Red Dog

For some reason, I thought most, if not all, the states had laws that prohibit different prices for cash vs. credit. (Not that I agree with such a law.) I remember that it used to be commonplace for gas stations to do that (several decades ago), but it was made illegal.

So sure, if it's 5% cheaper, then I can understand it -- at least at that store. But isn't this kind of cash/debit vs. credit different pricing uncommon rather than common, and if so, it makes a CC a better option most of the time.

Sdallnct

http://www.examiner.com/review/specs...hopping-dallas

Review that mentions it. They give the discount using a debit card as I rarely carry cash.

I use a CC if buying something expensive to double the warranty. And if I do have to pay for any travel expenses as Hotels and Rent car companies do funky things with debit cards. Tho even then I may provide my CC and then pay with debit at the end.

jfoobar

Spec's is awesome. The main store in downtown Houston is someplace I always stop when I am in the city.

Sorry you are so thin-skinned as to be insulted, but there are a lot of people who seem oblivious to the benefits of keeping track of travel points and maximizing their benefit from the travel. Obviously, you are locked down due to the way your company handles travel. I, likewise, am limited in how I pay for airlines, but I at least have the option of paying for hotels and rental cars with a personal card so I do so, even though it would be slightly easier from an expense report standpoint if I paid with my issued travel card.

Actually, I anticipated this response, but I posted that information for the benefit of others as well.

For everyone else? No, and I never said anything to that effect. What I am saying is that anyone has the credit and a little bit of financial discipline who makes most purchases on a debit card is probably doing it wrong.

Forget the fancy-shmancy travel card stuff. The first time I started collection points was a few years ago. I had an existing USAA CC attached to my USAA account. They have a boring one-point-per-dollar rewards plan, but you have to sign up for it (which takes all of ten seconds). I had seen little banner ads advertising the program for two or three years and ignored them, all the while not earning points on my purchases. That...was...stupid. Finally I started using it and I was turning in points for travel vouchers in a much shorter time than I would have thought.

For a lot of people, using a debit card is just as stupid as me using a CC and not enabling the points program and spending the points when they piled up. The fact that debit cards typically come with less favorable fraud protection than CCs makes it even more foolish. Even if it takes you five years of spending to get enough points for a free airline ticket to Los Angeles, that's still a free airline ticket that you got from no effort whatsoever.

spainlinx0

I have a grocery store across the street from me. When I want a few staples I head over there, but if I'm doing major shopping I go to one a few minutes away. I probably have around 10-15 supermarkets within 15 minutes from me. The one across the street from me always seems to be more expensive so I avoid it when I'm doing a lot of shopping.

I love Wegman's, but I am not doing the 35-40 minute drive to go there. However, sometimes I really do consider it.

I used to think the same about offering that discount, but I thought it was the agreement vendors had with the credit card companies. I remember going to the Mastercard website and seeing that if any vendors offer a cash discount to notify them immediately as it was against their terms of service. Perhaps that has changed for gas stations because now most charge more for credit. The ones that don't make it a point to advertise that they don't charge more. Also I seem to remember that it was against the terms of service for a vendor to have a minimum charge for credit card purchases.

Also any cash purchase discounts I have had in the past have always seemed more "off the books" than actual discounts. I never saw one from anyone that wasn't a mom and pop shop.

Sdallnct

Well ok. You feel those that don't use CC (or most) "are doing it wrong".

I don't. It's a simple choice. It's how some prefer to budget.

I'd bet I've saved more on the 5% discount at Spec's by using a debit card in one year "by doing nothing" than the worth of point or freebie it took five years to get on a CC.

Again, it's just a choice. Ill take the chance on fraud protection. I've only had one issue in 5+ years using my debit card. And my bank had it off my account in a single day. It's more about the bank/issuer than if it a CC or debit card.

emanon

http://www.woodmans-food.com/

It's where I do the bulk of our grocery shopping, and they take debit but not credit.

Granted, not as much as it used to be before rates dropped, but monthly interest from two of my debit accounts:





These are only achievable by having a set number of debit transactions (10 per account per month) to earn decent interest...so there can be some benefit to debit over credit. And the way I shop, 10 per account per month is typically done without any added effort. Any additional purchases (or larger purchases) can be made with a rewards credit card. But if those quickie trips to the grocery store or a $10 6-pack after work can quickly help me earn ~$40 a month interest - great!

fujishig

Cash price and Credit price being different at gas stations:

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/c...cash-card.html

I guess this is a recent development, but I hate that gas stations can advertise the cash price with just small wording about it being only if you pay in cash.

Red Dog

I have a similar deal with my checking account (to earn a higher interest rate) -- I can't remember if it's 8 or 10 per month, but they don't have to be debit-sales transactions. It includes any transaction: a deposit, a withdrawl, writing a check, an automated monthly payment (e.g. mortgage, car loan), etc. I never have a problem hitting that, and I don't do any debit card payments.

emanon

Sure, I understand that different accounts can also offer incentives. But you said that having a debit card was "like giving up free cash" - I'm simply showing that to not necessarily be the case.

Sdallnct

Also, if I need cash my bank does not charge ATM fees AND reimburses me for ATM's that do charge (up to like $4.00 per transaction and X per month).

If I pulled cash off my CC there is a charge. There may CC that don't charge or refund, but I don't see that often.

I think (again) there are pluses and minuses to both. And as a traveler I need both. But I prefer using my debit most of the time.

jfoobar

Having and using a CC does not prevent me or anyone else from having and occasionally using an ATM card.

Goldberg74

On our trip to Utah this last month, we had our first visit to WinCo (didn't know what it was) and we fell in love with it. There was one just down the road from my in-laws and it was quite the experience.

If there were one in TX we'd go.

superdeluxe

Yeah, I love racking up my cash back/miles on my CC's, but its not worth the extra 25-30% that we save in our bill.

Sdallnct

You mean like having and using a debit card most of the time does not prevent me or anyone else from hqving occasionally using a CC?

TomOpus

I guess it's time for a CC vs Debit Card subforum.

jfoobar

Apples and oranges and you know it. :P

fujishig

Is that going to be next to the Tipping subforum?

TomOpus

Maybe we need a Money Talk forum.

tofferman

My step mom shops at Winco in Boise and raves about the quality of their produce and low prices. Wish they were here in Bend!

My Other Self

They do have excellent produce, but the one thing I avoid is the meat counter. I don't know what ranch their product is sourced from but its not very good.

The best grocery store for an overall experience / price / product is Wegmans. I worked at one when I was in high school and went shopping there with my dad every weekend growing up. A shame they're not on Safeway's level of national stores since they're concentrated in the North East part of the country, but I guess it's quality over quantity.