Ditching Debit Cards In Favor Of Cash + Credit Card.

[arakboss]

Because of the ever-growing threat of skimmers and other scams that can allow fraudsters access to bank accounts, I am ditching debit cards. I had some fraudulent charges made on my checking account in the past. I was ultimately refunded my money but it took a fair amount of time to be resolved and I was lucky they hadn't cleaned out my checking account. This week I am going in to ask for new debit cards which will not be used. My bank does not provide an option to turn off debit cards.

The same fraud could happen with a credit card but at least my checking account funds won't be in as much risk.

99%+ of my NWFA classified purchases are done with cash. There aren't many reasons why I can't extend that cash purchasing habit to Winco and other places that don't accept credit cards.

P.S. If you used a card at the 7-11 in Wilsonville recently, your card may have been skimmed.

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[Tlock]

We've been doing all in person transactions in cash for about 2 years now. All orders online we use credit cards, all for the same reasons you stated. One extra step I took was to stop spending 1 dollar bills and change, you will not belive how fast this adds up.

 

[Stomper]

I always look over POS terminals for skimmers before I use them, but that doesn't keep the merchant from getting their database hacked like what happened to Home Depot a while back.

I also avoid using "third party" retail ATM's for cash withdrawals unless it's a financial institution with a network affiliation to the credit union that I use (I only use credit unions, not "banks" because CU's generally have WAY different regulations and rules).

I have pretty stellar consumer fraud protection on my debit card that has saved my funds a couple of different times over the past. One time I was in the middle of the Mt. Hood National Forest hunting deer and my phone rings (LOL)… it was my CU asking if I just made a $200 purchase with a $200 cash-back at a Walmart in Athens, TN…. NOPE! They shut down my debit card and refunded my $400 that day…. good thing I had $200 cash in my wallet for gas money to get home, LOL!

Using my CU app on my phone, I always put in a trip notification when we go outside of OR/WA and have had ZERO issues while traveling. The one credit card that I bother using for certain circumstances I can turn off and on through its app on my phone too. I tend to use it over my debit card when going interstate, and mostly only use it (over my debit card) while out of the country because there's no foreign exchange fees (unlike my debit card). I'll wait a couple weeks to pay the balance until my cash-back rebate registers on the CC, use that towards the balance then transfer funds from my CU account on the remaining and avoid accruing interest charges.

I generally keep $3k - $5k cash on hand (hidden away) for "immediate emergencies" (and discretionary purchases), and a minimum 6 months of take home pay in a high-yield savings account available for long-term "chituations" but I also have around $100k in credit lines if ever there was an absolute dire need.

Bottom line, either cash or plastic…. I generally don't spend either one if I don't already have the funds, or I don't REALLY GOTTA HAVE something (which that rarely happens anymore, 'cuz I'm tired of having "stuff").



Poor me, huh?

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Saving your change and $1 bills...is a great way to save your money for things...or even when you need some emergency money.
As noted above...the change and $1 bills add up fairly quickly...and makes for a great source of ammo , parts or "mad money".
In my case....book money as well....

On a related note...
If you are one of those folks who buys coffee regularly at $7 for 5 days a week...
That is $35...35 dollars can get you a box of ammo....
Buying a box of ammo or two at a time is a good way to build up your ammunition supply.
( if you don't re-load or buy online in bulk )

One thing to think about nowadays is that some stores or venues no longer take cash...
So a card of some sort is needed.
Andy

 

[orygun]

I generally keep $3k - $5k cash on hand (hidden away) for "immediate emergencies" (and discretionary purchases), and a
minimum 6 months of take home pay in a high-yield savings account available for long-term "chituations" but I also have around $100k in credit lines if ever there was an absolute dire need.

Bottom line, either or cash plastic…. I generally don't spend either one if I don't already have the funds, or I don't REALLY GOTTA HAVE something (which that rarely happens anymore, 'cuz I'm tired of having "stuff").



Poor me, huh?

Yup, cash stashed at home safely and online purchases with my credit card, or possibly paypal, which can add another layer of protection. I use a debit card for many of my business purchases, but at known, "safe" locations or vendors.
I work hard for my money and intend on keeping it.

I've been trippin over "stuff" for quite a while and have more than enough! In fact, some of my "gotta have its" from just a couple of years ago are about to be up for sale.

Saving your change and $1 bills...is a great way to save your money for things...or even when you need some emergency money.
As noted above...the change and $1 bills add up fairly quickly...and makes for a great source of ammo , parts or "mad money".
In my case....book money as well....

On a related note...
If you are one of those folks who buys coffee regularly at $7 for 5 days a week...
That is $40...40 dollars can get you a box of ammo....
Buying a box of ammo or two at a time is a good way to build up your ammunition supply.
( if you don't re-load or buy online in bulk )

One thing to think about nowadays is that some stores or venues no longer take cash...
So a card of some sort is needed.
Andy

I've been emptying my pockets of change and have an old Olympia pitcher and a huge beer stein almost full of change now. I was planning on taking them in, turning into paper money and adding to the stash at home. I like the idea of adding $1 bills to the mix.

I used to grab a mocha at lunch nearly every day. That was an expensive habit, but it was part of what caused me to get out of the office and away from the phone. The 30 minute break from that job was worth it then.

If any place I walk into won't take cash, I won't support them. Even if I may actually use my card at the store, I strongly oppose going cashless. Unfortunately, many of the purchases I make for my business are online, and then there's no option.

 

[Stomper]

Saving your change and $1 bills...is a great way to save your money for things...or even when you need some emergency money.
As noted above...the change and $1 bills add up fairly quickly...and makes for a great source of ammo , parts or "mad money".
In my case....book money as well....

On a related note...
If you are one of those folks who buys coffee regularly at $7 for 5 days a week...
That is $40...40 dollars can get you a box of ammo....
Buying a box of ammo or two at a time is a good way to build up your ammunition supply.
( if you don't re-load or buy online in bulk )

One thing to think about nowadays is that some stores or venues no longer take cash...
So a card of some sort is needed.
Andy

You ever find any worms in them there books you be buyin'?







$7 for a mediocre cuppa burnt tastin' joe….



Same goes for them $5-$10 chicken sammiches…. ordering lunch (anywhere) everyday can EASILY hit $15…. multiply THAT times every workday!

The entire economy is structured to drive (and keep) you in poverty (or near to it)!

 

[Tlock]

Saving your change and $1 bills...is a great way to save your money for things...or even when you need some emergency money.
As noted above...the change and $1 bills add up fairly quickly...and makes for a great source of ammo , parts or "mad money".
In my case....book money as well....

On a related note...
If you are one of those folks who buys coffee regularly at $7 for 5 days a week...
That is $40...40 dollars can get you a box of ammo....
Buying a box of ammo or two at a time is a good way to build up your ammunition supply.
( if you don't re-load or buy online in bulk )

One thing to think about nowadays is that some stores or venues no longer take cash...
So a card of some sort is needed.
Andy

I drink coffee from home, black! No fancy coffee for me. Also I pack a lunch 6 days a week, I allow for 1 day to grab something on the go. It's just to expensive to eat out all the time. Yes that money is used for ammo or new purchases I need, I am currently in need of higher end binos

 

[Nutty4Guns]

P.S. If you used a card at the 7-11 in Wilsonville recently, your card may have been skimmed.

Ugh, checking CC account now. My wife and I were just there yesterday getting a drink. Thanks for the heads up.

Did you happen to go to the Sonic across the street from 7-11 recently? I'm pretty sure my card was skimmed there at the drive through, about a year ago.

 

[orygun]

$7 for a mediocre cuppa burnt tastin' joe….



Same goes for them $5-$10 chicken sammiches…. ordering lunch (anywhere) everyday can EASILY hit $15…. multiply THAT times every workday!

The entire economy is structured to drive (and keep) you in poverty (or near to it)!

I took my lunch to work nearly every day for 12 years. That saved a huge amount of money. The last 4 or 5 years there, though, we would go to lunch on Fridays as a treat.
These days I don't take lunch to work, but it's a short drive home. I spend about a gallon of gas doing that trip and often take care of business when at home, so it's worth it.

 

[Stomper]

Yup, cash stashed at home safely and online purchases with my credit card, or possibly paypal, which can add another layer of protection. I use a debit card for many of my business purchases, but at known, "safe" locations or vendors.
I work hard for my money and intend on keeping it.

I've been trippin over "stuff" for quite a while and have more than enough! In fact, some of my "gotta have its" from just a couple of years ago are about to be up for sale.


I've been emptying my pockets of change and have an old Olympia pitcher and a huge beer stein almost full of change now. I was planning on taking them in, turning into paper money and adding to the stash at home. I like the idea of adding $1 bills to the mix.

I used to grab a mocha at lunch nearly every day. That was an expensive habit, but it was part of what caused me to get out of the office and away from the phone. The 30 minute break from that job was worth it then.

If any place I walk into won't take cash, I won't support them. Even if I may actually use my card at the store, I strongly oppose going cashless. Unfortunately, many of the purchases I make for my business are online, and then there's no option.

Hear ya on B2B purchases, I generally make tens of thousands in business to business transactions with our vendors every week, and I never actually see the "cash" or "checks" transferred. I've made high 5-figure purchases (for a single item) using the company credit card for "outside purchases"…. you bet your booty I make sure all the T's are crossed and i's are dotted with proper PO numbers assigned along with the, "who, what, where, and why's" quantified!

In return, my (>$500M in annual sales) employer (with several hundred field employees in multiple states) trust me (and scant few others) with access cards and keys that (literally) open every single door on the company's different properties to include the almighty, all knowing "company server room"!

It's like a never ending onslaught these days, and it's wearing on my though. I'm so looking forward to retirement!

Sorry, I digress.

 

[Tlock]

I took my lunch to work nearly every day for 12 years. That saved a huge amount of money. The last 4 or 5 years there, though, we would go to lunch on Fridays as a treat.
These days I don't take lunch to work, but it's a short drive home. I spend about a gallon of gas doing that trip and often take care of business when at home, so it's worth it.

Business huh......so your afraid to go number 2 at work? Or we talking "BUISNESS"??

 

[orygun]

Hear ya on B2B purchases, I generally make tens of thousands in business to business transactions with our vendors every week, and I never actually see the "cash" or "checks" transferred. I've made high 5-figure purchases (for a single item) using the company credit card for "outside purchases"…. you bet your booty I make sure all the T's are crossed and i's are dotted with proper PO numbers assigned along with the, "who, what, where, and why's" quantified!

In return, my (>$500M in annual sales) employer (with several hundred field employees in multiple states) trust me (and scant few others) with access cards and keys that (literally) open every single door on the company's different properties to include the almighty, all knowing "company server room"!

Sorry, I digress.

My purchases aren't that big, but my company also has 100% faith in me.

Oh, I own the company!

 

[arakboss]

Ugh, checking CC account now. My wife and I were just there yesterday getting a drink. Thanks for the heads up.

Did you happen to go to the Sonic across the street from 7-11 recently? I'm pretty sure my card was skimmed there at the drive through, about a year ago.

We use to go to that sonic when they had half price milkshakes during the summer. They have quit offering that promotion in recent years (probably because of covid, and or inflation). So I haven't been there in a long time.

The 7-11 incident was recently posted on The People Of Wilsonville Facebook page. My wife show me the video of the guy who confronted the clerk after he pulled the supposed skimming device off the card reader. It's hard to know whether it was a legit report or not. The skimmers are getting better and harder to detect and they can supposedly read the cards even when tapping them.

 

[orygun]

As an aside, tis thread reminded me that I needed to move money out of the business checking and into the savings, which is safe from CC fraud.

 

[parallax]

i still use a debit card, I only carry a credit of $1,000 on it, and refill it from an app account, at least if someone hacks it, i am only out $1,000..maybe time to get rid of it.

 

[Stomper]

My purchases aren't that big, but my company also has 100% faith in me.

Oh, I own the company!

Yeahbutt, we know the CEO is your wife!

 

[Stomper]

Business huh......so your afraid to go number 2 at work? Or we talking "BUISNESS"??

Sounds like SOMEONE likes his "nooners"…..




I make it a strong habit to make Friday night a "date-night", and take my wife out to dinner, which she really enjoys. It's all about effort, boys!

 

[orygun]

Yeahbutt, we know the CEO is your wife!

Complains at Every Opportunity?

 

[orygun]

Complains at Every Opportunity?

Actually, she never complains. See @Stomper 's comment. Take care of the one who takes care of you.

 

[DirectDrive]

I always look over POS terminals for skimmers before I use them

That used to work with external "Gen 1" skimmers.
Now they can be internal so the outside looks normal.