Casualties of the Cashless Society: Those Who Get Seasonal Tips

Re:Casualties of the Cashless Society: Those Who Get Seasona... by jedberg on Monday December 18, 2017 @12:09PM (#15953168)

I've had this problem from the other side. I haven't been to the bank to withdraw cash in years. Usually I got all the cash I needed by splitting bills with friends, where I paid on the card and got cash, or Chinese New Year money.

But since having kids (and the invention of Venmo and its ilk), we've stopped going out with friends and splitting checks and when we do it's all digital, and now I have to give the New Year money instead of get it.

We have a house cleaner every couple of weeks that I like to tip, and lately it's been a struggle to find cash lying around for the tip. Also when I get a haircut they give a big discount for cash, and that's been a struggle too. Like the girl in the article, I just forget to go to the cash machine, it's not a priority until the time comes.

I may have to visit the ATM for the first time in a few years this holiday season to give holiday tips.

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Re:Casualties of the Cashless Society: Those Who Get Seasona... by tzahola on Monday December 18, 2017 @12:26PM (#15953349)

>Also when I get a haircut they give a big discount for cash

“discount” ;) Nice euphemism for tax evasion.

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Re:Casualties of the Cashless Society: Those Who Get Seasona... by jedberg on Monday December 18, 2017 @12:33PM (#15953409)

I don't really ask. They advertise it on the window though, so it's not like the IRS would be all that fooled.

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Re:Casualties of the Cashless Society: Those Who Get Seasona... by bootcampjs on Monday December 18, 2017 @12:35PM (#15953422)

Potentially, although do remember that card processing fees are rather high for small businesses, and every transaction that they don’t have to lose 3% or 5% of or whatever is extra money they can keep.

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Re:Casualties of the Cashless Society: Those Who Get Seasona... by lotsofpulp on Monday December 18, 2017 @01:50PM (#15954186)

Unless jedberg is referring to a 3% discount as a big discount, then I think it's quite obvious that it's due to tax evasion, which would allow the merchant to provide deeper discounts. This is common in cash businesses.

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Re:Casualties of the Cashless Society: Those Who Get Seasona... by jedberg on Monday December 18, 2017 @03:19PM (#15955092)

Well it's $12 instead of $15, so 20% off. But keep in mind that for a small merchant, besides the 3% processing fee, there is also a base fee, and when you talk about a haircut for $15, the base fee eats up a whole lot of the profit.

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Re:Casualties of the Cashless Society: Those Who Get Seasona... by sushid on Monday December 18, 2017 @05:15PM (#15956006)

The standard maximum rate is 2.9% + 30 cents. Looks like they're losing over $2 per transaction for doing business in cash, unless, they make us for this cough somehow.

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Re:Casualties of the Cashless Society: Those Who Get Seasona... by SilasX on Monday December 18, 2017 @06:30PM (#15956428)

20+% business/personal tax vs 5% CC fee. Which do you think is the bigger motivator there?

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Re:Casualties of the Cashless Society: Those Who Get Seasona... by walshemj on Monday December 18, 2017 @01:02PM (#15953670)

Seriously you don't keep any cash for emergencies small payments and so on?

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Re:Casualties of the Cashless Society: Those Who Get Seasona... by jedberg on Monday December 18, 2017 @03:16PM (#15955070)

No? I mean, we used to just always have it around, but now we don't. But I can't think of a single emergency that would require cash to solve that credit or venmo can't.

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Re:Casualties of the Cashless Society: Those Who Get Seasona... by jrowley on Monday December 18, 2017 @12:17PM (#15953250)

I just make a habit of having a couple of hundred in cash at home and periodically pull out a $20 or $40 a week as needed and refill before it gets low. Just always try to have a couple of hundred around.

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Re:Casualties of the Cashless Society: Those Who Get Seasona... by jedberg on Monday December 18, 2017 @12:23PM (#15953312)

We used to do that too, but that couple hundred came from the meal splitting and New Year money. :) Now I actually have to remember to stop a bank when they're open, because the ATM only gives 20s, and I need 5s and 10s, but since no one uses cash I have no where to break the 20s anymore.

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Re:Casualties of the Cashless Society: Those Who Get Seasona... by Domenic_S on Monday December 18, 2017 @01:41PM (#15954059)

A trick I learned in college where the bank was on the other side of town: use your Debit card with pin at the grocery store and get cash back.

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Re:Casualties of the Cashless Society: Those Who Get Seasona... by jedberg on Monday December 18, 2017 @03:17PM (#15955076)

Hmmm, not a bad idea. But they only give like $20 back, right?

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Re:Casualties of the Cashless Society: Those Who Get Seasona... by jrowley on Monday December 18, 2017 @03:50PM (#15955378)

No, you can ask the cashier for cash back however you like and normally they will comply if they have enough in their drawer. Also, I got $100 at safeway in the self checkout and the machine gave me twenty $5 bills. It was hilarious. I felt like I had hit the jackpot.

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