Someone needs to do a study on how much people spend with CASH

[SoCalDem]

checks or ATM.. In other words. NO CREDIT CARDS allowed..

That would be a telling report..and would lay the wound open for all to see..

My guess is that if mall stores ever went to "no credit" status, they would all be closed up within 2 months..

This whole "shopping is great" mentality is the ONLY thing keeping the US economy afloat..

It's the LAST leg of the stool..

housing went bust
the "market" is sketchy

credit card shopping is all we have left..

[Speck Tater]

1. That would be a difficult thing to do.

I used my debit card. Is that cash?
I use a credit card for convenience, but pay off the balance every month. Is that cash?

[SoCalDem]

3. Yes.. debit card is an electronic check

credit card purchases are different, because you "could" make payments if you chose to or if you had an emergency

[mondo joe]

2. Getting rid of credit cards was the best thing I ever did for myself financially.

Well, second best - getting an education was pretty significant too.

But no credit cards was major.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

4. Getting in trouble with credit cards was the best thing for me financially. I spend only

cash and know exactly what my financial situation is and live within my means.

In 2 times that I need a large sum of money (both auto related), I borrowed from my son's account and paid him back quickly with his favorite kind of interest...video games. :)

[mondo joe]

6. My ex's dad was this old Czech guy who bought EVERYTHING with cash - including the family car.

Just walked into the dealer's with cash to buy a car. He was a hoot.

[SoCalDem]

5. same here.. when we used CCs, we were always broke

we have not used them in over 4 years now, and have plenty of money saved, and never "want" for anything..

It's a mindset thing..and it's dangerous

[kineneb]

7. all cash (paper/checks/debit cards), no credit cards

I use a "refillable" debit card for online purchases.

another good form of cash: Postal money orders. No electronic records of purchaser or recipient.

Bankruptcy and qualifying for Medicaid teaches one many things, including finding loopholes in the rules... and there always loopholes somewhere.

[SoCalDem]

8. Question..

does the refillable debit card identify YOU, or is it a generic card?

I'd like to know more about that.. California is getting really aggressive about online purchases & state tax.

I had to cough up almost $200 for stuff i bought 2 years ago online..:grr:

Now, I shop online, but order by phone..so technically it's not an online purchase :)

[kineneb]

10. I don't know.

The debit card company does have the user's info, but I don't know if they report to anyone, given it is the user's own money and not a "credit" purchase. I imagine it depends on the company from which one makes the purchase. If you find out about the rules, PM me or start a post in the CA state forum (the info is useful).

I have not received any sales tax bills, but then we don't file income tax forms; we are below the required income level for both state and federal income. Perhaps we are merely flying under the Franchise Tax Board's radar.

[earth mom]

9. Cash is all dh & I use the majority of the time. Once in awhile we use the old debit card

if there's any money in the account that is! O8)

[LWolf]

11. Only now,

instead of buying dinner out, new clothes, a trip to the coast, etc. with the credit cards, people are buying groceries and depositing credit card checks to their checking account to pay bills.

[Gormy Cuss]

12. What's important is thinking of the plastic AS cash, rather than free money.

If you can develop that habit, the only thing left of concern is whether you're will give up microlevel data on buying habits in exchange for the convenience.