Grocery Store charges if use debit card under $5...Allowed?

[daughtersrus]

We have local gas stations with discounts for cash. Of course, they are the Shells and Chevrons, and therefore are much higher per gallon than Arco or Costco, so we don't USE them anyway, but still, if you're a Shell or whatever user and want to use cash, you can get a discount around here.

The Thorntons gas stations here will give you a discount if you use your debit card at the pump with your PIN # but will not give you a discount if you use cash. Go figure! I'm guessing because you have to go into this station to pay for the gas since they do not have the pumps that will allow you to insert cash.

Speedway is also giving a 5 cent discount if you scan your "speedy reward" card in most states. In WI, it's illegal to give a discount on gas for any reason.

 

[lillygator]

I never carry any cash....I pay all bills online or with debit card. The only time we get cash out is vacations and when a hurricane is threatening.

 

[ticktock]

Thanks for saying this, cause I was a'thinkin it! When we evac-ed gas was $4.59 a gallon and it was cash only. The generators were being run overtime for the gas pumps and a (1) drink cooler. And diet Coke was $2.50 for a 20oz.

One thing I learned then? Once emergency has been declared there's no more liquor sold!

It took 6 of us to come up with enough cash to fill the tank and I used all my extra change that I always leave in the ashtray to buy 3 drinks. Gotta have my Diet Coke or someone'll surely get hurt!

That said I almost never have more than $20 on me at any given time.

I'm from Fl and was wondering were all these people who will NEVER need cash for an emergency live? Oz, Shangrala? NOT in Cindy's castle, as far inland as it is, it's still in a hurricane zone.

These posts remind me of that Twilight Zone episode were all the neihbors were making fun of a guy for building a bomb shelter. When they thought there was going to be an invasion though, they broke into his shelter and threw his family out to save their own skins!

I always have cash on me, but I usually use my debit card. I always forget I have the cash tucked in the back of my wallet.

 

[G8RFAN]

Another Floridian who for two years in a row spent two weeks or more without electricity. We quickly learned to keep a storm stash of cash in our safe. Gas for the generator was over $3/gallon and the thing sucked down 10 gallons a day. Supermarkets that had generators could only support the bare necessities and were cash only. All frozen foods were spoiled. Plus, many times the debit/credit machines are down at the lunching places around the office and it becomes cash only. Eventually it will be cashless. Most processors and ISO's treat debit purchases with a single fee. For most normal purchases, it saves a ton of money for the merchant. The banks would prefer if you ran them as credit card purchases, as they fall under the normal contracted discount rate with the vendor even though the risk of the transaction is negligible compared to credit.

 

[SPJammer]

Sweetie, that will never happen. Even when we had a horrible ice storm and most of the city was without power for 5 days, the grocery store had back-up generators and accepted charge cards.

Actually this can happen, sort of, in a round about way. There is a grocery store in our area and their network crashed. When we went to check out, all we had was our credit and debit cards. We went to swipe the card and the cashier told us the machines were down. She then proceeded to tell us that she had our information and we were all set to go, when actually she did not have any of our information. She kept insisting, so we left. We later called the store and told them what took place and the manager basically told us to enjoy our $145 worth of groceries on them.

 

[kaytieeldr]

We live a few hours from Chicago, but we visit it enough that we purchased an I-Pass (a prepaid device for tolls).

Yeah, I have our state's version of that - but apparently, these twits (disclaimer: I do NOT believe that everybody who doesn't carry cash is a twit, just the few drivers pulling this stupid/dangerous move ) always use the non-toll route.

 

[peachgirl]

Actually, I don't even have a debit card or an atm card. I don't like them and won't ever use them. If there's a mistake on my cc, I have 30 days before I have to worry about it, plenty of time for it to be taken care of. If they screw up my checking account, it's cash immediately taken out of my account.

I've been doing this since the first day I got a cc and so far, I've never had an emergency where I had to get to cash, yet couldn't do it. I've saved a ton of money just from not having to go into the store to pay for gas...where I always used to pick up a coke, or chips or some junk I didn't need.

There have been plenty of times though when I had to cover for someone who was with me and "forgot" their money.

 

[C.Ann]

I think the question of "what kind of emergency would require one to have cash on hand" has been sufficiently answered here..

On a more personal level, tomorrow it will be one month that I have not had my vehicle (it's at the dealership - long story - no loaners beyond 1 week and none for repairs they refuse to cover under warranty).. Anyhow - I am in the mountains - no public transportation - and no way to get to the nearest town where there is a grocery store and the pharmacy.. If I need anything during the week - before my DD and her DH come up on Friday night - I have to rely on a neighbor when she is out running errands.. If there is anything I need for her to pick up for me, I either need to have cash on hand - or spend an entire day riding around with her while she does all of her running.. Of course I always give her a little extra for gas too - just for being nice enough to pick up what I need.. Somehow I don't think I could hand her my debit card and expect the stores to accept it - nor would I feel comfortable giving her my pin number if it was needed..

Just one of the reasons I feel it's important to always have cash on hand..