Protect your privacy, take profits from banks, help the Post Office

[Lee-Lee]

Quit using credit and debit cards any place you can. Use cash and checks.

When you use a credit card, banks make anywhere from 1.75-3.5% of that transaction. Debit cards when used with a PIN are a flat fee- but only when you enter a PIN.

So if you go out of your way to shop at a local small business, then hand them a credit card, you just took 2-3% out of their pocket and gave it to the banks. Use cash!

When you use cards, everything you buy, every place you buy can be monitored, and can be brought up in later investigations by the government or sold by the banks to companies that want to build a profile on you for whatever reason.

If you mail a check to pay a bill instead of using a card, you help the post office and you help create jobs because people must manually open and process that mail.

Don't buy checks from the bank- you can buy them from independent printers. A bank doesn't charge per check, and they take more work to process, so instead of making them money when you use a card you cost them money when you use a check.

Yeah, it is a bit more hassle. I know it is a pain to walk in and pay or gas- but it would make a big difference if we all did.

[byeya]

1. Good ideas. I pay with checks but I don't like carrying cash on my person.

[99Forever]

2. Nice thought...

... but there are many places that will not take checks. Personally, I use cash almost always. The surveillance/police state can kiss my ass.

[hobbit709]

3. 9 of my purchases are cash.

About the only time I use my debit card is when I get gas.

[ananda]

4. Hmm...

I only use my credit card for online purchases.

I use my debit card with the pin number frequently.

I don't pay cash for that many things, but now I will think about it.

[Travis_0004]

5. Its probably a good idea, but I just don't bother to carry cash.

I get 1% back on all credit purchases, 5% back on gas, so I never use cash.

[Android3.14]

6. I don't see how this will help much

Might as well use an eyedropper to drain the ocean.
Instead, bank at a credit union, buy local, tax Internet purchases and emails, vote the incumbents out.
Use cash if you want, but it's a bit of a right-wing bunker mentality.
Actually, most of the OP feels a little bunker-ish.

[Lee-Lee]

8. Imagine if at the register was a sign

That said "would you like to tip the banks 2.5%?"

If you pull out plastic, you are saying yes.

What is right wing or bunkering about not wanting to help bank profits?????

[Callmecrazy]

7. Investigations by the government?

Profiles for whatever reason?
Paranoia will destroy ya.
The only time I use cash is for tipping and lottery tickets. And the occasional weed of bag.
Let the banks make their money. I gladly pay for the convenience of them accounting for my spending. Hell, they even send me a copy of their report every month.
Screw the hassle of paying cash for everything. I hate standing behind the idiot digging in their pocket or purse for the four cents to pay exact change.
What do you propose we do? Take our money and bury it in the back yard enclosed in a pickle jar? I don't care if they keep my records. They're MY records and I can use them in my own defense if need be. I don't care if they retain my phone records. I'm no terrorist and those records will never show that I'm a terrorist.

Look. If you're not doing anything wrong, then what do you care if they keep tabs on you?

The people screaming the loudest about the surveillance state are the ones with the most to hide in my opinion.
I think we all watch too much TV.

[Android3.14]

10. "weed of bag"

Dyslexics of the world untie!

[Callmecrazy]

11. Well, I was thinkin'...

I wouldn't want whoever is watching to alert on the term
BAG OF WEED!

[dixiegrrrrl]

9. That extra % the merchant pays is added to the prices we pay..

Around town, check or cash is the normal way to go.
But my credit card is from a local community bank, so I am supporting them over TBTF banks.

[question everything]

12. Always use the post office

I actually chided my spouse when I saw a credit card payment for something like $7.58. For this you can use cash, I said. Why force the merchant to pay fees on such a low amount?

Obviously, for more expensive purchases, we do use credit cards..

Sometimes I ask a merchant whether they prefer a check or a debit card, and they always prefer the card. This way, I suppose, they know that the funds are there..

Funny thing: recently there were revelations that the post office scan some mail items. And I could not help but chuckle: with fewer and fewer people using the postal service, how much info can be possibly gathered?