General Discussion

hunter

(40,532 posts)

91. We brought our credit cards to the Emergency Room.

Fri Oct 17, 2014, 02:09 PM

Oct 2014

We thought we had "good" health insurance. Surprise!

That 20% can still be a BIG BIG number. More so when newly chronic health issues disrupt income.

Now we have no credit. Student loans for our kids' college have us even deeper in the hole.

It would be nice to be a citizen of a true first world nation, a nation with a national health care plan and inexpensive or free education, but these are the cards we've been dealt.

And it's only money. Nobody chooses the nation of their birth and we could have been born in places much, much worse than this U.S.A..

I'm always friendly with telephone debt collectors. They have some of the worst jobs on earth. Them that are trapped in bad circumstances because they need a job, any job, appreciate that. And them that would judge and enjoy tormenting medical debt deadbeats like myself are always burned by my friendly demeanor.

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Cashless society...yes or no? Pros or cons? [View all] dixiegrrrrl Oct 2014 OP

If you want every single thing you ever purchase on a database then go cashless Fumesucker Oct 2014 #1

I would imagine it will depend on the age of a person yeoman6987 Oct 2014 #41

I'm pretty old and use a debit a lot Fumesucker Oct 2014 #78

Me too. I rarely take cash out of the bank, but when I do it's to buy things like my sofa. moriah Oct 2014 #83

I beg to differ; I think it has to do with the wealth/poverty level of a person. WinkyDink Oct 2014 #93

I still try to use cash for Jenoch Oct 2014 #2

I always try to leave tips and gratuities in cash, to increase the chances that it KingCharlemagne Oct 2014 #6

Me too. I find it easier to manage frivolous spending if I have to pay cash. Gormy Cuss Oct 2014 #12

We have a few of those Jenoch Oct 2014 #15

he heh heh dixiegrrrrl Oct 2014 #19

867-5309 Travis_0004 Oct 2014 #49

I don't know how this sort of thing works in Sweden, but here in the US, djean111 Oct 2014 #3

No thanks.. If I want to buy a snickers candy bar Peacetrain Oct 2014 #4

Do you get a receipt for that candy bar? Then it's recorded somewhere. randome Oct 2014 #14

But the purchaser is not recorded. Luminous Animal Oct 2014 #28

EXACTLY. The STORE'S SALES are recorded, not the purchases of the customer, not in every store. WinkyDink Oct 2014 #94

Do Not Like It, Ma'am The Magistrate Oct 2014 #5

Now, there's a different type of "coin". VScott Oct 2014 #52

Definitely not until payment systems are significantly more secure. WillowTree Oct 2014 #7

Given the number of security breaches with respect to electronic transactions in the US, I vote no. Jim__ Oct 2014 #8

Funny thing....Intel is all over the headlines for its new secure plan. dixiegrrrrl Oct 2014 #22

NO. AND ... GeorgeGist Oct 2014 #9

As you type on your IPhone yeoman6987 Oct 2014 #43

???? That view is very myopic! WinkyDink Oct 2014 #95

I don't have an IPhone, or any other type of smart phone. ZombieHorde Oct 2014 #102

due to the low confidence in the authorities and the banking system<- seems to be the sticking point Johonny Oct 2014 #10

Gov is pushing cash free. dixiegrrrrl Oct 2014 #63

Every area of the economy is pushing cash free Johonny Oct 2014 #84

There is an underlying concern about cashless dixiegrrrrl Oct 2014 #100

I think the real concern is different than your concern Johonny Oct 2014 #106

China just became the world's largest economy. dixiegrrrrl Oct 2014 #112

I stopped carrying any cash on me about 6 months ago. former9thward Oct 2014 #11

At least a couple of years for me. I keep $10 on me but rarely need it. randome Oct 2014 #16

I frequently get no receipt, and often it doesn't even get rung up at all. closeupready Oct 2014 #21

But the transaction is not tied to you. It was cash. ret5hd Oct 2014 #29

True. I've been cashless for so long, I hardly recall what it's like to use paper and metal money. randome Oct 2014 #30

I do carry some cash if I travel out of town. former9thward Oct 2014 #42

NO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SamKnause Oct 2014 #13

Agreed for same reasons. dixiegrrrrl Oct 2014 #23

Very good points n/t underpants Oct 2014 #38

NO, absolutely not. Others here have covered my objections well. closeupready Oct 2014 #17

I hate carrying cash and coins PasadenaTrudy Oct 2014 #18

How will the politicians ever hide their bribes? hobbit709 Oct 2014 #20

I bet the best n' brightest LiberalElite Oct 2014 #34

I'm holding out for a society that has abandoned money entirely. hunter Oct 2014 #24

We have had that power for thousands of years and still here we are. randome Oct 2014 #25

I missed out on that "hard wiring." hunter Oct 2014 #59

Ah, you're one of the exceptions, then. So are your parents. I salute you. randome Oct 2014 #64

We need less of "them" and more of you, Hunter. dixiegrrrrl Oct 2014 #73

^^^^ I heart this post. ^^^^ woo me with science Oct 2014 #88

We saved up for retirement by paying cash for most things. Tierra_y_Libertad Oct 2014 #26

Yeah but some of us don't have six figure salaries yeoman6987 Oct 2014 #46

Hardly 6 figures. Tierra_y_Libertad Oct 2014 #50

I was just kidding! I am seriously happy you yeoman6987 Oct 2014 #53

We brought our credit cards to the Emergency Room. hunter Oct 2014 #91

There's something delicious about being able to purchase something which valerief Oct 2014 #27

There is a strong underground economy in our area dixiegrrrrl Oct 2014 #45

Because we have but a meager safety net how would panhandlers survive? Luminous Animal Oct 2014 #31

Easy for garage sales and other typical cash places yeoman6987 Oct 2014 #47

Really. I don't have a smart phone and I hold a garage sale about twice a year. Luminous Animal Oct 2014 #51

I am just giving possibilities yeoman6987 Oct 2014 #54

Imagine standing in line at the pharmacy, waiting for heart medication when the power goes out. cherokeeprogressive Oct 2014 #32

I bet the IRS would love this. n/t hughee99 Oct 2014 #33

Of course, it makes every transaction auditable. roamer65 Oct 2014 #110

No. Iggo Oct 2014 #35

No, no and no Carolina Oct 2014 #36

Same here. Exactly the same. tosh Oct 2014 #66

No. There are certain transactions I would rather have go unrecorded. Throd Oct 2014 #37

What would happen to those who engage in drug dealing or prostitution? raccoon Oct 2014 #39

Write a check? Travis_0004 Oct 2014 #56

Guess what? Researchers create RFID-enabled paper, bringing us ever closer to traceable cash dixiegrrrrl Oct 2014 #76

Switch to foreign currency? Gidney N Cloyd Oct 2014 #90

We used foreign currencies heavily up until 1857. roamer65 Oct 2014 #111

No problem. It's billed to some money laundering establishment. hunter Oct 2014 #97

What about Panhandlers? seveneyes Oct 2014 #40

Not very likely - 15-20% of American adults have never had any bank account underpants Oct 2014 #44

Are you sure on that figure? yeoman6987 Oct 2014 #48

According to research from the FDIC, 10 million U.S. households do not have a bank account, dixiegrrrrl Oct 2014 #60

That is just stunning! I am speechless! yeoman6987 Oct 2014 #61

Gas station where my brother lives underpants Oct 2014 #87

Thanks dixiegrrrl. I calculate about 7.2% underpants Oct 2014 #85

5% back on gas, 5% back on restaurants, 3% back on supermarkets HERVEPA Oct 2014 #55

Because my weed guy doesn't take Amex. name not needed Oct 2014 #62

nope DustyJoe Oct 2014 #57

You'll have to blow someone for a bag of pot FiveGoodMen Oct 2014 #58

Fundies won't buy it, it won't happen here. Too afraid of the "mark of the beast"..... moriah Oct 2014 #65

Neither garage sales nor bartering would need to go away. randome Oct 2014 #67

With outrageous processing fees, at least for garage sales. n/t moriah Oct 2014 #68

Most debit cards don't have processing fees so I would bet it wouldn't fly. randome Oct 2014 #70

To accept credit/debit card payments, most processors charge significant fees. moriah Oct 2014 #72

When you say 'processor', do you mean the bank? randome Oct 2014 #74

Here's one that "only" charges a fee of 2.75% of every payment accepted. moriah Oct 2014 #75

Well, they're selling to businesses but that's still fucked up. randome Oct 2014 #79

Yet it's reallly the only way a person could accept a credit or debit card at a garage sale. moriah Oct 2014 #81

No, the technology now allows for phone-to-phone transfers without the hardware. randome Oct 2014 #101

I still use only cash for several things. logosoco Oct 2014 #69

It would be a tax on the poorest people. cheyanne Oct 2014 #71

Please! whatthehey Oct 2014 #77

I am already essentially cashless, I keep a few dollars in my wallet tritsofme Oct 2014 #80

And for the society at large? WinkyDink Oct 2014 #96

This would suck, creates a complete inability to give people money. dilby Oct 2014 #82

No ProfessorGAC Oct 2014 #86

No way - cash is king derby378 Oct 2014 #89

OBVIOUSLY, this would hurt the poor, working or otherwise. Not everyone can have a bank account. WinkyDink Oct 2014 #92

Legalize drugs first Recursion Oct 2014 #98

I only have $5 cash in my wallet. RebelOne Oct 2014 #99

Cashless systems would be bad for the black market. ZombieHorde Oct 2014 #103

No tabbycat31 Oct 2014 #104

Not as long as companies have minimum purchase prices for debit card use arcane1 Oct 2014 #105

I vote no for a cashless society. Paper Roses Oct 2014 #107

If it is all electronic could it be easier to have it taken from you? JonLP24 Oct 2014 #108

Nope, not for me. MerryBlooms Oct 2014 #109

just an FYI to everyone Mosby Oct 2014 #113

My roofer told me almost everyone he works for hands him cash. dixiegrrrrl Oct 2014 #116

I hope I'm dead before this happens... First Speaker Oct 2014 #114

That's one of the reasons crypto currencies are becoming popular dixiegrrrrl Oct 2014 #115