does anyone else rarely use cash anymore?

[erub]

Originally posted by: oddyager
Probably half and half. Groceries and gas I pay with cash. Most of everything else plastic.

Why these categories? I guess people like you are the reason I get great rewards for swiping my CC at gas/groceries - 5% on those places with my now-no longer offered Chase Cash Rewards.

As for me, probably 90% is credit..just have some cash for going out with friends to bars, etc.

 

[duragezic]

Is there anything wrong with using a CC for all of your day-to-day purchases? I heard from someone that CC companies don't want you to do that, like a debit card would be better suited for that.

I only use cash on fast food and food form the work cafeteria.

I've been keeping good records of my expenses. For instance, in July: Spent a total of $2415. Cash accounted for $285, which was all fast food and food at work (my total monthly spending on food was $326, so yeah I barely eat at home). The rest was credit cards, EFTs for utilities, or a check for rent. I wish I could pay for rent with a CC to get some nice rewards!

 

[alfa147x]

100% here

 

[Special K]

Originally posted by: duragezic
Is there anything wrong with using a CC for all of your day-to-day purchases? I heard from someone that CC companies don't want you to do that, like a debit card would be better suited for that.

I can't imagine how this could be true. More CC usage = more merchant fees = more revenue for the CC companies. Also, more CC usage means a greater chance people will not be able to pay the bill off each month, which generates further revenue for the CC companies.

 

[f1r3s1d3]

I'm 16 w/a job but it doesnt' offer direct deposit so I just use cash.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Originally posted by: f1r3s1d3
I'm 16 w/a job but it doesnt' offer direct deposit so I just use cash.

Those two things aren't directly related, unless you are paid in cash and so you'd prefer to pay with that rather than deposit the money into a bank account.

Direct deposit would be the alternative to getting a check and depositing that. From there, you can do either cash or use a CC, and pay off the CC with the money in your account.

 

[Regs]

Maybe if vending machines and parking meters took pennies, but until then, f-off 99 cent meals.

 

[JBT]

If I have cash it ussually gets spent unless I forget about it in my wallet. Pretty much all purchases got to my CC.

 

[TheVrolok]

Gas is on the CC, rent/utilities/internet is by check, everything else is cash. I don't like giving out any personal numbers anymore than I have to. I actually like watching my cash disappear, it makes me feel like I'm going broke and forces me to spend less.

 

[txrandom]

Been primarily using credit cards since a year and seven months ago. Almost got three free tickets to anywhere in the continental US or one to Europe. Pretty good deal for just using plastic rather than cash.

 

[Bignate603]

I use credit almost exclusively. My wife used debit mostly for a while, but her debit card info got stolen and we had to dispute the charges. Protection on debit cards is less than credit cards (the time period where you can report it is much smaller) but we got lucky and they returned the money. Just remember, with a credit card they steal the credit card company's money and yours is still nice and safe. With a debit card they are taking YOUR money and you need to fight to get it back. By the time you do your rent/mortgage check could have bounced.

 

[Megatomic]

75% debit, 20% credit, and 5% cash. That's the way it's been for years now.

 

[imported_Lothar]

Those of you that don't use a CC at fast food restaurants, why?
So if you go to McDonald's or Subway to get a $5 burger/sub, you use cash? Any particular reason?

I understand the reasoning for restaurants but not for fast food.

 

[ScottFern]

Ever since I received my Chase Freedom card it has been game over. No cash unless I have to use cash for my laundry card, but thats it.

 

[PrinceofWands]

Originally posted by: Lothar
Those of you that don't use a CC at fast food restaurants, why?
So if you go to McDonald's or Subway to get a $5 burger/sub, you use cash? Any particular reason?

I understand the reasoning for restaurants but not for fast food.

I would think it would only be semi-logical the other way around. A meal at a restaurant may cost $100, which some people wouldn't carry on them. Most people would have enough for a fast food meal however.

Personally I don't like cards, so I only use them to buy things online when I absolutely have to. I have accepted that I am in the extreme minority in this however.

 

[roguerower]

My drug dealer doesn't accept debit when i try and buy my 8-balls off him...too bad

But really, debit mostly unless I have cash lying around from Bday or cashback.

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

Originally posted by: PrinceofWands

Originally posted by: Lothar
Those of you that don't use a CC at fast food restaurants, why?
So if you go to McDonald's or Subway to get a $5 burger/sub, you use cash? Any particular reason?

I understand the reasoning for restaurants but not for fast food.

I would think it would only be semi-logical the other way around. A meal at a restaurant may cost $100, which some people wouldn't carry on them. Most people would have enough for a fast food meal however.

that, plus it's fast food. sometimes paying with cash is quicker than waiting for the transaction to get approved, then signing, etc., depending how competent your cashier is.

 

[TwiceOver]

I can't remember the last time I had real money on me.

 

[DomS]

Originally posted by: TwiceOver
I can't remember the last time I had real money on me.

I only have it when I'm going through toll-booths and even now I'm getting a speed pass to solve that issue.


I use a Visa check-card....comes right out of my checking.

 

[child of wonder]

We pay for everything we can with our rewards CC. The majority of our paychecks (minus bills that cannot be paid with credit, such as the mortgage) goes straight into an online savings account and stays there until the CC bill is due, which we then pay in full.

So we earn about $15 per month in interest plus 2 points for every dollar we spend on the CC for free hotel stays (which require 8,000-16,000 points per stay).