Cash or Credit Cards?

cash, credit cards
@MALUSE (69428)
Germany
January 15, 2018 12:06pm CST
Today I bought something in a small shop. When I had to pay, I fished nearly the exact amount of money out of my wallet. I gave the shop-keeper two banknotes and all the necessary coins and she gave me back one small banknote. She was glad to get coins from me because they're often missing in the tills. I felt like chatting with her because I was the only customer and I thought she might be bored. I told her that this morning I had heard a moderator on the radio say that he hoped cash would soon disappear as it was really not convenient. I understood from her facial expression that she thought this was a silly idea - just what I feel, too. He mentioned Sweden where people were already much more 'advanced' than they were in Germany. Who says that paying with credit cards means advancement? Maybe it does mean advancement. The question is, however, for whom? I do have a credit card with me when I go shopping but use it only in case of emergency, i.e., when I haven't got enough cash with me. I only use it regularly when I buy big items. I wouldn't pay for, say, a piece of furniture or a car(!) with bank notes. My usual way of paying is cash. My argument against credit cards is that one can easily forget when to stop buying things. When my cash is gone and my wallet is empty, my shopping trip is over. Many people own several credit cards! How silly can one get? If one card isn't backed by money in the bank account anymore, one switches over to another card? Does this automatically fill the bank account again? The shop-keeper was listening to me nodding her head. So she agreed with me. Nice, who doesn't like such a reaction. Then she said something that I found very funny! I told her that she had won the first prize with her remark. She said, "If we don't have cash anymore, what do we give beggars?" Indeedy! Would beggars sit on the pavement with a battery run gadget into which we put our credit cards, would I press buttons and type my personal identification number into it in order to transfer my donated 1 Euro into their bank accounts? The mind boggles.
48 people like this
50 responses
@vandana7 (98529)
• India
15 Jan 18
Aw...what an innocently sweet remark. The girl must have a kind heart. And you have been on my thoughts today though I hardly came here. I think credit card is a huge responsibility. It can be hacked, and forgotten as you said. In countries like India, it won't work for the next 100 odd years. I doubt if god will let me live that long.
5 people like this
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
15 Jan 18
Credit cars can be copied. Did you know that? An attentive bank clerk asked my friend's son if he had been to Prague recently because a big amount of money had been taken out of a bank there with his credit card. He had never been to Prague. Someone must have stolen his credit card, copied it and given it back. He didn't notice anything. I don't know how this is possible but it is possible.
5 people like this
@vandana7 (98529)
• India
15 Jan 18
@MALUSE English. :)
2 people like this
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
15 Jan 18
Why was I 'on your thoughts'?
4 people like this
@amadeo (111956)
• United States
15 Jan 18
I normally pay cash most of the time.Everyone had a bit of cash on them.Do not worry about the beggars(hate that word)they will be fine. Handout is the word I like
5 people like this
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
15 Jan 18
You use the word 'handout' instead of 'beggar'? So you'd say, "I gave a dollar to a handout?" This does sound odd if I may say so.
1 person likes this
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
31 Jan 18
@nife2018 I didn't use the word. The member Alfredo Rossi did.
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
15 Jan 18
I use my Debit Card in the same way, for large items rather than carrying such amounts of cash around. For everyday expenditure I prefer cash, but have witnessed people using credit cards for a cup of coffee.
2 people like this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
15 Jan 18
@MALUSE I often call into Gregg's, which is a bakery chain where you can buy a coffee to take away. It is not in to see customers using a credit card or even a mobile phone. You can now pay by scanning and app on the mobile phone.
1 person likes this
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
15 Jan 18
@Asylum That's ridiculous. But maybe it's an age thing?
2 people like this
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
15 Jan 18
@Asylum This invention is as bad as a credit card because you don't *see* how your money disappears. It's too abstract. You'll only realise the consequence at the end of the month when more money has disappeared than you thought.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (454973)
• Switzerland
16 Jan 18
They want to eliminate cash to control people even more. We are not allowed to give money to beggars, we can be fined if we do. We can give drinks, food, clothing but not money. This will happen in other countries soon.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (323744)
• Rockingham, Australia
15 Jan 18
I'd never thought about beggars and lack of cash. We use a credit card as much as possible as we get Frequent Flyer points on it. We always pay the amount in full when it is due. We are not people to make impulse purchases for no reason so our method works for us.
5 people like this
@JudyEv (323744)
• Rockingham, Australia
16 Jan 18
@lnillerman I know many people get badly into debt through cards.
1 person likes this
@tzwrites (4836)
• Romania
15 Jan 18
Good point about the beggars. Maybe they will have a paypal account we can transfer the money into
5 people like this
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
15 Jan 18
Everything is possible in a cash-less future! :-)
3 people like this
@GardenGerty (157045)
• United States
16 Jan 18
I use a debit card as it comes directly from my checking account. Not credit. I would be hard pressed to carry enough cash for a big shopping day at several stores. I have picked cash off the floor at stores or in parking lots. $20 one time, $50 another and no way to find the owner. I knew a kid that found a $100 bill. Up to a certain amount though, I do use cash.
2 people like this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
15 Jan 18
I use a debit card and cash I nver spend m o neyI do not have I olearned the hard way got into debt with three credit cards toiiok ages to get out nio never again cash oinkyt
1 person likes this
@allknowing (130088)
• India
15 Jan 18
India thinks it is fashionable to go digital when there are so many illiterates who would be at sea having to deal with credit or debit cards. Small shops here prefer cash.
1 person likes this
@yugocean (9975)
• India
16 Jan 18
You have good chat with her I do not use credit card, reason is more TAX and fees is charged than actual cash use. But my relatives use it.
1 person likes this
@marlina (154183)
• Canada
15 Jan 18
I use cash and my debit card. I have a credit card that I only use for a big amount and pay it back right away, so I never pay a penny in interest.
1 person likes this
@marlina (154183)
• Canada
2 Mar 18
@MALUSE I think so too.
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
15 Jan 18
That's a good way to use the card.
2 people like this
@xFiacre (12541)
• Ireland
15 Jan 18
@maluse It’s also difficult to leave a tip in a café or restaurant if you just use a card. I prefer real money, although I do wish all other cash users would wash their hands properly before handling notes and coins that I’m going to be using afterwards.
1 person likes this
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
16 Jan 18
In Germany, coins are occasionally washed and old bank notes destroyed and substituted by new ones for hygienic reasons. We found the most repulsive banknotes in Egypt. Understandably, we had no gloves with us when we travelled there as tourists, so we had to touch them. Arrgh!
1 person likes this
15 Jan 18
the whole electronic money thing does have a slight fear factor for me.... yes, i mostly use it (debit, not credit), but i have had it stolen from my account as well... TWICE! thankfully, both times the bank reimbursed me. But who ends up eventually paying for it? the consumer....
1 person likes this
@Traceyjayne (1763)
• United Kingdom
2 Mar 18
I never would have thought about the beggar situation ....I only pay cash if its a small amount...usually I use my card ...only because I get points and money off vouchers if I use my card.
1 person likes this
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
2 Mar 18
The Brits have used credit cards much longer and use them much more than continental Europeans do.
@silvermist (19706)
• India
22 Jan 18
This is a topic of discussion in India too.Our PM wants us to be a ''cashless''(!) country.Every body should be using cards.Anyway,I now have only cash and Debit card.I have closed all my credit cards. I use cash most of the time.
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
22 Jan 18
That is very reasonable.
1 person likes this
@Madshadi (8853)
• Brussels, Belgium
17 Jan 18
Some big supermarkets have machines for cash too. You just put in the cash into the machine and you get your change back.
@Madshadi (8853)
• Brussels, Belgium
17 Jan 18
@MALUSE in future even cashiers will be replaced by machines if we continue to advance at this pace
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
17 Jan 18
I've never seen that. Belgium seems quite advanced technically.
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
14 Feb 18
I pay mostly by debit card and although I usually have a small amount of cash on me get irritated when I run out of cash, You know in London there is no way to get on the bus without having an oyster card which you put money on it in order to use the bus,.We are increasingly becoming a cashless society. Of course you have to have a load of coins in the car for parking but even that can be paid for by card or via your phone!
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
14 Feb 18
Thanks for this comment and all the others and making me stinking rich! :-)
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23393)
• United Kingdom
14 Feb 18
@MALUSE It's pay back time that's why there are so many! Just catching up with posts!
@Fleura (28949)
• United Kingdom
15 Jan 18
Nowadays you can use your smart phone to transfer money, and the beggars often have the latest gadgets (I don't though). I often use cash but my partner often uses a card (not a credit card, but a debit card). Cash is definitely less common though; some young cashiers have real trouble working out how to give change!
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
15 Jan 18
@Fleura I've never seen a self-service till in a German supermarket. We're behind the moon but I'm happy that we're (still) there!
2 people like this
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
15 Jan 18
I remember from my last visit to London that a supermarket with many tills had only one for cash. This surprised and shocked me. I don't have a smartphone.
1 person likes this
@Fleura (28949)
• United Kingdom
15 Jan 18
@MALUSE in many places they have automated tills and only one with a cashier. I have tried using the self-service ones and they make me so mad, now I always avoid them.
@WorDazza (15836)
• Manchester, England
15 Jan 18
Having got into debt using credit cards in my younger days I never use them now. I suppose for large purchases they might come in useful but in those cases I would consider a bank loan first.
1 person likes this
@nanette64 (20368)
• Fairfield, Texas
16 Jan 18
And a good example of the credit card problem is that in the US alone, there is $1 TRILLION in credit card debt @MALUSE .
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
16 Jan 18
Gosh! So many stupid people? What were they thinking when they went shopping? Probably nothing. :-(
1 person likes this
@MALUSE (69428)
• Germany
16 Jan 18
@nanette64 My mother never even paid by instalments. When we came from the GDR (German Democratic Republic) to West Germany and lived with orange crates and borrowed furniture, she only bought another 'real' piece of furniture when she had saved the money. We travelled by train to the nearest big city to a furniture shop. There was a nice shop-assistant who knew us and was happy for us when we could afford another cupboard or a sofa, etc.
1 person likes this
@nanette64 (20368)
• Fairfield, Texas
16 Jan 18
@MALUSE I'm from the old school. Mom and Dad always said, "If you don't have the cash to buy it; you ain't gettin' it."