I wonder how much serial # tracking stores do. Given modern hardware, it'd be trivial to track them.

Last year I bought some Blu-rays during Black Friday at Walmart. On my way to the car I got an email that the movies I just bought were available to stream through iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, etc. To my knowledge, I’ve never linked one of the streaming licensors with Walmart. So not only are they keeping track of my purchases, they are sharing that info with third parties based on assumptions (I’m assuming email address). I’m sure some think it’s convenient, but I found it really creepy.

I can't find it now, but I've seen a couple of annecdotal posts where people with high credit limits got there credit limit lowered right after using the same card at a Walmart for the first time.

Maybe those people had other changes in their spending/paying habits, but if credit card companies lower people's credits, how do they make that determination to do so?

It is good to see the one of the better ideas from ZeroHedge show up on "yc" :)

I haven't used actual cash in months.

The last time I can definitively remember using physical cash was to scavenge my truck to gather 6 quarters for a vending machine that refuse to take card in West Virginia on a ski trip. And that was more than a month ago.

I feel this is a futile stone to die over. It will never happen. Swede here, turning 27 now. When I was 13 (yes 2007) I got my own debit card which my parents deposited my "monthly" money/stipend in to allow me to build a sense of value.

I haven't used cash in my life. Whenever I get cash from tips (yes I've worked service jobs) I simply feel annoyed. Like, I plan to actually spend this illegitimate tax free money but then I have to bring it with me???

Refusing card is just going to push you out step by step until noone cares. Because I, or anyone I socialize with sure don't.

I know there's endless arguments about privacy and so on that comes up by everyone this topic is touching. But from what I've gathered, people can cover their laptop camera and feeling conscious. But giving up the convenience of a debit card will never happen. (Yes this is Europe, we don't care about building credit. Debit cards are how we roll.)

Who are these nefarious leaders? Mastercard? Visa? I have one of either to safeguard when abroad.

The bank I choose to mainly use for 1€/month? The party in a proportional system I choose to vote for because I felt they were right and not the least worst optoion?

And thank you for the nazi reference. I felt it had a lot of impact.