War on Cash Ramps Up

[CQBgopher]

Banks are gross. Credit unions are where it's at.

This doesn’t jibe with your earlier post about using your Citibank Visa and your Goldman Sachs Master Card…

Banks are gross. Credit unions are where it's at. I didn't stutter. Nor did I claim I loved Citibank or Goldman Sachs. Try harder.

[CQBgopher]

For the IDIOTS that don't understand.
ONE button push and your money, life, car, etc...is shut down.
Keep your 5 percent and stay out of my wallet.
CONTROL

-dimwit-

A fool keeps all his eggs in one basket. Diversify. Don't be an idiot.

[CQBgopher]

I have to agree with both the Gopher and jukk0u here, albeit on different points. Electronic payment is a stepping stone to economic enslavement, and our widespread adoption of it - and comfortability with it- will ultimately be our downfall. The preservation of privacy that cash provides is the only antidote. But from a purely mathematical perspective, if done properly, you can actually come out money ahead by using plastic. I have taken Citi to the cleaners on my Costco Rewards VISA. I have received well over $3,000 in cash back in the short time that I've been using it, and I have not paid a single penny in interest for it. I can also probably count on two hands the number of times I've actually had to pay more for something because I used a card instead of cash; the price from most merchants is usually the same for either (and increasingly, some merchants don't even take cash anymore).

So, while I agree that cash is king and the war against it is diabolical, I also think there is a way to play the game and win, as long as you know how to do it.

Precisely. Thank you for this!

[CQBgopher]

Banks are gross. Credit unions are where it's at.

If you pay 15 bucks, I pay 15 bucks. You use cash, my cash stays in my interest bearing account until I pay the CC bill that gave me a bonus on the purchase.

What you are failing to realize is that by using digital/CC, the banks are SKIMMING off of EVERY transaction.... Whereas with cash -- the banks get ZILCH - ZERO - NADA.

You can 'think' its not affecting you because you are 'playing the game' and 'making money' on your purchases --- but the reality is - if the banks are giving you BACK 2% - they are TAKING a LOT more to entice you to keep doing it. Just because some merchants don't add the 3-6% CC fee doesn't mean they are not paying it and they are going to make up for it by increasing prices to cover it..... thereby penalizing those that DO pay with cash to pay that higher price.

You pay 15 bucks, I pay 15 bucks. It's up to the vendor/retailer to accept CC or not to. The merchant fees I assumed most people knew were a given, but I guess some people around here need led by their hand in every conv....nope, there it is. The bitterness. Found it.

[dimwit13]

A fool keeps all his eggs in one basket. Diversify. Don't be an idiot.

A fool that doesn't know he is a fool...is an IDIOT. (as by answering a statement that was directed at no one inparticular)
I have some Arizona ocean front property if you want to buy it.
...and they call me dimwit...

-dimwit-

[CQBgopher]

A fool keeps all his eggs in one basket. Diversify. Don't be an idiot.

A fool that doesn't know he is a fool...is an IDIOT. (as by answering a statement that was directed at no one inparticular)
I have some Arizona ocean front property if you want to buy it.
...and they call me dimwit...

-dimwit-

Ironic.

[jukk0u]

I have to agree with both the Gopher and jukk0u here, albeit on different points. Electronic payment is a stepping stone to economic enslavement, and our widespread adoption of it - and comfortability with it- will ultimately be our downfall. The preservation of privacy that cash provides is the only antidote. But from a purely mathematical perspective, if done properly, you can actually come out money ahead by using plastic. I have taken Citi to the cleaners on my Costco Rewards VISA. I have received well over $3,000 in cash back in the short time that I've been using it, and I have not paid a single penny in interest for it. I can also probably count on two hands the number of times I've actually had to pay more for something because I used a card instead of cash; the price from most merchants is usually the same for either (and increasingly, some merchants don't even take cash anymore).

So, while I agree that cash is king and the war against it is diabolical, I also think there is a way to play the game and win, as long as you know how to do it.

Precisely. Thank you for this!

I still think you guys are missing that the cost of the discounts has skewed the cost of goods. The price of the offered discounts is already baked into the economy overall.

Just like the casinos that have flashy lights and plush appurtenances, they don't pay for that stuff by losing money.

[Old Growth]

Some merchants don't even take cash anymore.

This month was the first time I had ever encountered a "reverse ATM".

At a concert the vendors only take cards. There were ATMs in there that take your cash and give you a card to buy your food with.

Insane.

[NWGunner]

Banks are gross. Credit unions are where it's at.

This doesn’t jibe with your earlier post about using your Citibank Visa and your Goldman Sachs Master Card…

Banks are gross. Credit unions are where it's at. I didn't stutter. Nor did I claim I loved Citibank or Goldman Sachs. Try harder.

[CQBgopher]

I have to agree with both the Gopher and jukk0u here, albeit on different points. Electronic payment is a stepping stone to economic enslavement, and our widespread adoption of it - and comfortability with it- will ultimately be our downfall. The preservation of privacy that cash provides is the only antidote. But from a purely mathematical perspective, if done properly, you can actually come out money ahead by using plastic. I have taken Citi to the cleaners on my Costco Rewards VISA. I have received well over $3,000 in cash back in the short time that I've been using it, and I have not paid a single penny in interest for it. I can also probably count on two hands the number of times I've actually had to pay more for something because I used a card instead of cash; the price from most merchants is usually the same for either (and increasingly, some merchants don't even take cash anymore).

So, while I agree that cash is king and the war against it is diabolical, I also think there is a way to play the game and win, as long as you know how to do it.

Precisely. Thank you for this!

I still think you guys are missing that the cost of the discounts has skewed the cost of goods. The price of the offered discounts is already baked into the economy overall.

Just like the casinos that have flashy lights and plush appurtenances, they don't pay for that stuff by losing money.

That cost has been baked in since credit cards were introduced a long, long time ago. Notwithstanding how many retailers choose to take cards based on the increase in sales offset. Not all, but many.

Quite a few retailers don’t even own their inventory, it’s leased from a larger distributor and they are merely a middleman in the operation. The accounting gets complicated.

[CQBgopher]

Banks are gross. Credit unions are where it's at.

This doesn’t jibe with your earlier post about using your Citibank Visa and your Goldman Sachs Master Card…

Banks are gross. Credit unions are where it's at. I didn't stutter. Nor did I claim I loved Citibank or Goldman Sachs. Try harder.

[jukk0u]

Gold dipped below the $1900 mark. Last I checked it was up a tad from the morning low to $1889.00
Silver off from its high twenties marks.

XRP down 15% (?) from last week. Two more weeks, JB?

[JohnMBrowning]

?????
Not sure what you are referring too.....

[jukk0u]

?????
Not sure what you are referring too.....

I was just trying to make a hybrid joke. Two more weeks for the Trump situation to blow up... or Biden to be exposed... or the White Hats to act..

and then taking that and applying it to when XRP will take off to the moooon!

There's this Robert Kiosaki devotee on Youtube who does his own financial commentary and sells his financial advice. Mark Moss...I've watched a couple of his free seminars (not very much as impressed with those as I am entertained by his border line conspiracy theory assessments of current events - a characterization which resonates with me )

Anyway, in the comments of one of his seminars a guy asked if he should just go "all-in" on XRP... the next day that 64 cent per share stock dropped to where it stands now at 51 cents. While it might probably rise again the commenter would have taken an immediate almost 20% haircut?

[JohnMBrowning]

Got it. I wasn't sure if I should be pissed off or not.....