Caitilin

all my fixed expenses go through my chequing account. My 'spending' and 'variable' money goes through cash. I find it far harder to put down 8x20 than I do to swipe a card and is that outfit/pair of boots really worth it?

It stops me spending. I like cash.

Caitilin

Mine says 'Please check ID' and if they do, I thank them nicely. If they don't, I have words with customer service/the manager.

But as a rule I only use the CC online

iaink

Thats brilliant! Should be standard practice, although anything less than $100 on mine doesnt even need a signature, just a swipe of the pay pass thing.

How often do they check out of curiosity?

Caitilin

At my regular shops - all the time now I've had a few word with a few managers. Shoppers checks religiously, and they did from the start. Safeway is terrible at checking. Wally world...50/50 ish, but they're getting better (yes more words with managers).

Dairy Queen and home hardware..terrible.

Lord Vader

I use my visa exclusively for the points. I treat the visa like my bank account and don't spend anymore than what I can pay off to avoid the interest. If I did buy something expensive and had to carry a balance, I would pay off the balance using my line of credit or sell some stocks.

Mr Lee

I check all the time. Amazing how many people use wives'/husbands' cards. Theoretically, you should refuse to serve them, but it's common practice here. No wonder card fraud is so prevalent.

Although I once served a bloke who presented me with a credit card belonging to a "Beverley ****" (substitute **** for surname, obviously). I said to him "You don't look much like a Beverley!" at which point he rather pointedly produced his driving licence showing that his name was indeed Beverley. Oops!

I've started using cash a lot more now. We've had our debit cards skimmed here a few times resulting in bounced mortgage payments and the like (and guess what - you don't get those fees returned) which has led me to a certain amount of distrust (see the "scam" thread for more reasons I'm paranoid about doing business in Canada).

I'm sadly one of those people who has run up thousands on credit cards and is now suffering the consequences. Needless to say, I haven't used it in a while and am paying it off as quickly as possible. The CC companies do try and draw you in though. Even when I had a part-time retail job, they increased my credit limit from $5,000 to $15,000!

iaink

I figure if you are scammed using your debit or credit card the banks will cover you to some extent. If you stick with cash and lose it, have it stolen, get mugged, house catches fire or whatever then you are on your own, its gone for good.

I agree though that the credit card companies will try and draw you in, customers who pay the balance every month and exploit the benefits / points schemes cant be good for their bottom line.

Alan2005

Most people don't wander around with their life savings in their pockets.

Another thing that everyone should do regardless of whether or not they use cash, debit or credit on a day-to-day basis is to disable access to savings accounts from the ATM (I was actually surprised that I had to actually request this).

pinkmcfarquhar

I've had quite a few customers at the store I work in with that written on their cards.

One lady told me she'd had it written on for over a year, and I was the first person to ask her for ID without her pointing it out.

scrubbedexpat091

Technically a card without a signature is not valid.

Come to my store and its either sign the card and show ID or pay with another form of payment.

The card has to have a signature to be valid per the merchant agreement.

I'm surprised so many places accept unsigned cards.

This is what Visa requires when the cards says see id.

1. Request a signature. Ask the cardholder to sign the card and provide current government identification, such as a driver's license or passport (if local law permits).
2. Check the signature. Be sure that the signature on the card matches the one on the transaction receipt and the additional identification.

Caitilin

Meh, as I said earlier. I stopped using credit card in shops, and if visa cares to kick up a fuss they can have it back. And I always have a backup method to pay. Only been denied service with it once in the last year and that's fine with me too.

el_richo

Really? That's retarded