pay cash and be looked down upon?

It's classy to use a credit card in a restaurant. Extra points if you don't look at the bill!

How ya doing, buddy?

Originally Posted by avanent

Plus, paying credit card bills? No thank you.

QFT

So I have been in the unfortunate place of not really making enough money to pay off debt for the past year or two. Ideally, that should change very soon as I will finally (hopefully!) get some more permanent living arrangements that wont be overwhelming to my lowly income. At this point, when the living arrangements I have are more permanent, I plan on building a 2-4 year plan to move out of debt, very akin to AliceInWonderland.

I do plan on keeping the credit card though, because spending itself isn't my problem, and also I like to spend very modestly with a card, (like groceries, gas, meals) and pay it off every month. It's a very convienient system.

That being said, debt sucks, and we should all try our best to be out of it.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

I guess most of the customers I've seen at my work pay by credit/debit, but a good amount pay by cash, too. I don't even have a credit card.

I don't usually feel comfortable if I have too much cash in my wallet but then again I wouldn't feel comfortable with a plastic card either. I tend to lose things somewhat easily. At least with debit you have a pin number you need to know.

Anyway, like many others have said before me, paying by cash doesn't mean you're poor at all. It's really just a matter of preference.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Never heard anything like that before. Paying with cash is normal.

Unless someone brings in the ashtray compartment from their car full of pennies to pay. That actually happened to me once when I worked at as a cashier. I had to count five hundred or so pennies and everyone in line had to wait. That is kind of cash payment is frowned upon for obvious reasons.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Cash is out of style. I rarely carry any on me. Half the bloody time they don't even accept it anyway. Why do we have $50 and $100 bills if I can't fucking use them? Nothing is more irritating then walking up the cashier with a $40 dollar purchase and some twat telling you, "Oh we don't take $50 dollar bills, LOL."

Credit card is the best method of payment although I use my debit for most transactions. I have a CITI Master Gold Card with currently a $7,500 limit. It seems people opposed to credit cards are forgetting the importance of credit rating. Credit cards are your best friend with a little bit of responsible use. Currently I owe $1,500 on my MasterCard. $3,000 Credit Union loan and like $7,000 student loan. And If I wanted another loan today, I could get it no questions. High credit rating ftw.

Cash, no thanks.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Originally Posted by JackyBoy

Cash is out of style. I rarely carry any on me. Half the bloody time they don't even accept it anyway. Why do we have $50 and $100 bills if I can't fucking use them? Nothing is more irritating then walking up the cashier with a $40 dollar purchase and some twat telling you, "Oh we don't take $50 dollar bills, LOL."
.

unfortunately, I have to agree with them. At night, i'm only allowed to have 50$ in my machine (i have to make deposits). So uynless they have 50$ of gas, it's quite normal to refuse such big bills.
But tell me (if you're from the US): do US bills have security "token"? In canada (and europe, I beileve), bills have become so ehavy on security that they can't possibly be duplicated. Before they came, big bills were refused

FELIPE NO

Once I was buying some clothes and my credit card wigged out and didn't go through. I have problems with it from time to time which sucks cause when your card gets declined it pretty embarassing. Luckily I had a ton of cash on me at the time as well. I rolled my eyes at the girl behind the counter in disgust and then dropped like 300 in cash to buy the clothes. She seemed impressed and asked me if I was a "baller."

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Originally Posted by *AkirA*

I just always associate credit cards with irresponsibility.

Took the words right out of my mouth.

I have a debit card (Meaning from a Checking Account), but I usually just go to an ATM for Cash Back, and only use the card for certain kinds of purchases.

Really I hope I can get a chance to scoff at someone using a credit card, just to catch them off guard. Evil but fullfilling.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

I would think the store owners would prefer customers paying cash since they have to pay service charges on credit cards.

I live in a mostly mom and pop area and they're cash only, which is annoying since I rarely have more than $40ish cash on me at anytime. Kind of contradictory yes but I'd rather pay with a debit card than stop by an ATM every other day or withdraw $200 at a time. I do have a lot of receipt stubs though.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

I never heard of this either, but I can imagine why some people might think so. Although my mother, who pays mostly with cash, gets strange looks when she pays like $300 dollars of groceries with cash.

Personally, I have a college account which includes a free debit card and credit card, but I only use my credit card for emergencies and school-related stuff (since my mom pays for the credit card, while my debit is money I made from work).

I'll probably get a credit card when I get older, but I'll only use it for emergencies and/or things that I really need that I can't afford with my checking account (but honestly, I can't think of anything I absolutely need that's that pricey)

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

I think we should do away with cash, frankly. I don't even want to know how much money it costs the government to print and circulate all that money! We should at least do away with the penny - it's a ridiculous denomination.

Originally Posted by kat

I would think the store owners would prefer customers paying cash since they have to pay service charges on credit cards.

I live in a mostly mom and pop area and they're cash only, which is annoying since I rarely have more than $40ish cash on me at anytime.

The only problem with that is I would think that would make their stores attractive to robbers if they have that much cash on hand? Which is, of course, another reason to do away with cash completely. If stores didn't have cash, what would there be to rob? Nothing... Sure, a computer hacker could steal your pin number theoretically. But have you ever heard of someone getting shot during an armed computer hacking?

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by Avalokiteshvara

It's classy to use a credit card in a restaurant. Extra points if you don't look at the bill!

Wow. I've heard exactly the opposite from a server friend of mine that works in Santa Barbara CA. The richer celebrities he has waited on check the bill, and leave $500, $800, or even a solid K in $100 bills. The extra points come in when they say "Keep the change." The not so rich celebs pay in credit to hide their true financial power. Some of these people can't even afford to pay their bill at the end of the month.

I'll admit though, I just have to take his word on it. The highest tab I remember paying was about $200, and I put it on my credit card.

The big thing to remember with restaurants is, servers and waiters usually get chump change to take care of your fat ass, so tipping with cash doesn't always get reported to the IRS. Heeellooo tax free work money.

I was speaking idiomatically.

I don't know, Fatt. People who don't look at the bill (in my experience) are better tippers. Also, anytime a customer asks a question like, "Are drink refills free?" or "Does it cost extra to get soup instead of salad?" you know you're getting a shitty tip. But yeah, you only have to report something like 10 percent of your food sales, so it's a pretty good deal...taxwise, that is.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Originally Posted by AliceNWondrland

I don't know, Fatt. People who don't look at the bill (in my experience) are better tippers. Also, anytime a customer asks a question like, "Are drink refills free?" or "Does it cost extra to get soup instead of salad?" you know you're getting a shitty tip. But yeah, you only have to report something like 10 percent of your food sales, so it's a pretty good deal...taxwise, that is.

Maaaaan, I hate it when I ask these questions and people think that I am not going to tip well. (Well, in your opinion Alice, I tip horribly. ;_; )

I often ask if something is free. I am always concerned about refills on an iced tea, since it's not actually soda. And the soup/salad is a fair concern!

Eitherway, yea, I can say that I agree with Alice about the whole "getting looked down upon when buying a high-ticket item with cash." Small shit for under $100 I can understand cash.

But I feel BAD for a person who has to buy a washer/dryer in cash. ;_; I've been there when I was on my own and had nothing BUT cash. (Bank accounts flipped me out. I didn't trust them.)

You kind of ARE looked at like a drug dealer, I guess. Or someone who just hasn't caught up with the times. But not with purchjases under $100, what the fuck. Virginia is just stupid - what else is new. ^_^

FELIPE NO

I guess credit vs. cash might just be a regional thing.

Also, not just to Alice, but to everybody, what qualifies as a good tip? I usually tip 25% for standard service, 35% or more for a little extra hookup (complementary salad, or a free beer), and 10% or less if they take a bad attitude to me. I usually try to leave a minimal $5 tip (sometimes I go to a coffee house and order a glass of water) when I don't spend that much.

As far as carrying a wad of cash, it doesn't phase me. The Chinese customers I have worked with always pay in cash. They tell me that they don't believe in credit cards. I remember at the UPS Store, when the bird flu outbreak struck, the Asian and Pacific Islander community were shipping internationally like crazy, and it wasn't uncommon for us to have $3,000 in the register in cash at the end of the day. The only drawback was the walk to the bank to make a deposit. Credit cards are nice because the money goes straight in to your account, while with cash you have to walk around with it in your pocket, and it raises paranoia when the amount is high enough. You know? When you have illegal drugs in your pocket, you can't help but notice every single cop in the local vicinity, but with cash, you start sweating when people walk within 10 feet of you, and even more when people stare at you.

Life is complicated sometimes.

EDIT: I also wanted to add that you are a jerk if you pay for a pack of gum with a $100 bill. You can say that they HAVE to break your bill, but you have to realize that most registers don't have that much smaller change at all times (especially in the morning), and a $100 bill is in such a high denomination that it can't be used as change.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Originally Posted by Fatt

Also, not just to Alice, but to everybody, what qualifies as a good tip? I usually tip 25% for standard service, 35% or more for a little extra hookup (complementary salad, or a free beer), and 10% or less if they take a bad attitude to me. I usually try to leave a minimal $5 tip (sometimes I go to a coffee house and order a glass of water) when I don't spend that much.

I'm guessing tipping is really a regional thing too. Up here, 20% is standard - if anything, considered generous. Whenever I go out with people who are picking up the bill, they always leave 10-15%, which is kind of disturbing.

(I usually try to leave a minimum of $5 too, even if I am at Friendly's ordering an ice cream or something.)

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by Fatt

EDIT: I also wanted to add that you are a jerk if you pay for a pack of gum with a $100 bill. You can say that they HAVE to break your bill, but you have to realize that most registers don't have that much smaller change at all times (especially in the morning), and a $100 bill is in such a high denomination that it can't be used as change.

You know, I did that at my college cafeteria once. I needed some small change, and I asked the cashier for a $50 change. She said I'll have to buy something despite the LONG line and despite me asking thrice, telling her I need the change for a book (I was also late for class by the way). So, for the 15 minutes I wasted there, I bought a pack of candy, for 50 cents, with a $100 bill. Oh yeah, they have PLENTY of small change.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by Scarletdeath

You know, I did that at my college cafeteria once. I needed some small change, and I asked the cashier for a $50 change. She said I'll have to buy something despite the LONG line and despite me asking thrice, telling her I need the change for a book (I was also late for class by the way). So, for the 15 minutes I wasted there, I bought a pack of candy, for 50 cents, with a $100 bill. Oh yeah, they have PLENTY of small change.

About twice a month at The UPS Store, we would have someone paying for a pen, or a single copy, or a postage stamp with a $50 or $100. Only having $200 in the register to start the day, this would eliminate a good chunk of our change. It got even worse when they would complain about getting the change in $10s, $5s, singles, and quarters. This is what I'm talking about.

The evil two dollar bill is also fusturating, having no place in the register. I always shoved them in the black box with the checks.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

This pay cash and being looked down thing just doesn't happen where I came from. Most shops in Asia still prefer cash, and most shops still do not accept credit cards. Often the only cards they accept would be the cash card where you can top up at train station or convenient stores, or some debit cards. If you go around Japan with just credit cards you will be in trouble unless you only frequent the high end market and 5 star hotels. Some business hotels in Japan don't even accept credit cards, cash or cash or cash only. Of course, they have the ATM machine there so you can withdraw cash from your bank account.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

That's pretty stupid if you ask me. I'd rather pay with cash unless of course I got my hands on a Blackcard.

I was speaking idiomatically.

I only have a problem with the people who will take a fat wad of cash out of their pocket and peel away at it to pay for something. It looks like they do it just to show off how much money they have, and it's arrogant and stupid. It's mainly black people I see doing this. You'd think if they have so much money they could afford to buy a fucking wallet.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Originally Posted by Sassafrass

I'm guessing tipping is really a regional thing too. Up here, 20% is standard - if anything, considered generous. Whenever I go out with people who are picking up the bill, they always leave 10-15%, which is kind of disturbing.
.)

i thought tip was included in france (ttc). Unless it changed?

Most amazing jew boots

Originally Posted by WolfDemon

I only have a problem with the people who will take a fat wad of cash out of their pocket and peel away at it to pay for something. It looks like they do it just to show off how much money they have, and it's arrogant and stupid. It's mainly black people I see doing this. You'd think if they have so much money they could afford to buy a fucking wallet.

I guess that's just not the kind of attitude that makes you rich ...

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

I won't lie, I usually look at people who pay with a lot of cash suspiously. Perhaps its just my watching television too much, but people who pay with that much cash are never up to any good. Plus, there were quite a few drug dealers where I came up...

I hate paying in cash myself because of change. I hate it. When I break a larger dollar, it never goes to good use. A sandwich, a candybar from a vending machine... something like that.

On credit cards: Last semester I had an assignment which called for recenting a video, so I went to Blockbuster. I didn't have a membership card, and I couldn't apply for one without a credit card. Mind you, I had a debit card, and more than enough cash and even offered to BUY the video (they had that used video buy program thing), but the cashier refused. It really annoyed me, since I like renting videos (I used to use a relative's card), but I was planning on getting through school withot getting a credit card.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

I just remembered something. Around Thanksgiving last year I bought a crapload of Christmas presents for my kids and my husband at The Sharper Image and paid cash, because as I mentioned before, my husband and I paid off our credit cards and now we pay for everything in cash because we have no self-discipline. I believe I spent about $500 in there, but I don't remember the exact figure. Whatever it was, it wasn't really all that much...it wasn't like I bought one of those massage chairs with cash or anything.

Aaanyway, for one reason or another I had to return something after Christmas and when I went back to the store over a month later to exchange this item, the same guy was working and he goes, "I remember you. You came in here a while back and paid in cash."

I'm telling you, paying with cash is gauche.

There's nowhere I can't reach.