals. I've tried to follow in his footsteps.

[YoungPUP]

Always keep about $100 with me for oh sh!t money.  Makes it easy to talk your way out of smacking a mail box in the work truck especially when reporting it will get you a 2 day unplanned unpaid vacation.  That same money buys lunches coffee's etc.  Just have to make damn sure I don't bump any mailboxes Friday afternoon, as I refill the wallet on my way home Friday nite....

[Xtracho]

Keep a C-note stashed for emergency. Other than that it's debit card. We always have a bit stashed away at the house just in case all goes to hell....like in a hurricane situation. So, the wife takes some cash out of each pay check and stashes it away. Hell, I don't even know where she keeps it in the house.

[BF]

Like most others...cash and debit. 

I usually have about a 100 bucks or so spending money on me for lunch, dinner, whatever....also have an emergency stash that doesn't get touched in there too. 

Use debit for everything else. 

One credit card is for large purchases, car/truck tires, car repairs, emergencies, etc.

Another credit card is for internet shopping, Paypal, etc. 

Also have a Sears card, but haven't used it in ages. 

That's it for me.     

[Bighead]

Debit for most things but keep a few $$ on me for certain things. When I buy Ammo cash only nobody needs to track my Ammo purchase of what I bought and they can't with cash  

[Hoser]

If carrying a large amount of cash, it is a good idea to carry something else to make sure no one takes it from you.  Hoser 

[Flint]

Always carry cash, never had a debit card. Keep a credit card for online purchases and sometimes fuel if I am out of town, always pay it off every month. Wife's just the opposite, never has any cash always uses a debit card. I do carry something extra if I have a lot of cash on me.

[Serk]

*Furiously taking notes as to whom says they pay for everything with cash*

*Cross referencing with threads with pictures of bikes and riders*

Welp, I know how I'm gonna finance my Inzane trip this year!

(That was tongue in cheek, I would do no such thing of course...)

[The emperor has no clothes]

*Furiously taking notes as to whom says they pay for everything with cash*

*Cross referencing with threads with pictures of bikes and riders*

Welp, I know how I'm gonna finance my Inzane trip this year!

(That was tongue in cheek, I would do no such thing of course...)

Of course you wouldn't  But I think you are now the number 1 suspect if one of them dudes comes up missing their stash.

[T-Bird]

You can buy any car with cash with no hassle as long as it isn't over $9,999.99
This keeps illegal money from being laundered through car dealerships.

Heh, wanna see somewhere that does NOT like cash? Try buying a car with cash (From a dealership)...

We partially did that for the spousal unit's latest car... They do NOT like it when you whip out piles of cash. Do not like it at ALL... WAY more paperwork and hassle and more people involved, etc...

I threatened to pay for it ALL in cash unless they dropped the price a bit more, and they actually did.

So it works in reverse sometimes...

[Fritz The Cat]

Cash is handy if you ever have to pay a ransom.

[BnB Tom]

I keep a small amount of emergency "Get me home" cash, other than that I'm debit card.

Why? Because if I lose it or it's stolen or anything of the sort, I'm not out any money. If I lose cash one way or another, it's gone.

And by this point a debit card is so widely accepted, I haven't had to dip into my emergency cash in years...

(Only real exception is gun shows. Because of the way gun companies get screwed over by CC companies, cash IS still king at gun shows...)

  Word for word!! 

[f6john]

      I have credit cards and I have a debit card, I think somewhere, I never use it. I believe that there are many who would like to move us to a cashless society, everything done electronically. When that happens, it leaves an institution in control of your funds and in a couple of key strokes  can wipe it out. Right now it seems like a real convenience but if/when we lose the choice we will be in real trouble.

[MP]

Do you want the government to know EVERYTHING you do?  I know, in todays society, it is very hard to go even a little under the radar.  But, every time you use a card, that transaction is tracked.  What you bought.  When you bought it.  Where you bought it.  In aggregate, they know exactly what you spend your money on.  Track you almost minute by minute, every day of your life.

I believe it is a sad day.  Our right to do things without Big Brother knowing everything, is essentially gone in my lifetime.  Cell phones track our every movement.  GPS follows us around.

I know of no way, outside of truly leaving the economy, to stop this.  Use much cash?  That gets tracked too.

Stories like that of Orwell about Big Government, that were just fantasy when I was growing up, have become way out of date!  We have gone far beyond what was predicted, and laughed at.

MP

[Anthony]

On this Side of the pond a debit card / credit card rules, and cash is only used for small purchases.
Heck, there is even a law all over Europe that limits the amount that can be paid in cash for any goods or service, to 3000 Euro. Max 10% of the total invoice, with a Max of 3000Euro.
So that is for a car, furniture, gold, ...
Only a sale between 2 private parties excluded.

For Real estate  there is NO cash allowed. If a notary has the impression that 2 parties are selling/buying a piece of Real estate below the market value, he is by law forced to report them to the authorities for trying to launder money.

Makes you feel safe, hey, when there is always somebody looking over your shoulder....

Anthony

[czuch]

Anything that goes bang, cash. Private sales are king. Cash at the counter for the other half.
Debit as credit for gas, just for the convienience.
Mostly cash.

[therapist]

Cash only for a cup of coffee or other small purchases. Credit card for most purchases, we like the cash back. I wait until it reaches $300 to $500, like a nice gift. I use Amazon for more and more purchases. I have a separate Amazon Visa, and get cash back there as well. Always pay it off within 30 days, so no interest.

For those who still fear using credit cards because you are afraid they will be compromised, ours has been a couple times over the years. You sign an affidavit verifying what you purchased and what you didn't, and you get new cards...no money lost...just a little inconvenience.

They had a PBS story on the increasing use of credit cards, and now, paying by phone swipe. They said in Sweden, only 7% of purchases are cash. It is the future.

[Master Blaster]

I do all three, cash for resturant and small stuff, debit for most in store purchases, and credit card for gas and hotels.  I see folks using plastic for items that cost less than 1.00 and just seems foolish to me.  The credit is paid in full monthly, so no interest or balance forward.  I have zero debit and like it that way.

[Jack]

I rarely carry cash unless on a trip.  Debit card for daily use locally.  If I have cash, I also have a gun nearby.

[Serk]

I see folks using plastic for items that cost less than 1.00 and just seems foolish to me.

I do this and besides the fact that my cash is for emergencies only, by doing this I never have to worry about having change clogging up my pockets. It might sound petty but it's one less thing to keep up with and annoy me.

[Chillerman]

I use a airline mileage card for almost everything.  Pays for 2-3 free round trip flights every year.  I pay the card off every month so there is no interest charged. 

By using credit cards for every purchase it is easy to track your finances and follow a budget.  When you use cash...not so much.  You have no idea what you spent it on unless you keep every single receipt.  Helps keep my wife in line