The Coffee House

[JonA_CT]

Ahh, yes! I am a plastic carrier as well. I have not returned to a semi-local camera store because they were cash only. Good point! I wonder whatever happened to those carbon copy sliding machines they used when credit cards first came in vogue?

They still exist. A few months ago, Harbor Freight's headquarters were evacuated because of the wildfires in CA, and they couldn't process credit cards nationally as a result. This was high brewery build out time, and I used to make several purchases there every weekend. They pulled one out.

It's a huge security risk, though. I used my American Express (the easiest card company to deal with in fraud situations, imo) so I didn't worry much, but it is uncomfortable to have your credit card number actually printed out and held in a file these days.

I used to use them in college too...I worked for a non-profit museum that still relied on dial-up internet for card transactions back in the mid-to-late aughts, and our system used to crash a couple of times a week.

 

[JonA_CT]

Side note: We use Square at the brewery. We can ring all of our transactions without the internet (or power for that matter), but we have to be comfortable with the fact that a transaction might get denied at the end of the day. Comcast took 3 weeks longer than advertised to get our internet set up, so we lived with it for awhile. Thankfully, we didn't have a single transaction denied.

 

[SquarePeg50]

Ahh, yes! I am a plastic carrier as well. I have not returned to a semi-local camera store because they were cash only. Good point! I wonder whatever happened to those carbon copy sliding machines they used when credit cards first came in vogue?

They still exist. A few months ago, Harbor Freight's headquarters were evacuated because of the wildfires in CA, and they couldn't process credit cards nationally as a result. This was high brewery build out time, and I used to make several purchases there every weekend. They pulled one out.

It's a huge security risk, though. I used my American Express (the easiest card company to deal with in fraud situations, imo) so I didn't worry much, but it is uncomfortable to have your credit card number actually printed out and held in a file these days.

I used to use them in college too...I worked for a non-profit museum that still relied on dial-up internet for card transactions back in the mid-to-late aughts, and our system used to crash a couple of times a week.

I cringe every time I order take out over the phone and the young girl repeats my card number back to me very loudly including expiration date! I get a mental picture of some scumbag with a pen and paper lurking behind the soda case.

 

[Dean_Gretsch]

A local grocery has a rewards program that gives you the keychain fob, but many people in front of me seem to forget theirs and have the cashier look their account up by also very audibly giving their phone number. I might be overly paranoid, but would just skip my reward if I didn't have the fob.

 

[limr44]

When cashiers ask for my phone number, I almost always ask them why (depends on the store, why I am there, and whether or not I have already given them my number.) They usually don't know how to answer that, so they just carry on with the checking out process.

In general, I don't worry about someone overhearing. Most people wouldn't notice an elephant in front of them, much less an opportunity to steal someone's identity. Besides, who can remember phone numbers anymore?

 

[Dean_Gretsch]

When cashiers ask for my phone number, I almost always ask them why (depends on the store, why I am there, and whether or not I have already given them my number.) They usually don't know how to answer that, so they just carry on with the checking out process.

In general, I don't worry about someone overhearing. Most people wouldn't notice an elephant in front of them, much less an opportunity to steal someone's identity. Besides, who can remember phone numbers anymore?

With voice recorder apps on most smart phones, remembrance isn't a worry

 

[waday]

When cashiers ask for my phone number, I almost always ask them why (depends on the store, why I am there, and whether or not I have already given them my number.) They usually don't know how to answer that, so they just carry on with the checking out process.

I'm the same. If I know that I have a "rewards" card there and I actually want the "points", I'll give them that information. Otherwise, I always say no thanks. I don't think I reap any rewards for 99% of the rewards programs I am a "member" of.

Some of them don't even give you rewards, rather they are only used to track you. For example, Lowes. Their website FAQ literally says, "There are no discounts or other incentive programs currently associated with the MyLowe's card. We offer other ways to save you money every day. To learn more, read about our Everyday Low Prices."

So... why sign up? So they can track what, when, and where you shop? So that you can be further targeted by Lowes and any other companies that Lowes will sell, er, I mean "share" your information with? No, thank you.

We get tracked enough everywhere else, I don't understand why I can't just purchase something without being hounded for my personal information.

Living off-the-grid sounds more appealing every day....

ETA:
Not to mention these companies then getting hacked because they don't care about your information enough to properly protect it...

 

[JonA_CT]

Ahh, yes! I am a plastic carrier as well. I have not returned to a semi-local camera store because they were cash only. Good point! I wonder whatever happened to those carbon copy sliding machines they used when credit cards first came in vogue?

They still exist. A few months ago, Harbor Freight's headquarters were evacuated because of the wildfires in CA, and they couldn't process credit cards nationally as a result. This was high brewery build out time, and I used to make several purchases there every weekend. They pulled one out.

It's a huge security risk, though. I used my American Express (the easiest card company to deal with in fraud situations, imo) so I didn't worry much, but it is uncomfortable to have your credit card number actually printed out and held in a file these days.

I used to use them in college too...I worked for a non-profit museum that still relied on dial-up internet for card transactions back in the mid-to-late aughts, and our system used to crash a couple of times a week.

I cringe every time I order take out over the phone and the young girl repeats my card number back to me very loudly including expiration date! I get a mental picture of some scumbag with a pen and paper lurking behind the soda case.

Yeah -- most of our local places are on BeyondMenu (or GrubHub..I'm sure both work around you), so I use them to make delivery orders for that very reason. I get billed by the one website rather than the people with the machine at the store.

When cashiers ask for my phone number, I almost always ask them why (depends on the store, why I am there, and whether or not I have already given them my number.) They usually don't know how to answer that, so they just carry on with the checking out process.

In general, I don't worry about someone overhearing. Most people wouldn't notice an elephant in front of them, much less an opportunity to steal someone's identity. Besides, who can remember phone numbers anymore?

Yeah, I skip phone numbers and e-mails pretty routinely. We collected zip codes at the museum, and that freaked certain people out. They would get really suspicious and ask why and then usually decline to answer. We literally just used it to see where visitors were coming from (marketing blah blah blah), and it wasn't even linked to their transaction.

I just thought the paranoia over zip codes was funny...I live in a relatively small city, but I think somewhere around 25000 other people share my zip code!

 

[JonA_CT]

When cashiers ask for my phone number, I almost always ask them why (depends on the store, why I am there, and whether or not I have already given them my number.) They usually don't know how to answer that, so they just carry on with the checking out process.

So... why sign up? So they can track what, when, and where you shop? So that you can be further targeted by Lowes and any other companies that Lowes will sell, er, I mean "share" your information with? No, thank you.

We get tracked enough everywhere else, I don't understand why I can't just purchase something without being hounded for my personal information.

Targeted marketing, of course. Some times I don't mind...at BJs Wholesale Club, I only routinely buy a few things -- coffee, diapers, wipes, lunch meat, turkey meatballs, and chicken strips. At least monthly, I get coupons for between $2 and $5 off of each of these things in the mail. There, it's linked to my membership account, obviously, since you need the card to make each purchase.

 

[SquarePeg50]

Some of them don't even give you rewards, rather they are only used to track you. For example, Lowes. Their website FAQ literally says, "There are no discounts or other incentive programs currently associated with the MyLowe's card. We offer other ways to save you money every day. To learn more, read about our Everyday Low Prices."

So... why sign up? So they can track what, when, and where you shop? So that you can be further targeted by Lowes and any other companies that Lowes will sell, er, I mean "share" your information with? No, thank you.

MyLowe's came in handy last year when we had to patch a wall and I couldn't find the name of the paint to match it.

Yeah -- most of our local places are on BeyondMenu (or GrubHub..I'm sure both work around you), so I use them to make delivery orders for that very reason. I get billed by the one website rather than the people with the machine at the store.

This place is strictly mom and pop - I'm just happy they take credit cards at all. They wouldn't have a clue about DoorDash or UberEats or any of Princess's other favorite apps.

 

[tirediron]

We get tracked enough everywhere else, I don't understand why I can't just purchase something without being hounded for my personal information.

Living off-the-grid sounds more appealing every day....

ETA:
Not to mention these companies then getting hacked because they don't care about your information enough to properly protect it...

Cash is king! With exception of purchasing fuel (and I only do it that way because idiotic laws recently enacted in BC make it pretty much impractical to fill up your vehicle when you pay cash). Almost everything is done with cash, and I'm a member of exactly zero "rewards" programs.

 

[JonA_CT]

Different strokes for different folks, I guess. Through cash rewards, I save about $6-700 a year using my Amex everywhere.

 

[Soocom1]

In the US we've been pre-pay for more than 15 years.

Dosent solve anything.

 

[SquarePeg50]

Different strokes for different folks, I guess. Through cash rewards, I save about $6-700 a year using my Amex everywhere.

Agreed! I never pay cash - only use it for tipping. I don't carry a balance on any cards and I find it so much easier to keep records and budget when everything is recorded for me to review and track spending. Plus haven't paid for a flight or hotel since 2013 due to credit card miles/bonuses.

 

[waday]

MyLowe's came in handy last year when we had to patch a wall and I couldn't find the name of the paint to match it.

I just check the name on the top of the paint can in my garage that has enough to cover 1 square foot, but for some reason, I kept it instead of throwing it out.