RE: How do you pay for things??

[Horscampr]

 tim5055
I, too, am a check writer.  I ve usually got so many things flipping through my mind at any given moment, that I  usually don t take the time to notice what the customer in front of me pays with.
 
 Not that I don t use credit cards.  I have one right now that I am trying to pay off and wish I had never gotten the thing[:@].  Most of the time, I try to only use my credit cards for " emergency"  purposes.  My horse got sick recently and his vet bill went on the credit card.  I also have a credit card for all of my gasoline purchases.  This, I have to admit, is wonderful.  I like being able to pay ONE bill at the end of the month for gas and not having to worry if I have cash when my truck needs a drink. This card get paid in full every month, so no interest.
 
 Most of my bills get paid with checks and I usually write out a check for groceries. One thing I usually do that helps to speed things up is to have my check written out BEFORE I get in line to pay my bill (or WHILE I m waiting in line if its a long line).  You can write the store s name, date, and sign the check before you get to the cashier.  By the time its time to pay, you just have to write the numerical amount and then write it out. .....Just takes a couple of seconds.  
 

[birol]

 tim5055
All my bills via my banks internet interface (web), purchases debit card. I do not carry cash, if their debit system is down, I leave the cart and walk away.

[cartooncaracter]

 tim5055
The only thing that annoys me is when someone is there and the checker is checking out a full cart full of items. And the check writer waits till the total to even pull the check book out. When I use a check I fill in everthing but the total so that it will be quick. Just my opinion

[rednekrubbrduck]

 tim5055
I also write checks for groceries when I have a lot.  If it s just a couple of things, then usually cash.  I don t wait till the last minute to fill in the check book also, and as long as you ve written checks at Price Chopper before, don t need approval (they just run it thru a reader.  Takes as long as waiting for approval on a credit card).  Another grocery store chain has some check out lines that don t have cashiers, you do everything yourself, including pay (and you can use cash or credit card).  What bothers me is when you re in the 10 items or less line, and the person in front has more then 10.  I even find myself counting their items.  When these folks are in front of me...they usually have problems with their coupons, don t write out the check till all the problems are resolved, then they find another coupon in their purse...and want to know if they can use it also, even though it s for a different name brand, and is a yr old.

[Viking99]

 tim5055
Well, we are in the process of switching our payment of bills electronicly over the internet. I am a little wary but happy about not having to write checks as much. As for at the store we usually use our debit card, but all the banks here are starting to charge for that service now ($.25 - .$50 per transaction) so it me back to check writing again.

[AustinBoston]

 tim5055
We use anything that is safe and sane, including cash, checks, and credit cards.  If you noticed I didn t say debit cards, it s because of the risk.
 
 If someone steals a credit card, the most you can be hit with is $50, even if they charge thousands.  Many credit card companies lower this to $0.
 
 If someone steals your debit card, then your entire account is theirs.  Don t think you can rely on your PIN.  I routinely read off people s PIN s at supermarkets and such so that they know how vulnerable they are.  That and two seconds to pick the pocket, and you loose.
 
 I don t use on-line bill paying because I am a programmer and so I know how poorly some of those applications have been built.  Only writing a check will give you independent proof that they have your money.
 
 Austin

[whippetwrun]

 AustinBoston
Usually debit card, cash, we use checks when it is a bill.  We rarely use credit cards except for online purchases, making reservations and emergencies.

[4Galvs]

 AustinBoston
We use a debit cards for darn near everything these days.  My DW uses checks to pay most bills.  Our local bank just started offering online banking.  We pay some bills direct online to the credit card company, cell phone, online service, etc.
 
 As for security, I don t use the PIN in stores.  I say " credit"  and sign or scribble.
 
 Heck, you can use the debit card at Starbucks!

[SheBantam]

 tim5055
I have bought into the cashless society talked about in Revelations.
 
 I use a check card, Cable, internet, electric, long distance and cell phone are paid electronically wither direct debit or check card transaction.
 We write checks to the school for lunch, the local phone company, the trash and water/sewer.  We seldom go to resturaunts that take only cash.
 
 yes I do have enough cash put back in case of an emergency for staples and gas for a few days.  Do not like to keep much cash on hand, too many breakins in my area.

[garym053]

 tim5055
Like I said in a previous post, it s the stores fault, not the check writers! (Although I DO agree with the person who complained about pulling the checkbook out after everything s been totaled!!)
 Check readers are $300.00 per terminal. I just ordered 7 of them for our (had to edit this! Not ours as in OURS, but ours as in where I work as Controller!) 3 Ace Home Centers! Our registers are set up so 2 Point of Sale Terminals can share one check/credit card reader! Those stores are holding you up for $300.00! And what s more, they get check protection if they use it, so if the check bounces, it gets paid to them and Checkwrite or some other service collects it!
 Voice your opinions when you shop those stores!

[iwantapopup]

 AustinBoston
Tim has the ATM card and I have the Debit card and checkbook.  Car & life insurance, cell phones & AOL are on direct debit out of checking.  My company only pays you by direct deposit.  Tim cashes his paycheck.  I usually pay bills by check.  Shop with the plastic debit cards.
 

[Gone-Camping]

 tim5055
I use checks to pay for some of my bills, but do much of it online. More important, is that wait in line thing, one of my pet peaves too! I have several Credit cards, and a check card. There is no need to write a check when all I have to do is present the check card. It s fast, simple, and effective. Since I ve got that puppy, I ve almost stopped using the credit cards! I think the credit cards just made things conveneint, now I don t even need them!
 
 When I do use the check card, I simply put the reciept in my shirt pocket, and every night when I sit down at the desk and turn on this computer, I pull out the days receipts and log them into the check book s register. I balance the check book weekly by logging onto the Credit Union website....

[Acts 2:38 girl]

 AustinBoston
I use a Debit card and checks.  If I m writing a check I ll start filling it out right away, so I just have to fill in the dollar amount when the cashier is done.  And I ll always have my licence ready for them.  
 I also use my Debit card as a credit card.  Most machines don t know the difference, and don t require you to enter a pin #.  We had some problems using it as a debit because gas stations would deduct about $30. immediatly, before the gas was even pumped.  If I only put in $10, then it would credit me the remaining $20.  This is all good, unless it was the day before payday - when you need every penny!  Also - it s easy for me to take my time entering slips into the checkbook, so now I use checks more because I never forget to write it down.

[wiininkwe]

 AustinBoston
While our kids were growing up we were doing the thing that most young families do, struggling to survive.  Then, we paid for everything with cash, only wrote checks to pay the utility or doctor bills or the mortgage payment.  If we didn t have the money, we didn t get it.   It sure made us think about our priorities.   As we got older and the kids grew up and left home, and more things began to be paid off, we were able to be a little less strict with our money.  But, we still pay bills and buy groceries with checks and cash.  We have two credit cards, started out with just one for emergencies.   Always paid the total balance off right away.   These days, we each have our own credit card but still save them for an emergency or something very special, and still pay it off immediately.   We have no interest or finance charges on either one that way.
 T
 []

[Trlrboy]

 tim5055
Whenever there is a way to pay online we use that method.  Everything else we buy goes on a credit card that gives us airline miles and we never carry a balance so there s no fee involved.