Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 exptools 1/6/84; site ihnss.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxl!ihnp4!ihnss!warren
From: warren@ihnss.UUCP (Warren Montgomery)
Newsgroups: net.consumers
Subject: Credit cards
Message-ID: <1948@ihnss.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 7-Mar-84 13:06:19 EST
Article-I.D.: ihnss.1948
Posted: Wed Mar  7 13:06:19 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 8-Mar-84 08:17:48 EST
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL
Lines: 44

A second for the idea that stores should take national cards instead
of insisting on their own.  There's no way I want to keep track of
yet another piece of plastic for my wallet.  (Those things put
together are lots bigger than my checkbook!).
Actually, I am NOT waiting for the cashless society.  I think that
there is a lot to be said for cash:

1)	Everybody takes it.

2)	They don't fingerprint you when you pay that way

3)	Some enlightened establishments give you discounts or
	shorter lines.

4)	You never spend more than you have

5)	You never get fouled up bills.

6)	You never get billed 20% interest for getting around to your
	mail a little late.  (anyone who willingly pays those rates
	is either desperate or careless.)

7)	You know what your liability is when you get ripped off and
	can control it.

etc. etc.

SOME of this can be achieved by universal cards, and I do have some
plastic (oddly enough, I got it for emergencies, like finding out
that your hotel is a lot more expensive than they told you on the
phone),  but on balance, I would rather pay cash for just about
anything.  Many people think that they are safer because they don't
carry much cash, but I would suspect that the combined liability
limits on most peoples credit cards far exceeds their cash needs.

No flames please, I just want people to think about "improvements"
to their lives before going for it just because it sounds neat.

-- 

	Warren Montgomery
	ihnss!warren
	IH x2494