111–120 of 151 posts
> While there are no really good alternatives to moving money domestically except via check Does the U.S. really not have customer-to-customer wire transfers from regular banks? I'm continually amazed by how terrible your banking system is.
America is a funny place. You can get 127 varieties of salad dressing at your local supermarket, but you can't pay for it except with cash, unless you want to be hit with credit charges, and when you do the prices are not as marked. Australia, in sharp contrast, has laws requiring that the price on the shelf matches the price at the register -- some of them even allow you to get incorrectly-priced items for free, alt…
> While there are no really good alternatives to moving money domestically except via check Does the U.S. really not have customer-to-customer wire transfers from regular banks? I'm continually amazed by how terrible your banking system is.
They cost about $20 and some banks double-charge (i.e. charge the recipient as well as the sender).
> While there are no really good alternatives to moving money domestically except via check Does the U.S. really not have customer-to-customer wire transfers from regular banks? I'm continually amazed by how terrible your banking system is.
I believe it does but they are not free/cheat like BACS in the UK and IBAN in the EU.
I'm usually fine with using the services for I happily pay the extra charges or wait a few days longer for minimizing the danger of getting into a kafkaesque verification loop comedy - or worse.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
I believe it does but they are not free/cheat like BACS in the UK and IBAN in the EU.
I always assumed IBAN was a global thing. I don't know what I would do without it. I make/receive all my payments via direct bank wire. And I can do it from everywhere at any time for free.
Maybe I'm a little old fashioned here but I don't trust all those new private payment processors (including paypal) with any significant amount of money. I'm usually fine with using the services for I happily pay the extra charges or wait a few days longer for minimizing the danger of getting into a kafkaesque verification loop comedy - or worse.
Yet it also (still) "takes longer"???
Maybe I'm a little old fashioned here but I don't trust all those new private payment processors (including paypal) with any significant amount of money. I'm usually fine with using the services for I happily pay the extra charges or wait a few days longer for minimizing the danger of getting into a kafkaesque verification loop comedy - or worse.
"have refined their procedures over decades" Yet it also (still) "takes longer"???
America is a funny place. You can get 127 varieties of salad dressing at your local supermarket, but you can't pay for it except with cash, unless you want to be hit with credit charges, and when you do the prices are not as marked. Australia, in sharp contrast, has laws requiring that the price on the shelf matches the price at the register -- some of them even allow you to get incorrectly-priced items for free, alt…
I don't think your impression of American shopping is accurate. Many people pay with credit cards because they don't want to deal with loose coins and because credit card transactions can be viewed online. Anything I put on my Visa card I pay off in full at the end of the billing period; there are no fees, charges, or changes in prices that hit you when you use a credit card.