A lot has happened over the last 3 years. How many of you have received your state tax refunds via debit card? This is an insidious way to push the use of debit cards to replace cash, and it will probably expand into other government payments.
That's totally not true. I would say about 40% pray to God it doesn't happen! Do you realize how dangerous a cashless society is? A socialist government would suddenly control everything and tell us what to do if we want to eat.
You are right, but that quote was from just a couple days ago news, and it's what the "younguns" are hearing and believing. Cashless does not necessarily mean socialist. I am one who would not like to see either of those end-game scenarios occur.
I didn't mean it would cause a socialist society, I meant in the event of one taking power. I agree with not wanting either.
It would be interesting to see what those of you who are reading this thread use cash for these days. For me, I typically use cash to pay for my weekly bowling league fees, fast food, for my part of a restaurant bill when splitting a common bill, and a restaurant tip (even when paying with plastic).
Rather than what you use it for, how about what percentage of your total expenditures are in cash. It's not a tough calculation.
A cashless society won't happen anytime soon in Italy. Most of the restaurants where we ate didn't take credit cards--cash only. Fortunately, my wife had read that this was the case so we took a good number of euros with us.
You still need to have cash as a backup in some kind of emergency. Even if it is 10% or less of transactions, you still need to have it "just in case". There is no indication that the presses are going to stop making currency, or that the mints are going to stop minting coins. When I go to restaurants I use cash, so the people splitting the tips don't get screwed by taxes, or crooked managers sticking their filthy fingers in the credit card tips. People on a high salary should not be stealing tip money from people making a dollar an hour. You should get a discount when you use cash in a grocery or restaurant. Saving them the 3%-5% credit card costs that are "built in" to their pricing. Even 1% would be a benefit. You spend $100, it costs you 99. You spend $100, the store is getting back 97-95, so by getting 99, they are making out. And you are a little.
Now that is different over here in the EU. The maximum for debit cards is 0.2 percent, and for four-party credit cards (e.g. Visa, MC) it is 0.3 percent per transaction. Besides, dealing with cash costs money too, from counting bills and coins to cash transports ... Christian
Here in the US the extra 2+% the credit card companies charge is a tax going directly into big businesses pocket.
World War IV will require a great deal of metal for the production of Mech Warriors. Any metal will be confiscated by the provisional governments to mount a desperate defense against the invading alien forces. (As it turns out, old copper coins formed into pellets are about the only metal that hurts the brood queen) At that time, retaining silver/gold hoards and personal coin collections will be viewed as treason. Those found withholding bullion from the 'Gatherers' will be tried and executed on the spot. For a brief time a group of collectors will form a Rebellion with the slogan, "You can take my coin when you peel it from my cold, dead hands". Since most collectors already have cold hands and are nearly half dead the rebellion, such as it is, will be squashed rather quickly. By 2500 the last known coin in existence will go on display at the Smithsonian. It will be an well worn Eisenhower Dollar in a MS70 SEGS slab. Our descendants will collect acorns which will vary in rarity via genetic signatures. The acorn grading scale will be from 4.75 x 10(4) to 4.78 x 10(5). You'll be able to get your acorn certified by the ACS for about 70 credits. Some will gather acorns (regardless of condition or rarity) for their bullion value. A typical acorn stacker is pictured below:
Sure it's a tax. I don't see any difference in CC service between the US and Europe even though the fees are different.
Here are the hallmarks of a tax: 1: You have to pay it. 2: It is collected by a government. 3: You get nothing in return for your money.
So you think you get nothing in return from paying taxes to a government? I guess highways, roads, fire and police protection, public assistance to the less fortunate, environmental protections, ... Need I go on?
Gregg's character reminds me of a bright-eyed and bushy-tailed fellow I used to know. He was called Skippy or, simply, Peanut. His main hobby - he was an avid acorn collector.
In most cases you pay the same for a cash purchase. In that sense, by using his card he's getting a discount (1% back). I did pick up a very sexy 1921 Peace Dollar this weekend from a dealer that offered it for $70.00. When I pulled out my Credit Card he charged me $72.00.
