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"You've got to carry weapons
'Cause you always carry cash."
Smugglers Blues by Glenn Frey
'Cause you always carry cash."
Smugglers Blues by Glenn Frey
American Currency- Not Good in America
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I met a guy in a bar in Florida one night who claimed he serviced gumball machines for a living. I don't remember if he mentioned a wage but he said there were 80 machines on his route and he skimmed a buck off of each machine. Assuming he serviced the machines once a week he was skimming 320 bucks a month (good money for the time).
I didn't have any way of knowing if he was telling the truth but he bought rounds all night.
I didn't have any way of knowing if he was telling the truth but he bought rounds all night.
I do get it!
I can't speak for other cities, but in our "crime-infested" city of Atlanta the bad guys know where the cash is, and that's where they will hit. Add drug dealers, users, and the cartels to this list. IF you are known to have large amounts of cash on premises, you're a "target"! ATMs are another favorite source ("target").
Add, many employees don't know how to make change, if the purchase amount is different from the amount presented.
Employee fraud and defalcation (theft) are another risk.
Finally, IF you are taking a large amount of $$$ to a bank or night depository, be sure that you have at least one armed guards, but in Atlanta, call for National Guard or police protection! I'm serious.
Bill
I can't speak for other cities, but in our "crime-infested" city of Atlanta the bad guys know where the cash is, and that's where they will hit. Add drug dealers, users, and the cartels to this list. IF you are known to have large amounts of cash on premises, you're a "target"! ATMs are another favorite source ("target").
Add, many employees don't know how to make change, if the purchase amount is different from the amount presented.
Employee fraud and defalcation (theft) are another risk.
Finally, IF you are taking a large amount of $$$ to a bank or night depository, be sure that you have at least one armed guards, but in Atlanta, call for National Guard or police protection! I'm serious.
Bill
03hemi
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Many here get, some here don't, it's not about the card.
It's about being required to use it as the world view is to move us to a cashless society. Someone mentioned the ability to "lock you down" with ease, that's one of the reasons the powers to be want it, has zero to do with convenience. I only use a CC for online purchases to keep my personal account from getting hit, too much trouble to replace a debit card even though you're protected monetarily. I'm an outspoken Christian and I take that mark of the beast seriously, a cashless society is just one more step in that direction.
It's about being required to use it as the world view is to move us to a cashless society. Someone mentioned the ability to "lock you down" with ease, that's one of the reasons the powers to be want it, has zero to do with convenience. I only use a CC for online purchases to keep my personal account from getting hit, too much trouble to replace a debit card even though you're protected monetarily. I'm an outspoken Christian and I take that mark of the beast seriously, a cashless society is just one more step in that direction.
I have always considered the CC fees as a cost of doing business. The monthly fees are far better than a pile of bad checks at the end of the year like I used to get.
I too use a CC for all of my transactions.
If I see a merchant trying to charge CC fee, I just write a check. (remember those?)
I also ask if they will give a discount for cash (real green paper kind), it seems that more and more are willing to do that.
If they won't take a check, I just politely leave without their merchandise.
If I see a merchant trying to charge CC fee, I just write a check. (remember those?)
I also ask if they will give a discount for cash (real green paper kind), it seems that more and more are willing to do that.
If they won't take a check, I just politely leave without their merchandise.
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I have been with a Credit Union for years and years. I use their rewards card for just about everything and since an office is close to home and I know several of the girls there I go in and pay the bill and get cash out for guns and ammo. Never use a card for them. I wait til the rewards points are up around 15000 and cash it in on a payment.
On reality we are close to cashless anyway. The country has 30+trillion in debt state and local governments nearly as much and private citizens and business as much yet as of December 31, 2023, there was $2,259.3 billion of American currency in circulation.
If the fed's 3 trillion a year in debt was printed just in $100 bills it would weigh 33,000 TONS. That would take about .05% of our total yearly out put of paper and cardboard. They would have a hard time keeping enough printers in paper and ink as they would need to print over 57,000 $100 bills ever single minute of the year. Or 951 ever second of the year
It is already just a bunch of bits in computers
They did away with the $500 in about 1970. I bet the $100 bill won't be printed by 2030
If the fed's 3 trillion a year in debt was printed just in $100 bills it would weigh 33,000 TONS. That would take about .05% of our total yearly out put of paper and cardboard. They would have a hard time keeping enough printers in paper and ink as they would need to print over 57,000 $100 bills ever single minute of the year. Or 951 ever second of the year
It is already just a bunch of bits in computers
They did away with the $500 in about 1970. I bet the $100 bill won't be printed by 2030
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coltle6920
Member
A fee for using your credit card? Businesses should do like a lot of gas stations... Offer one price for credit and another for cash. People only hate it when the fees are hidden.
A cashless Society? Big Gov wants to know what you're buying or at least what you're spending. If allowed they would control how much of your money you could spend at any one time. They would probably demand disclosures from banks and credit card companies any time you made a large purchase or withdrew a large sum of cash.
A cashless Society? Big Gov wants to know what you're buying or at least what you're spending. If allowed they would control how much of your money you could spend at any one time. They would probably demand disclosures from banks and credit card companies any time you made a large purchase or withdrew a large sum of cash.
I ask nowadays if there's an extra charge for using a cc. I've found that places that charge extra for a cc will stick to the cash rate if you use a debit card. Same convenience. Perhaps a little more risky, but I think banks recently are covering debit card fraud/theft, too.
You need cash to buy lottery tickets over the counter
One of my pet peeves is waiting in line at the Stop-n'-Rob behind some sucker who is buying scratch-offs, and, of course, paying cash. Meanwhile, the line stacks up with people who have someplace they have to be, and who will complete their purchase in about 15 seconds without having to take the card out of the wallet, if the @#$&+/* line will ever move.
My wife has been conducting her business with a credit card for purchase of product she then sells retail. She gets the 2% return, has never missed a payment in over 30+ years and once while at convention where they told her about their Mastercard initially. She asked them what they thought about sending her a check for over a thousand bucks a year. They told her she was one in a million, according to them they make more money off interest than they pay out, that's their bottom line. She used to use the money she made off the card to fund her trip to convention every year, airfare, room, the works...it was a great system. She still is in business and I'm not sure if they have changed to giving out ****** gifts, I'm not all that curious.
The use of a credit card does NOT prevent the it from being scammed. Twice I've had to get a new credit card issued because an employee of the place I used the card, copied the number and card info and used it to make fraudulent purchases with it.
Ya, I use a CC for online purchases and have had my information miss used by someone a couple times. The stupid 3 digit code on the back and expiration date is worthless as you always have to give it out to pay. If one of the businesses you deal with has a shyster, he might use it on his own or worse sell the information. Even though I don't directly loose any money if they use it successfully, me and every other honest person looses indirectly because the banks and credit card companies get it back from adding some to fees for both us and the merchants. That 3% would probably be 2% if they didn't have to cover fraud. It is like stores, the losses from shoplifting and employee theft is added to the price of their products.
It is like tariffs. In the end it is the importer just adds them to the cost of their merchandise and the consumer is the one who actually ends up paying them. DUH
It is like tariffs. In the end it is the importer just adds them to the cost of their merchandise and the consumer is the one who actually ends up paying them. DUH
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I had the same think happen with a card skimmer. I went to get gas at a Love's gas station in Amarillo, Texas. My card wouldn't work at the pump, so I walked inside and paid cash.
About 3 hours later while I'm still driving my credit union automated fraud system called me and said, Did you make a $109 purchase of xxx, Did you make a $98 purchase of xxx. Did you make a $210 purchase of xxx, Did you make a $350 purchase at xxx.
THE PILGRIM
Member
Also HATE-HATE to get behind the scratch - off gamblers at a gas station conv store.
Once on I40 in Ark the gas pump computer thingie hung up.
These two plump cashier ladies were hanging up on each other in the limited space behind the counter.
So I rate pay at the pump right up there with Sliced Bread!
Cash at the pump? Only place I've ever seen that is Vegas!
Once on I40 in Ark the gas pump computer thingie hung up.
These two plump cashier ladies were hanging up on each other in the limited space behind the counter.
So I rate pay at the pump right up there with Sliced Bread!
Cash at the pump? Only place I've ever seen that is Vegas!
I plow one of my neighbor's driveways when it snows. He would bring me over a prepaid card from the Town Pump gas station. He died and his widow does the same thing. While I do appreciate it, in order to use them I have to go inside, tell the cashier how much gas I want in dollars, then pump it. If I don't empty use the amount on the card, the card retains a balance that I never remember. I despise them to the point I still have a couple in my wallet from last winter with some amount on them.
If you use Amazon . . . (Some folks refuse, I know) you can load a gift or prepaid card into your account. Then when you go to buy something, it will apply that amount plus any needed extra from another means of payment. Of course, if you don't use the full amount it will stay there for next time.
I've gotten prepaid cards for refunds before and do exactly what I describe. You don't have to remember the balance on the prepaid card and you don't get hit with monthly "maintenance" fees that chip away at the balance. One and done, then shred the prepaid card.
ridewv
Member
I'm noticing some restaurants here now charging extra for credit cards, which is how it should be IMO. If your payment method takes 5% of the transaction, that should be on you. It is a line item added at the bottom of the bill called "convenience fee" but only added when you pay with a card.
A couple other restaurants make it advantageous for you by discounting the bill 10% for cash.
As far as motels, I always try to seek out "mom and pop" motels and they generally prefer cash and will often offer a little better price for it for obvious reasons. Chain motels? Forget it they want cards for damage security and just look at some of the kinds of people they have working the night shifts.
A couple other restaurants make it advantageous for you by discounting the bill 10% for cash.
As far as motels, I always try to seek out "mom and pop" motels and they generally prefer cash and will often offer a little better price for it for obvious reasons. Chain motels? Forget it they want cards for damage security and just look at some of the kinds of people they have working the night shifts.
