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Why Germans pay cash for almost everything

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Re: Why Germans pay cash for almost everything

#381

Post by y4mi »

majewsky wrote: post #344
samastur wrote: post #102

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Years ago I collected all change for 6 months without spending any. Afterwards I counted all to see how much of each type of coin I have collected during this time. The idea was to see if it is worth bothering collecting all coins or is there are a cut-off for me as I dislike having carrying really thick and heavy wallet. It turned out that for my pattern of cash use collecting coins bellow 10 cents really wasn't wor…

When I pay with cash and the change would be below 5 cents, I usually say "Stimmt so" (i.e. "keep the change") and just leave. If I forget and the cashier puts change on the counter, I just pick the golden and silver coins and leave the rest lying there. I don't remember any unfriendly looks. But then again, I'm German, so I probably just didn't notice the looks. :)

Oh youll them if you paid attention.

The cashier's get into trouble if they have an incorrect amount of money in the counter and you're essentially telling them you're too good to bother putting the coins into the donations box sitting centimeters next to you.

If that isnt rude, I don't know what is.

This only applies to big discounters thought. The smallish shops and bakers don't mind at all.

Re: Why Germans pay cash for almost everything

#382

Post by jhasse »

codegeek wrote: post #94
_Codemonkeyism wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As a German a.) I mostly pay cash because it's faster b.) some shops that can afford it only have cash payments to save on CC costs Not because of inflation or because something happend 100y ago.

As an american, I find it strange that cash is faster. Most people who pay cash need to wait to get the change back unless they know the total beforehand and happen to have exact change. In the US, credit card machines are very fast even the chip enabled ones. Cash workflow: - Cashier tells you the total amount - You look in your wallet/purse - You spend time counting exact change if you do have it - If not, you take…

> - You swipe card/insert in chip reader > > - Done

In Germany you always have to insert your PIN or sign the bill if you want to pay by card (we use debit cards mostly, credit cards are very uncommon).

Re: Why Germans pay cash for almost everything

#383

Post by jhasse »

rubicon33 wrote: post #279
_Codemonkeyism wrote: post #261

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Cash workflow: - Cashier tells you the total amount - I get a 10 EUR note from my trouser pocket - Cashier gives back money - I put money in trouser pocket - Done - Home: I put all spare money in a large glass jar Credit card workflow: - Cashier tells you the total amount - You look in your wallet/purse - You swipe card/insert in chip reader - You insert PIN number - You shield your PIN entrie from the people next to…

Credit cards don't require a PIN. Just get a credit card and pay it off every month. Free points!

In Germany credit cards are very uncommon. We use debit cards, many places don't accept credit cards (but debit cards), some places accept only cash. Paying with a credit card also has a fee while paying by cash or debit cards is free.

Re: Why Germans pay cash for almost everything

#384

Post by ylem »

plopz wrote: post #302
romwell wrote: post #291

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Note for the American readers: in the glorious lands across the ocean, chip cards of all kinds use a PIN instead of a signature, which makes way more sense anyway. Chip & sign is an American abomination.

Is this something that only triggers above a certain threshold? On the east coast, whenever I go to the grocery store, its just insert chip and press ok. I've never had to sign or enter a pin.

I've seen it typically trigger above $50 at grocery stores in the US.

Re: Why Germans pay cash for almost everything

#385

Post by mod »

_Codemonkeyism wrote: post #261
codegeek wrote: post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As an american, I find it strange that cash is faster. Most people who pay cash need to wait to get the change back unless they know the total beforehand and happen to have exact change. In the US, credit card machines are very fast even the chip enabled ones. Cash workflow: - Cashier tells you the total amount - You look in your wallet/purse - You spend time counting exact change if you do have it - If not, you take…

Cash workflow: - Cashier tells you the total amount - I get a 10 EUR note from my trouser pocket - Cashier gives back money - I put money in trouser pocket - Done - Home: I put all spare money in a large glass jar Credit card workflow: - Cashier tells you the total amount - You look in your wallet/purse - You swipe card/insert in chip reader - You insert PIN number - You shield your PIN entrie from the people next to…

Cash workflow:

- Cashier tells you the total amount

- Since I was watching the register display, I already have a rough idea how much this will be, and I have prepared the bills to hand over.

- Cashier gives change and receipt

- I walk away, and after I'm out of the way, I put the change into my wallet.

- Done

Similarly, credit card workflow (American):

- Cashier tells you the total amount

- You insert in chip reader a card you already had out

- You sign, sometimes

- You wait 5 sec for transaction to finish

- You put card back in wallet while receipt is printing

- You put wallet back in trouser pocket while receiving receipt

- Done

The time spent on these is very, very similar. Being prepared with your form of payment and dealing with putting away the results (change, card, receipt) after you leave the line results in a very similar time. Signing (or pin) and waiting on the transaction takes a comparable amount of time to the cashier counting your payment and making change. In each case, less than 15 seconds, and at that point, who cares?

Re: Why Germans pay cash for almost everything

#386

Post by george_kaplan »

exelius wrote: post #365
mtmail wrote: post #2

According to https://www.cashforless.de/ec_cash_info/Fakten_zur_Kartenzah... methods for payments in stores 2011 was 57% cash, 5.3% credit card, 33% debit card ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_cash ). > "of course, [the Germans] attitudes toward currency must owe something to Germany’s tumultuous monetary history. During the Weimar-era hyperinflation that peaked in 1923 [...]" > "the German tendency to sett…

My theory with Germany specifically is that the Germans I have known have all been extremely protective of their privacy. I'd be interested in seeing stats on social media adoption in Germany, because my hypothesis is that they lag the rest of the world. If privacy is such a concern (and particularly privacy from one's own government), then the use of cash makes sense. My guess is that this distrust of government did…

>I'd be interested in seeing stats on social media adoption in Germany, because my hypothesis is that they lag the rest of the world.

Not only do they lag in general, but I also remember a study which showed that in Germany higher education levels are associated with significantly less social media use, while it's quite the opposite in the rest of the world.

Re: Why Germans pay cash for almost everything

#387

Post by mod »

comex wrote: post #377
nstho9834nhtnt wrote: post #326

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are you serious? If you take it to the bank, they have change counting machines. Depending on how much you bring in, it takes about 1-5 minutes for the machine to count. In the US we have a company called CoinStar that has kiosks in every major grocery store chain which does the same thing. They take a small percentage, but we're talking about coins here, so it's probably less than a dollar per transaction.

CoinStar’s fee is 11.9%, according to their website[1] - I wouldn’t call that small. [1] http://www.coinstar.com/HelpCenter

Not small by percentage, but the cost for the time saved is small. Might cost you $15 to save 2 hours or more.

Of course, just take it to the bank and they'll do it for you for free.

Re: Why Germans pay cash for almost everything

#388

Post by overcast »

Retric wrote: post #332
overcast wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

$45k a year, untaxed, for what, a few minutes of work per day? Sign me up. There are professional pickpockets all over the world, that make a healthy living off of it. Also, average monthly salary in Germany is $2666. Sounds WAY more profitable to be a pickpocket.

Until you get caught. The problem is not so much being an experienced pickpocket, the problem is getting to that point and then living off of it for 40 years without spending a lot of time in prison.

Of course it's "until you get caught", and then subsequently released to just start over. Thieves exist, getting caught isn't a deterrent. You're taking it from the perspective of someone logical, with a vision of the future, savings, etc.

Re: Why Germans pay cash for almost everything

#390

Post by mod »

Symbiote wrote: post #320
davemp wrote: post #290

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've found cash to be much faster and more pleasent than card for eating out. - Waiter brings check - Leave cost + tip - Leave If you pay with card that's an extra trip from the waiter which can take a pretty long time.

In countries where paying by card is common, the waiter will assume this and bring the terminal. You can make it explicit, by having a card visible when you ask for the bill.

Speaking for America, where it's common to pay by card, I have never had a waiter bring a terminal to the table.

They take your card away and bring back a card receipt for you to sign & leave a tip on.

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