Paper losing out to plastic

(bob peterson) wrote in message . com...
I don't even carry much cash or a checkbook any more.

Nothing personal ... but I hate people like you.

I can't think of how many daily minutes and weekly hours *I* get to
stand in line waiting for all the people buying their $1.25 coffee
with debit/credit cards.

"... oops ... didn't swipe properly ... please try again."

"... oh gosh ... it gave an error ... can you please try again. Sorry
everyone."

Meanwhile, I wait for twenty minutes for my coffee with a $1 and shiny
quarter just itching to go into a till.

I can understand buying $200 groceries with plastic but a frickin'
cookie. Jeeze, people. You all make my world such a better place.

/rant

In article ,
Sheldon England wrote:
(bob peterson) wrote in message . com...
I don't even carry much cash or a checkbook any more.

rant

Nothing personal ... but I hate people like you.

I can't think of how many daily minutes and weekly hours *I* get to
stand in line waiting for all the people buying their $1.25 coffee
with debit/credit cards.

"... oops ... didn't swipe properly ... please try again."

"... oh gosh ... it gave an error ... can you please try again. Sorry
everyone."

Pause. "You have to press 'yes' to accept."

"Please sign here." Fumbling for a pen, then fumbling WITH a pen.
(I understand that Europe has generally gone to PIN validation instead
of a signature, which seems much faster, as well as more secure, as I
have rarely seen a clerk check a signature.)

/rant

--
Tim McDaniel; Reply-To:

I can understand buying $200 groceries with plastic but a frickin'
cookie. Jeeze, people. You all make my world such a better place.


I saw a college student the other day at the union snack store using a
Visa card to buy a bottle of coke
and a candy bar. Geez.... I guess I'm old school but I thought credit
cards were intended for major
irregular purposes, not everyday
transactions like that. It is no wonder that many people get into
financial trouble and don't understand how it happens.

JSTONE9352 wrote:

I saw a college student the other day at the union snack store using a
Visa card to buy a bottle of coke
and a candy bar. Geez.... I guess I'm old school but I thought credit
cards were intended for major
irregular purposes, not everyday
transactions like that. It is no wonder that many people get into
financial trouble and don't understand how it happens.

Some of us (I've been out of college for a while) use check cards connected
to our checking accounts, so it's not really charging. I think a lot of
what you're seeing is that type of activity, not putting it on a revolving
line of credit.

But then again, I carry a little cash for those small purchases because it
really is annoying...



Pat
--
Pat in Lewisville K0OOK '97 XLH 883 (Rocinante)
BS#140 EKIII rides with me
http://www.pat-st-jean.com/

Tim McDaniel wrote:

"Please sign here." Fumbling for a pen, then fumbling WITH a pen.

Sigh. Same here (see below) ...

(I understand that Europe has generally gone to PIN validation instead
of a signature, which seems much faster, as well as more secure, as I
have rarely seen a clerk check a signature.)

When I use my Maestro sort-of-debit card here in Germany, I may
(depending on what system the merchant uses) either enter the PIN code
or sign a copy of the receipt. If I do the latter, it technically is a
regular direct debit authorization/DDA, since by swiping the card the
cashier merely gets my bank number and account number. It is less
expensive for the merchant but also less safe (in case the DDA fails).
With the PIN code system, the merchant has to pay a fee but the payment
is guaranteed.

Seems to me that many customers prefer the signature system, since they
do not have to keep a PIN code in mind :-) and also because they can
(e.g. in case of fraud or an error) easily cancel any DDA payment. And
for the stores it is less expensive as long as no or very few payments
"bounce". The banks, however, prefer the PIN code system since it is
more profitable for them.

When I use my card outside Germany, however, payment "by signature" is
not possible AFAIK. So in these cases I always use the PIN code. Well, I
do know that code by heart, but the PIN of my credit card is another
story ;-)

Christian