My Two Cents ON Cash And Credit
When I graduated college, the purveyors of credit cards descended on me like pigeons on popcorn in a park....When I graduated law school I was handed the keys to the credit card kingdom.........
At a time when the industry was much less predatory and usurious, I acted like I had received an inheritance and purchased whatever, whenever....I was doing OK. I worked two full time jobs and had plenty of income....When my wife retrned to the workforce we were a three income family of three. We thought we had money to burn. But what we were really burning was plastic....And you know what comes from burning plastic, noxious toxic fumes....
As I got older and the demands of family life became more financially cumbersome, I realized that I was working to simply pay bills and nothing more...After going through a rather painful period financially , I made it my business to disengage from the credit card traps and cycles... My motto became: "If I can't pay for it in cash, I don't NEED it."
It then dawned on me that we were moving toward a cashless society and I decided that I would do all that I could to live debt free...It is inconvenient at times...But, now I owe nothing to no one for anything, anywhere......
People like me are a threat to the financial system which has created a new kind of slavery and oppression....I don't do credit cards, direct deposit, electronic transfers or any of the other number of things that remove the freedom, latitude and flexibility that cash provides the average citizen or common person....CASH IS FREEDOM in a capitalist economy....
The steady march toward the criminalization of poverty has become much more pronounced and discernable in the recent economic crisis....So I am involved in a one man crusade to hold the line against the removal of cash from our midst, because I believe that cash is one of the last great equalizers in our society/economy/culture.....The other is death.....
The banks and financial institutions are looking to remove the cash as a means of oppressing and enslaving otherwise "free" middle class people while stigmatizing, demonzing and criminalizing poor people....
Unless we take action to halt this process, it will come to pass that failure to have a credit/debit card in your possion will cause you to be denied access to the goods and services we have taken for granted in the markeplace and the use of cash will be limited to illegal, illegitimate and black market transactions which would subject the participants to criminal prosecution and penalties such as fines and/or incarceration....
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Can you imagine the Orwellian consequences of fining poor people for being poor....or are we already there?
Since 2007, I have made concerted efforts to use cash or a debit card. No credit card spending. I find that I am much more careful about what I spend when I fork over cold, hard cash.
A few weekends ago, I spent about $150 cash at Lowe's for plants and various gardening doodads. In addition to marking up each bill to make sure it wasn't counterfeit, the cashier asked for my home phone number. I realize that Lowe's asks this question of just about everybody but it's odd for a cash transaction.
I am alarmed that many transactions require a debit/credit card regardless of whether cash is used. I've gone on business trips that had the hotel pre-paid by the client, and still I had to give them my debit/credit card in case I ate my way through the mini-bar or ordered Cristal through room service.
August 8, 2009 1:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
I was surprised by Jet Blue when I flew to Chicago last month. I bought a beer on the flight, and was told they would not accept cash, so I had to use my debit card.
August 8, 2009 2:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
Don't forget. 'This note is legal tender for all debts public and private' Next time ask them if they are aware that they are violating the federal reserve act.
August 9, 2009 12:49 AM | Reply | Permalink
When you are asked for plastic in case, tell them you will give them the card if/when you choose to avail yourself of the service and even then go to the desk and make a deposit of cash before you use the in-room bar or refrigerator...Usually you won't have access until the financial arrangement is made anyway.....Cash cannot be legally refused...Every bill of whatever denomination carries this statement: "This note is legal tender for all debts public and private." If they continue to refuse cash invite them to remove the food and liquor from the room.....If they continue to refuse take the initiative and threaten to call the police.....If they persist follow through....Find a way to resist without jeopardizing yourself....
August 8, 2009 2:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
You have to understand that the person checking you in is someone without any power to change rules that have been burnt into their brains, and that 99.9% of people have no problem with these hotel policies. Behaving as you suggest is more likely to have THEM call the police, as it seems pretty over the top to me.
If you are going to travel and stay in a hotel, you really should be willing to give them a card. It doesn't cost you anything, and the high school grad that you are trying so hard to intimidate doesn't have the authority to do what you ask. Besides, people DO steal things and ruin hotel rooms.
Yes, you're right, dollars are legal tender, but would you be willing to hand over, say $1,000 in cash as an earnest money deposit, to be returned after your room was checked for missing items and damage? That is what you are inviting for yourself.
I'm glad you got over your debt problems, but if you are going to to as far as you suggest over a hotel policy, (which is pretty much world-wide) travel may not be your cup of tea.
August 8, 2009 3:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
I have found that stepping around the clerk and speaking to the manager is quite effective if you know what to say and who to say it to. There usually is no real problem...I've been at this for more the 25 years and $1,000.00 deposits are no what I run in to. Many will be satisfied with a photo copy od your driver's license or passport and keeping the goodies locked up until you request them....You can also request a pre-check- out inspection of the room with a manager if you give youself enough time or pre-arrange it...
This is not about getting over debt problems it's about not capitulating at every turn to the demands of a system that is doing all that it can to dehumanize, oppress, and enslave the common person....You don't have to be in debt to be subject to the oppression and behavior control/modification.....
August 8, 2009 8:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, handing over your passport or drivers license sounds a whole lot better than making the desk clerk empty out the minifridge or calling the police.
Just out of curiosity, do you rent cars? For cash only? How about air tickets? As a person who uses my credit card for everyt possible purchase (and I pay off the balance every month without exception) I am amazed that you can carry as much cash around as you would need to avoid plastic altogether.
I think your method really does give you a much better sense of what is going out, though, and you probably save money that way.
I also get money back from my credit card company, but if I used it for purchases I couldn't afford I would for sure go on a downward spiral into debt, (which is what the card companies encourage with their ridiculously small 'minimum payments').
August 8, 2009 9:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
The minimum payment is designed to keep you from ever being able to pay-off the amount due if you continue to use the card...In most cases they will increase your limit until they find a critical point I.e. you reach the limit and can only make minimum payments and can't make additional purchases and no further increase is offered.....Then they hope you are late so the fees and interest can be increased exponentially....Try presenting a card that is maxed out somewhere....I try to maintain solid relationships with the people with whom I do business...I don't travel by air much anymore and if you go directly to the ailine they will take cash....You can fed ex a money order or bank check in some cases.... The point I am making is with a little creative effort you can limit if not eliminate the use of plastic and regain control of your existence to the degree that use of cash instead of plastic permits.....
August 8, 2009 10:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
@LisB, One of the reasons cash is refused is the failure of some bosinesses to trust their own employees to handle the cash honestly or properly.....On the job profiling!
August 8, 2009 11:48 PM | Reply | Permalink