How do you usually pay for things?

InflatableBuddha

Diamond Member
Jul 5, 2007
7,445
1
0
Ok, weak rant, but here we go. One of my buddies always likes to pay by debit card. I swear he never has cash on him. This can be a problem as not all stores, restaurants, etc. will accept debit. For instance: an arcade we went to last weekend, and a local cafe.

So I end up loaning him a few bucks and he'll either pay my share next time around or go to an ATM, get cash, then go somewhere else to get change. He always pays me back, but it's a bit of a pain sometimes. He doesn't seem to take the hint (I've mentioned it to him a few times) that he should hit the ATM regularly.

Seriously, how hard is it to carry a couple 20s in your wallet, maybe a few loonies and toonies in your pocket?

I prefer to use my Visa as I get reward points, and it's really easy, but I always have cash on me for smaller transactions (under $10) and places that don't accept credit cards. It's called contingency.

Anyways, how do you usually pay?
 

Dacalo

Diamond Member
Mar 31, 2000
8,780
3
76
Always credit card if I can. Cash rarely, but I always have around $40 in my wallet.

CC = cash back, protection, deferred payment until statement date, etc.

I payoff every statement period.
 

sash1

Diamond Member
Jul 20, 2001
8,897
1
0
debit card. i'll occasionally pull out the credit card for some things, usually gas. use cash for small purchases.
 

Glavinsolo

Platinum Member
Sep 2, 2004
2,946
0
0
Hmm, I like the set up I have right now. Don't know when the last time I had cash in my hands that wasn't given to me as a gift.

1: Chase Freedom Cashback CC Visa (used by both my wife and I)
2: All paychecks deposited to one bank account (hers and mine)
3: Automatic Bill Pay to pay off full balance when bill comes (Through bank)

Getting $250 cash back every 6 months and never having to pay interest on a CC

Edit: Also Chase now auto adjusts your statement to apply the 3% cash back to top 3 categories that you used the most during that month. Which makes getting to $200 aka $250 cash back much faster.
 

jagec

Lifer
Apr 30, 2004
24,442
6
81
CC w/cash back, but I always keep some cash in my wallet for small purchases and things that don't accept plastic.
 

ColdFusion718

Diamond Member
Mar 4, 2000
3,496
9
81
I use credit cards all the way. I carry $20-40 for back-up purposes, especially when I am in chinatown.
 

xSauronx

Lifer
Jul 14, 2000
19,586
4
81
debit card, i usually keep a few bucks for cash, but i havent been anywhere in months that take *just* cash, and usually keep it in case i go somewhere and need to tip, as i figure theyd rather have it in cash
 

SpunkyJones

Diamond Member
Apr 1, 2004
5,090
1
81
Credit card for almost everything, I rarely have more than $10 on hand, I just have no need for cash typically.
 

Jeff7

Lifer
Jan 4, 2001
41,599
19
81
Debit card. I rarely have much cash on me, usually only about $5.
I've switched banks recently though, to PNC. I think they've got some kind of rewards thing, which likely amounts to a cent for every hundred dollars spent. They keep hounding me with ads in the mail to get me to use it as a credit card, not debit. (It's the same card, and comes out of the same account anyway.) Makes me wonder then, what are they getting out of it to go to the trouble of mailing me all this stuff that just goes into the shredder?
 

Soapy Bones

Senior member
Dec 4, 2003
397
0
76
Originally posted by: Glavinsolo
Hmm, I like the set up I have right now. Don't know when the last time I had cash in my hands that wasn't given to me as a gift.

1: Chase Freedom Cashback CC Visa (used by both my wife and I)
2: All paychecks deposited to one bank account (hers and mine)
3: Automatic Bill Pay to pay off full balance when bill comes (Through bank)

Getting $250 cash back every 6 months and never having to pay interest on a CC

Edit: Also Chase now auto adjusts your statement to apply the 3% cash back to top 3 categories that you used the most during that month. Which makes getting to $200 aka $250 cash back much faster.

This is basically my set up as well. I just recently (within 6 months) started using the Chase Freedom card, I dont know that my cash back auto adjusts categories or not. Did you have to call them and make a change or was it automatic?
 

clamum

Lifer
Feb 13, 2003
26,255
403
126
Cash probably 90% of the time. Debit for the times when I don't have enough cash on me. Credit for online purchases.
 

razor2025

Diamond Member
May 24, 2002
3,010
0
71
Credit Card FTW!

Amex auto warranty extension + awesome customer service = priceless

Honestly, it's 2007, why do we still accept checks?
 

Dacalo

Diamond Member
Mar 31, 2000
8,780
3
76
Originally posted by: lather164
Originally posted by: Glavinsolo
Hmm, I like the set up I have right now. Don't know when the last time I had cash in my hands that wasn't given to me as a gift.

1: Chase Freedom Cashback CC Visa (used by both my wife and I)
2: All paychecks deposited to one bank account (hers and mine)
3: Automatic Bill Pay to pay off full balance when bill comes (Through bank)

Getting $250 cash back every 6 months and never having to pay interest on a CC

Edit: Also Chase now auto adjusts your statement to apply the 3% cash back to top 3 categories that you used the most during that month. Which makes getting to $200 aka $250 cash back much faster.

This is basically my set up as well. I just recently (within 6 months) started using the Chase Freedom card, I dont know that my cash back auto adjusts categories or not. Did you have to call them and make a change or was it automatic?

I have the card as well, the cash back category feature is auto. I have around $150 accumulated, $50 more and free $50 baby!
 

radioouman

Diamond Member
Nov 4, 2002
8,632
0
0
I only carry debit/credit cards. Never cash. Going to the ATM is a pain.

But OP is in Canada, and Canada loves the debit card...
 

Xavier434

Lifer
Oct 14, 2002
10,377
1
0
I use my debit card. If they don't take debit then I use my debit card as a credit card which I prefer not to do because when you run things as credit it can take several days for it to show up in the online banking records. I prefer that to be kept up to date as close to real time as possible.
 

PottedMeat

Lifer
Apr 17, 2002
12,365
475
126
Cash for <~$20.00

Credit Card for everything else.

Pay one bill at the end of the month.