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Not paying with cash

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191–200 of 259 posts

Re: Not paying with cash

#191

Post by wakawaka28 »

Shank wrote: post #4

One thing I really love that Japan got right was the creation of e-money systems that are anonymous (you can get a Suica for 20,000 yen without any registration information), work offline (you don't need network at-payment, nor does the terminal), and are easily accessible (you can get them at any train station, you can charge them at any ATM or convenience store with cash). In contrast, a debit/credit card usually r…

Keep in mind that "anonymous" money systems are not untrackable. You need to have killer OpSec to actually have an anonymous digital wallet even if it is technically possible. I'd rather not deal with that extreme discipline. Cash does the job just fine, at least for in-person transactions.

Re: Not paying with cash

#193

Post by al_borland »

mhast wrote: post #190
al_borland wrote: post #156

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Cards still have magstripes, but we generally use chip + signature or tap-to-pay now. I haven’t actually swiped my card in a couple years. Visiting Europe, I really like that the transaction is done right in front of you. The pain point is that my card is chip + signature, when everything there is chip + pin. When I last visited London I would stop into the store and went to the self-scan. I had to wait for the atten…

Using chip and pin is what makes the system secure. The PIN is verified by the chip on the card so it can't be skimmed. (You can copy the PIN of course, but you also need the same physical chip to clone a transaction.) Signing the recipe is a useless security theatre. That's why it's not done in Europe.

I agree 100%. I am very annoyed by it. When I go to the website for the card they proudly proclaim that it uses a signature, as if it means something. It’s also sold as a travel card, and the signature makes it a pain for travel. I had a hell of a time buying a train ticket at the airport in Germany. None of the machines worked, I assume because they wanted a PIN, so I had to try and hunt down a person who would sell me a ticket.

Now that I think about, I wonder if this signature business is a result of our restaurant norms. Since the waiter takes the card, runs it, and then brings back a bill to sign. If they switch to a PIN, every restaurant would be forced to upgrade to handheld devices, or have the customer pay up front on the way out. A worthwhile change imo, but I can see lobbyists fighting to avoid it.

Re: Not paying with cash

#194

Post by wrp »

Robelius wrote: post #186
snypher wrote: post #161

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Pretty scummy way to reject the people you rely on to fund your cause. Do you get paid from this non-profit you run?

What’s scummy about this? Seems like the poster was giving a perspective where they are trying to maximize outcomes of the non-profit rather than maximize dollars raised.

It depends on the nature of the non-profit. If membership confers some benefit, then it would be deliberately denying that benefit to the class of people who can only pay by cash or check. That would be scummy.

Re: Not paying with cash

#195

Post by dlcarrier »

ProllyInfamous wrote: post #79
dlcarrier wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My banks ATM defaults to $100 bills, and it takes a bunch of taps to get only $20 bills.

My local credit union has switched entirely to machined staff, even inside locations (with attendant staff for transaction impossible via ATM). For some silly reason, the machine stocks only these bills: $5$ $20$ $100$ Why waste an entire cash dispenser on fives when it could instead be handing out fifties (or at least tens)... especially at an ATM!? I think it's time for a $1000 bill, again. Let's get rid of bills l…

My plan for coins would be to eliminate dimes, but make nickels the size of a dime, still out of the nickle/copper alloy, so they are cheap to make and dime coin mechanisms could be easily modified to accept them, but wouldn't unless modified.

Re: Not paying with cash

#196

Post by socalgal2 »

m463 wrote: post #45
Shank wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I believe there is a less limited suica card you can get (not a traveler), but I think you need a japanese address. You don’t need a Japanese address. Simply visit any Suica vending machine, change the language to English, and purchase anonymous Suica. There are various preloaded options you can purchase, but typically you cannot recharge e-money via cash.

the vending machine card was the red one, right? I though there was a (blue?) one that japanese citizens could get, sent to their address.

You can choose to register the card if you want to (add your name an other details). If you do this you can get your car back if lost. And, you can also get a commuter pass assigned (cheaper price between two stations for 1 month).

Re: Not paying with cash

#197

Post by politelemon »

limagnolia wrote: post #157
trenchpilgrim wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The trick is to get a Suica card, which as an foreigner you need to do at the airport train station before you leave to the rest of Japan. https://www.jreast.co.jp/en/multi/welcomesuica/purchase.html

A few years ago, while I was in Japan visiting, they ran out of SUICA cards and visitors arriving couldn't get them. Left a lot of folks in a real bind. Fortunately I had already had cards for my family- and when we left we returned them for the deposit so they could be re-used, but they had a shortage for a few years! They should have used standard NFC, but being an early adopter has its downsides I guess.

Not necessarily about being an early adopter, it's that they remained inflexible despite adopting a flexible technology.

Re: Not paying with cash

#198

Post by socalgal2 »

limagnolia wrote: post #151
noduerme wrote: post #148

I'm very sympathetic to both the cash-as-privacy and cash-as-fair-access (for unbanked people, to goods and services) arguments, and I won't support any business that doesn't take cash. Credit cards are a snare for the chronically indebted, to shake pennies from their pockets to transfer to the wealthy. However, if you have no debt (which is enough to be considered "wealthy", IMO), you'd be a fool not to use a credit…

Most if not all of those rewards are paid for by the interchange that they charge merchants, not the interest they charge customers. Of course, interest and fees are also profitable, but banks are pretty happy if you use the card and pay it off every month.

All the costs, reguardless of where they are accrued, are figured into the prices every one is paying

Re: Not paying with cash

#200

Post by socalgal2 »

supportengineer wrote: post #40

If you like to travel, you can essentially travel "for free" by simply doing these two things: 1. Put all of your purchases on the travel rewards card 2. Pay it off in full every month, no exceptions

I'm not convinced. To get travel reward you effectively have a zero interest savings account for your points. Cash back, you can get that cash immediately (or say once a month) and invest it.
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