Yes I would...It isn't convenient because I hardly ever carry cash/check but one of our dollar stores would only take cash/check and I still went there ...They have started taking cards now so it's easier.

I'd pay cash and get the discount if it was significant. Using my main credit card has it's rewards, though--reward points that can be used for online shopping, taken off my credit card bill, or given to me as cash back.

I would shop at the cash-only store if had what I wanted and I couldn't get it elsewhere. Otherwise, probably not. I don't usually carry a lot of cash.

Absolutely I would! Especially if it means saving money.
Whether I have to save up for it or just go and withdraw the money from the bank, the savings make it worthwhile for me.

It wouldn't stop me if I found a good buy, but might have to go to the bank if it was expensive.

I use my debit card for just about everything. I probably wouldn't frequent a "cash only" store.

I pay by cash or check 90% of the time so no problem. I do not even own a debit card and will not own one. I have one credit card I use for online only and one I use for our rare purchases that we use a cc for like gas and dining out usually.

If it were a significant discount and I used it regularly, I would pay cash. That discount adds up for minimal effort on my part other than making sure I have cash on hand.

To the other, it depends on the store. If I can get it elsewhere within a similar distance, I would do that because I hardly ever carry cash around. But if it's unique or small, I have a little more patience because I know those transaction fees cut into their profits but there's still a limit in what I'm willing to do for my own convenience.

We have a yummy thai place nearby that I would love to patronize more but they only take credit cards with over $20 in purchase and I never spend that much there. I also don't want to make the effort of going to get money just to eat there, so in that case, it probably hurts them more to not get my business at all than to pay a little more to process my card.

If there was a store that would ONLY accept cash--no credit or debit cards--would you shop there?
Aldi's is a cash only grocery, and I stop and shop whenever I am near one as they are all 'out of town'. I have to remember to make a point of to see what cash I have with me, or if I need to stop by the 'money gittin' machine first.

My periodontist used to offer a 5, or maybe it was 10 percent discount if paid by cash or check. I always paid him by check.

I wouldn't not shop them but I don't always have cash on me so I may not be able to shop there. There's a dollar store in town here that doesn't take debit cards, they take credit cards but not debit, makes no sense. So, sometimes I have to run to the bank and get some cash out and come back because I forget. They're the only place in the area that I know of that doesn't take them.

I sure would pay cash if/when it means a deep discount.
If the business doesn't report cash transactions, and my purchase is a personal one, why not?

I use my credit card when possible because I pay no interest until after the billing date - so I get a 20-25 day float on my money - no reason to pay cash, and I earn points, too.

Rarely use the debit cards for purchases, only use them at ATM machines for withdrawing cash.

My dentist considers checks as cash, and offers a 10% discount if we use that method, so of course we do! Dental work can be very expensive.

I use a credit card for most purchases, and haven't run into any store around here that won't take a credit card. I never use a debit card.

Monica_pa - what do you mean about a business "reporting" cash transactions? And why would you worry about it?

I seldom pay with cash. There are a few stores that do not take charge cards or maybe not my charge card, so I seldom shop there for that reason.

Sue

Mary - I don't lose sleep about who reports cash transactions, I know that I am not liable...but I pay my taxes, and I do feel uncomfortable about doing business with people who don't report income.

Ah, I see Monica! I've never worried about that with a bricks and mortar type store, and I rarely shop anywhere else.

I was a cash-only business (upholstery) for many years - and I hated customers who came in with actual cash and asked if I would "forget" to charge them the sales tax. HELL NO! I always reported all income, and always reported sales taxes collected, and paid them. I resented the implication that I would be dishonest and cheat.

I definitely preferred checks in my business - it made my book-keeping easier to reconcile. I did accept actual cash, too, but no discount, because it was the same as a check as far as I was concerned.

Giving a discount for cash doesn't always mean that the business isn't reporting the transaction. It can just mean that they are giving the customer the benefit of the savings cash provides them. Credit cards charge a significant handling fee on purchases--the retailer loses that. It also takes more accounting hours for a retailer to deal with credit cards than with cash--even IF they are reporting the sale.

Personally, I respect the business that passes that savings along to the customer, and I don't always assume there is something shady going on.

I didn't answer my own questions.

Our auto repair guy is one who gives a nice cash discount--they're a very reputable, honest, "Christian" business. I know a lot of folks who deal with him and all pay cash--it can be a significant amount of savings when you're talking about a major car repair.

Otherwise, we pay just about everything in cash--including things like our taxes, water, sewer, utility bills, evey buying new cars. I've never been big on using plastic or checks--things that can be used to steal identities--and am less so since my purse was stolen a bit ago and I had to deal with the aftermath of that. Aside from the identity issue, I am just far more comfortable knowing how much I have available to spend, and with knowing that my check book is ALWAYS balanced to the penny (I could NEVER deal with automatic deposites and/or automatic bill paying--what a nightmare that must be for keeping track of things!)

However, I do realize that DH and I are dinosauers, and few feel as we do. I was actually surprised that so many said they would use cash in this society, in the situation I described.

Giving a discount for cash doesn't always mean that the business isn't reporting the transaction. It can just mean that they are giving the customer the benefit of the savings cash provides them. Credit cards charge a significant handling fee on purchases--the retailer loses that. It also takes more accounting hours for a retailer to deal with credit cards than with cash--even IF they are reporting the sale.

Personally, I respect the business that passes that savings along to the customer, and I don't always assume there is something shady going on.

I didn't answer my own questions.

Our auto repair guy is one who gives a nice cash discount--they're a very reputable, honest, "Christian" business. I know a lot of folks who deal with him and all pay cash--it can be a significant amount of savings when you're talking about a major car repair.

Otherwise, we pay just about everything in cash--including things like our taxes, water, sewer, utility bills, evey buying new cars. I've never been big on using plastic or checks--things that can be used to steal identities--and am less so since my purse was stolen a bit ago and I had to deal with the aftermath of that. Aside from the identity issue, I am just far more comfortable knowing how much I have available to spend, and with knowing that my check book is ALWAYS balanced to the penny (I could NEVER deal with automatic deposites and/or automatic bill paying--what a nightmare that must be for keeping track of things!)

However, I do realize that DH and I are dinosauers, and few feel as we do. I was actually surprised that so many said they would use cash in this society, in the situation I described.

I use cash often as well. What I like is not leaving a trail. I'm not hiding anything, I just figure the less the government knows about me, the better.

What they do see if they bother checking is that I might make a withdrawal at my bank machine, or take cash-back at one grocery store. They don't know if I bought a new tv, where I go to eat, where I get my gas, etc. My rent is sometimes paid by cheque, sometimes with cash.

At this age we don't need much so it is cash only all the time if it saves us money.. What we do put on the charge card gets paid off at the end of each month.

The Google ad is for "Quick cash advance"!! (so if some of you are a bit short, that's an option ... but one that I'll not avail myself of, as they charge upwards of 10% for money that they lend you for a week or two).

I'd use the "discount for cash" store, for sure.

I do much of my business by cash.

I've asked some of the cashiers at stores, just after a credit card transaction, whether they'd rather be paid with the proceeds of that sale, or my sale for cash.

Most of them say that it doesn't matter to them.

I say that if they were paid from the proceeds of the credit card transaction, for each $100. that they were owed - they'd get about $96.00 - 98.00.

Plus ... they'd wait probably 6 weeks to two months, sometimes more, before they saw their money.

Most hadn't thought of that.

Not only that, a number of the card issuers say that if a store accepts any of their cards, they must accept the whole kit ...

... including some that offer cash-back, and some say that their fee to the store for such cards is substantially more than for the regular cards.

Which I, as a cash customer, have to help pay for in the increased prices of the merchandise.

I've sometimes asked for a discount for a cash sale ... have very rarely received one (if ever).

But I haven't yet asked for a discount for cash and, if refused, left a pile of merchandise on the counter and walked out.

Maybe I'll try that, one of these days.

Hey - here's an idea ...

... what say some of us get together and set up a company offering "credit" (really "debt") cards?

Should be some good bucks in that!

Or, more easily set up. on a local basis ... one of those "payday cash advance" stores: they must make a lot of money.

Oh, yeah - there's that niggling matter of conscience.

Drat!

ole joyful

I use cash for gasoline, grocery shopping and sometimes other purchases.

Think Aldi! I pay cash there, as I don't have a discovery card...

and the prices are wonderful.

Moni

I would not shop there, if the store or shop is offering a 'substantial' (over 3%) discount there has to be a reason. The merchant fee is (3% or lower) so if the retailer is offering a 10-15% discount there is something more to the reason than not paying the fee. And if they are doing to escape the fees they could be shooting themselves in the foot, often the more a merchant charges per year the lower the merchant fee rate.

I never, or rather, very seldom, have cash on me. If I do it isn't more than $20 or so. I just don't carry cash.

We use cash for almost everything. I only use credit cards for the rewards they offer. Mostly for online purchases.

I don't carry a checkbook. I only write about 10 or fewer checks a year.

Cash here, too. For everything less than about $50, I pay cash. And if I got a discount, I'd pay for more expensive things with cash, too.

We have a well known chain of appliance stores (quite legit) which offers substantial discounts for cash. We generally buy any appliances/white goods there, they accept debit cards as cash so no need to carry large amounts of cash with us. A lot of smaller stores here are cash only and I always have cash on me so no problem. Most places have a $10 minimum for card purchases to cut down on bank charges and telephone fees.
Unless you have a mortgage or large bank account, banks here generally only allow so many free debit card transactions per month, after that there's a fee for every swipe. If we didn't still have a mortgage I'd be using my debit card even less and cash even more.

I'd shop there. But I still would question if they are paying taxes on the cash purchases. Perhaps that's why they give such a big discount. But I guess I really wouldn't care if I got the discount.

BTW - we go camping at a place that used to only take cash or check. This year they started taking credit cards but they charge us something like $3 or $4 more per transaction. I guess it's my decision then if I want to pay by CC.

We put nearly everything on credit card & collect rewards, but if it saves a bit on a something I would use cash. The only thing our debit card is used for is the ATM for pocket $.

Isn't it against the law for a business to charge you more if you use a credit card? In my husband's business it does cost him more if people use a charge card, but he can not charge that expense to the customer. His customers pay with checks and cash too. I see nothing wrong with paying with cash. I just don't have much cash and my husband provides me with a credit card and he pays it off each month. Customers paying with cash still get a numbered receipt, so I don't see why some would have a problem with paying with cash. He does not give a discount for cash.

Sue

It is, Sue, at least in some states.

If a business offers a discount for using cash, I pay cash. If a business is cash only, and they are the place I want to buy something, I would shop there. If 10 other places had the same thing available, I wouldn't go out of my way to go to the cash-only place.

Our Aldi's accepts a credit card now, which does come in handy if I don't have a lot of cash, because that town doesn't have my ATM or branch of my bank. I have never ever paid an ATM fee and refuse to start now.

My landscaper told me it's $25 a week cash to cut my lawn or $27 if I pay by check. Just to pi$$ him off, I pay by check.

Hi Jannie,

Around here, you'd still be getting a bargain, for we have harmonized sales tax (fed and prov. together, initiated a couple of years ago, over some objections, as more stuff is covered).

Prov. used to be 8%, fed. was 7%, later reduced to 6%, then to 5%, and now harmonized sales tax is 13%.

But... that'd be added to his quoted price, so he'd be adding it to the $27.00.

His issue is with reporting for income tax, quite likely.

ole joyful