Times Are Changing

[randyrls]

My CC holder found three $100 ATM withdrawals in a California city that we never visited. I figure that someone in a restaurant copied the CC numbers. I don't like my CC out of sight. Olive Garden had the electronic payment system at the table.
Oh, and they questioned why we would spend $599 for airline tickets to Ethiopia. I don't know anyone in Ethiopia.

John; In Europe and most everywhere else they bring a reader to your table and you use your card right there. They hand you a receipt and you are done.

 

[Woodchipper]

MTViper, what is someone sees your bankroll? Once, I had a fake $1,000 bill in my wallet. My father said to get rid of it as some dishonest person would kill for it.
The mark of the beast is on the hand or forehead: Revelation 13.16, 14.9.

 

[egnald]

I got caught by the surprize currency exchange in India the end of 2016. Since I was traveling to India once or twice a year, I never bothered with monetary exchanges at each trip, I just kept Rupees until the next time I went. Unfortunately in the fall of 2016 India issued a new currency and the window to exchange old Rupees for new ones was too short for me to participate in. - So, I have about 20,000 Rupees that are now worth nothing.

Dave

 

[RunnerVince]

If you are an American business with license from the United States government you have to accept the US curency.

Someone should tell the real-estate business. I've lived in many apartments over the last 25 years, and not one has accepted cash. My current landlord won't even accept personal checks on location. You have to write out a check, then use their app to take a picture of the check. After doing this for years, I finally broke down and signed up for the auto-pay option, for which they charge a few dollars each month. Worth it to me because I don't have to worry about forgetting to pay rent and coming home to a "notice to pay or vacate."

 

[RunnerVince]

I would get a re-loadable CC. VISA has these. Some Gift cards are re-loadable , some are not. Check with VISA etc. Make sure the card IS NOT ATTACHED to your bank account. I have a second bank account that I use only for on-line purchases. Attached to THAT account is my Paypal account. I use Paypal to pay online. I only keep a small amount of money in the account and I can "on-demand" transfer more money from my main account but NOT the reverse and I have to initiate the transfer. Hmm... I want to verify that with them.

Whatever option, be aware of the fees charged when loading the card. I know there are low-/no-fee options around, but I know from when I worked at Walmart that many of the Visa and Mastercard options hanging on the rack at the front of the store have a fee on activation, and some charge a fee on any amount loaded onto the card.

Paypal charges a fee on the seller's side for business transactions. I believe "personal" accounts are still fee-free, even as a seller.

 

[rixstix]

Regarding cash acceptance, Google can be your friend. Business' are allowed to set their accepted payment methods. Just because a method is valid for debts doesnt mean it is required to be accepted as payment.

 

[PreacherJon]

Someone should tell the real-estate business. I've lived in many apartments over the last 25 years, and not one has accepted cash. My current landlord won't even accept personal checks on location. You have to write out a check, then use their app to take a picture of the check. After doing this for years, I finally broke down and signed up for the auto-pay option, for which they charge a few dollars each month. Worth it to me because I don't have to worry about forgetting to pay rent and coming home to a "notice to pay or vacate."

Contact your States DOJ

 

[leehljp]

Someone should tell the real-estate business. I've lived in many apartments over the last 25 years, and not one has accepted cash. My current landlord won't even accept personal checks on location. You have to write out a check, then use their app to take a picture of the check. After doing this for years, I finally broke down and signed up for the auto-pay option, for which they charge a few dollars each month. Worth it to me because I don't have to worry about forgetting to pay rent and coming home to a "notice to pay or vacate."

I don't think it is too smart in today's world (in the USA or even many countries) - carrying enough currency to purchase real estate could become deadly - quickly! And even apartments. Paying one's rent in cash may not seem like lot but for 10 - 50 - 100 apartments, that would be a magnet following the manager to the car or down the street to somewhere before the bank. And most crooks would know what day to get the most loot in one try.

I think the cashlessness is a security issue.