Cash or Plastic

[USAF_Vet]

After I got out from unjder all my credit card debt, I vowed to never have one for a long long time. I have a debit card, but only use it for emergency purchases. Otherwise, all my transactions are made in cash.

If I don't have the money to cover the purchase in the bank, and it's not an emergency, I don't need it. I can budget for it, but I'm a cash only sort of guy. All my guns except for my first one was a cash purchase. Not because I don't want ebil cwedit card mongers to know my spending habits, but because I learned about credit the hard way.

 

[ny32182]

Debit card is the same as cash; it is pulling straight from your bank account at the moment you use it, and doesn't use credit even for a few days if you think you won't pay it off.

 

[UpTheIrons]

I use cash for everything these days unless I buy online. Even then, I use the card only when the cash is there to immediately transfer into the CC account. Had enough of those astronomical interest rates, and we're just about done digging our way out of the debt-hole we dug ourself into over the last 20 years. Only card we've got now is through a local credit union, and I can live with that.

No paranoia, I just don't want to give UltraMegaSuperCorpBank any more of my money.

 

[mgmorden]

Debit card is the same as cash; it is pulling straight from your bank account at the moment you use it, and doesn't use credit even for a few days if you think you won't pay it off.

The original question was comparing the risk analysis of a purchase trackable in a database vs off the books though, rather than the financial aspect of it.

In that regard, debit isn't the same as cash - its the same as credit. The transactions go through the same companies, and are handled virtually identically from a database standpoint.

That said, I'm not really that paranoid about being on the mythical "list". I pay for everything right on down to a cup of coffee using my debit card.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

Even if there is any truth to it, I don't care.

 

[Mike1234567]

I buy most of my ammo online. I suppose I could send a money order but my bank card is far too convenient. Heck, I once bought 5 Saigas of differing calibers all from one source and at the same time and paid that with my bank card. Yes, I'm probably profiled but, oh well...

Oh, and if you're really worried about being "profiled" then don't join any internet forums and sure as heck don't post in them.

Hey, snooping profilers... yoo suk, yoo suk, yoo suk.

 

[fallingbird]

Whatever for me. Not to threadjack but I never leave the house without $100 cash in my pocket for a gift to armed robbers. I make sure my wife and teenage children who drive about our crime infested city do the same.

 

[IBEWBULL]

If you are paying cash to avoid being "Tracked" then you are fooling yourself.
The web blogs are being tracked as well as hunting licenses and just about everything else.
You go into the store they use your movements to lay out merchandise on end caps. Size isles and place items to be more attractive to you. You apply for a store discount card so your habits can be calculated.
Face book and other places use facial recognition to name photographs.
Si if you want to be serious about privacy and you are on the internet blogs. Too late my friends they are in your head now. Your opinions and thoughts are part of the SYSTEM.
Just google your user name or e mail address maybe even your telephone number. OR your name on www.zabasearch.com.
The Amish are not tracked as much and perhaps the women wearing a berka.
1984 or Gatica your choice but we are there my friends. Now I too am on the "list" since I replied to a political survey last week. LIFE GOES ON.

 

[azmjs]

Paranoia

 

[Vaarok]

I buy guns with cash because it makes haggling easier. Everything else goes on my debit card 'cause it's handier.

 

[OARNGESI]

I use my debit card for everything last year the salvation army santa had a credit card reader

 

[ColtPythonElite]

Plastic for nearly everything. I buy and use the CC company's money for up to 6 weeks and pay off the balance when the bill comes in. During the time between the purchase and the time my bill is paid, my money is in the bank earning interest. Yeah, it isn't much, but it is still working for me.

I still carry a wad of cash, because you never know when a deal is gonna come along. I've bought lots of items at good prices because I was the guy holding the money, not the guy wanting to write a check or run to an ATM.

 

[oldbear]

Your friend is no doubt a peach of a fellow, but he probably needs to get together with the folks here who are frightened by the prospect of someone seeing or touching their DL, and he needs to keep his cash buried in mason jars in the back yard, not in an ohmygosh bank account.

Use lots of duct tape on those mason jars, and beware of those quickie-stop pay-by-card gas pumps, too; once they get their hands on your zip code, just no telling what disaster will follow that. It's a conspiracy, you know, they are all in cahoots with Cabelas and Wallyworld.

+1.

I think your friend is taking caution and common sense a little over the top.
As for my habits I carry a debit card, an AMX card, as for cash I always keep at least $100.00 and no more than $200.00 with me. Never know what will come along, and cash in hand can always seal a deal. I also keep $500.00 well hidden in the car, in case the SHTF

 

[harrygunner]

Except for Internet or phone purchases, I use cash for everything except buying my home. I don't like going into debt.

 

[Tim the student]

Plastic for everything, no balance carried. The points we accumulated bought us a nice new TV a year ago.

It is a rare day when I even have a quarter on me.

 

[DMK]

I've purchased 90% of my ammo online, so on the credit card.

 

[Hanzo581]

I use my check card for everything, I rarely, if ever, have cash.

 

[GCBurner]

I use cash at the gun show. It keeps me from spending more than I've budgeted, it saves the 3.5% surcharge the show dealers throw on for CC transactions, and a lot of time they're willing to work on the price, too, for cash right now. Also, there are individuals selling there who are not set up to handle credit cards, and who are leery of taking checks.

 

[DogLegArms]

I prefer plastic. $1,000 in ammo is a lot of money but not compared to some other ppl who like to buy bulk. Those who shoot competition regularly spend a lot of money on ammo. I don't believe anyone is tracking this. I can't recall a shooting in the U.S. when thousands of rounds of ammo were fired by a gunman. I just don't see the relationship b/w the amount of ammo someone buys and how dangerous they could be.

 

[wacki]

Do credit card companies profile you?

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=96154274
http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2009/05/hear_they_know_you.html

You bet. So does your phone company, internet search engines, facebook, your email provider, heck even internet service providers do it. And some people believe the NSA profiles almost every phone call you make (Project Echelon).

Is it unethical? Probably.

Is there anything you can really do about it? Probably not.

So I've stopped caring.





.

 

[Mike1234567]

^^^ Absolutely... me too. At this point I've become one truly apathetic so-and-so. I'm too old to care anymore and wise enough (or too stupid) to know there's not a stinkin' thing I can do about it. Bitc... complaining accomplishes nothing. The best I can hope for is to disconnect to some degree.

 

[JColdIron]

I try to use cash for purchases like guns my other hobbies because it keeps me from overextending myself. If I can afford it I buy it. If I can't buy it with what I have I don't.

I am working on getting my credit cards paid off. Putting more on them is counter to that.

 

[CoRoMo]

I use a credit card to pay all bills, gasoline, groceries, EVERYTHING possible, unless there is a surcharge involved. All statements are paid off before they are due and the CC company has never, ever, ever gotten a penny in interest or fees/service charges from me, ever.

I get $400 in free Cabela's gift cards every year by doing this.

I usually spend it on reloading components; powder, primers, bullets. But sometimes I buy hunting equipment too. Every fall they send me an offer where they will give me an extra $150 gift card if I buy $400 or more from them. It turns out to be $550 worth of Cabela's merchandise that I get for nothing.

 

[Ryanxia]

Cash is always a good habit, even if they're not tracking purchases now they probably will be in the future.

 

[oldfool]

"the CC company has never, ever, ever gotten a penny in interest or fees/service charges from me, ever"

Wish I could say the same, but it's only been 30 years since they got any "charges" on us.... even though we use one monthly

and all it took was ONCE standing in front of the garbage can with a pair of scissors in hand for milady to agree.. and I made her cut up those plastic cards, and she did
(so can you, just don't ever use it for other than 'momentary' cash, paid off the old fashioned way, in real cash, and real quick)