Which do you use?

A report released yesterday in Germany said that the Germans used plastic (debit and credit cards) for under 27% of all purchases in 2009. Other mainland European countries have a higher level, with France being over 50%.

Most people here still want to pay cash for things, especially small purchases - under 50€. I only use the debit card when shopping, because we have separate and joint accounts and all food purchases are from the joint account.

Given that a lot of places don't accept credit cards and I think about 25% of people I know have a credit card, it isn't really a surprise.

I pay for most things on the Internet by invoice - I get an invoice and transfer the money within 2 weeks of receiving the goods. It is a nice way of doing it.

Plastic for virtually everything then pay it in full at the end of the month.

Plastic for me, too.



So the retailers send out the good without receiving payment in advance? Sounds nice for the consumer, but a bad way of doing business.

I've been caught out a couple of times buying odds and ends direct from retailers in Germany before now - they couldn't/wouldn't take credit card payments because the merchant fees are too high, and I couldn't/wouldn't pay by bank transfer (their preferred method) because the bank fees were too high from the UK (about £20 fee for a €30 transfer) - PayPal sorted one out, albeit begrudgingly, and the other we agreed not to bother.<shrug>

Pete

I use my debit card to pay for almost everything.

The only thing I regularly pay cash for is lunch in one of various sandwich shops.

Plastic for me.

We use the debit card for food and household shopping, we each have our own accounts for personal stuff, and we use the credit card (when some muppet hasn't tried to steal it ) for large stuff and over the internet, and pay it off each month.

I use my debit card most of the time but have the odd change on me to pay for breakfast at Disco. When I'm at Antenna I keep cereals there so don't have to pay for anything when working there.

Had to give up my credit cards as I used them too much. In the long run it's not a bad thing as it's changed my way of thinking about money. I still have a store card for New Look which I use now and then.

Plastic for almost everything, I mean it's daft not to if you spend over £100 anyways, extra cover and all that.

I don't get the "nail on the barrel head?" bit of the thread title.
I don't like carrying cash.

Mark

If I can use my debit card, I do. I can then check online where I have spent all of my money...

Depends how much it is - less than £20 I usually pay in cash, but more than that and it goes on the debit card.

I notice how it's getting more common to get stuck behind two or three people in the supermarket queue paying for items less than £2 in value and putting it on a card! I mean, you really don't have £2 on you? REALLY???

It actually takes longer to pay by card than by cash, just carry a few pound coins with ya, you muppet! Sorry, that's just one of my pet hates!

I never seem to be anywhere near a cash machine, so it's virtually always plastic for me.

[quote="steve74"]I notice how it's getting more common to get stuck behind two or three people in the supermarket queue paying for items less than £2 in value and putting it on a card! I mean, you really don't have £2 on you? REALLY???[quote]
I disagree.

I'd much rather pay by card and just have to type my pin into a machine than have to count out pennies from my wallet. It is much quicker also.

I once paid for a sandwich and drink in a supermarket with my card and the woman behind me made some comment about me paying by card. I turned around and asked if she was a f*cking financial advisor or something. She didn't reply.

LMAO

Be funny if she was. Anyways, card spends means points, as my GF always points out....

The nail on the barrel head IIRC is about how sales were concluded by merchants in the medieval and later periods. Money was placed on the nail (a surface where nothing can be hidden) to show they had the money, which was often placed on a barrel.

Plastic
Debit card
For day to day generally over £15 or so

Credit card
For Internet shopping ( as its safer and you get the Consumer credit act protection if over £100)
For some large items and then pay off at the end of the month

Cash
Generally for items less than £15 but then I don’t carry much cash normally