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Huh? I have broadband internet at my house. I have a personal WiFi hotspot on my smartphone if I want to use my laptop instead of my iPhone and my broadband service is down. Beyond that, I have neighbors who would happily give me their WiFi password. I can walk/bicycle/drive 1/2 mile and get WiFi at dozens of businesses.
I bet not all of that is true or functional for many people in smaller towns, or in the country. Just a reminder that what is true for some parts is not as true for others.
You should stand by it. Some years back, my ISP was out of service for a whole month. Some major facility had failed, and I would not have Internet for however long it took for them to restore it. They wouldn't even have credited me for the fee had I not raised hell, and they seemed to think I was being very unreasonable not to want to pay for something I wasn't receiving.
The answer is simple: even if you pay your bills online, you need to be able to mail checks if it comes down to that. Because the Internet isn't always on, everywhere, any more than is any technological development. Pieces break and need replacement. When those times come, one can do it the old way.
Do you not have a smart phone, a job or go anywhere in public that has wifi?
I use both but mostly do the same as your wife. At least by sending a check through the mail you know your payment will get there. Doing everything online isn't smart anyway. More convinent yes, but what happens when the internet goes down as it eventually will one day? Nothing lasts forever what with maintenance and all that. When that happens and the Millienials freak out over it since they don't know anything else I'll be laughing my ass off.
Come, let me introduce you to the stoners and slackers that run my local post office and mail routes and who lose stuff in transit all the time. As soon as my credit union started offering online bill pay, I was all over it because I knew my payments would actually get where they needed to go without worry of the local post office losing a check in the mail yet again.
Credit union also has its own app now so I can pay bills while on my phone if home internet is down.
Basically a myth - although a very popular one. All big bank debit cards have zero-liability policies for fraudulent purchases. I've had two fraudulent purchases - i got my money credited to my account pending investigation quicker than with a credit card that was swiped. (All were corrected - but the credit card can have FICO number consequences if you are not careful with following up). When it comes down to it the only real difference is points vs no points. Which to many people don't amount to a hill of nothing. However, unless you pay your credit cards off in full each month the money you spent using credit is more expensive than that debited from your bank account. And when it comes down to spending money that you do have versus spending money that you don't have - a debit card wins hands down.
This tripe has been peddled out for years now as expert advice even tho facts have overtaken it. And credit card companies are not stupid - they make way, way more from your interest payments than they lose giving out points (interest is actually the majority source of their revenue, not merchant/transaction fees). Credit card money is expensive. Even more so for those that charge an annual fee.
Indeed.
I thought about trying to rebut the rant you posted but decided it was a waste of time.
I use my debit card quite a bit. Winco only takes cash or debit cards and that's where I do about 80% of my grocery shopping. My bank pays interest 1.5% on my checking account and refunds all atm fees I incur by using other banks ATM's if I use my debit card 12 times a month. My debit card has zero percent liability in case of fraud, I've had the card hacked twice at gas stations and used in other states just moments after I used it at the gas station. Visa picked it up right away and called me about the transactions they immediately credited my account and I was issued a new card within a few days.
The main reason to use a credit card in lieu of a debit card is if you need to do a charge back against a merchant, you want to get the extended warranty protection of your credit card or you want to take advantage of cash back programs. I always use a charge card for large purchases for those reasons
I had to write a check last month and it took me several hours to figure out where I had put my check book, that's how often I use checks
I send checks for rent, and a few other incidental things where I feel better writing the check, or I want a certain record of it. Medical/Drs expenses I like to write checks for as it helps me keep records of what I've paid to who.
Contractors I typically pay with a check...
Basically a myth - although a very popular one. All big bank debit cards have zero-liability policies for fraudulent purchases. I've had two fraudulent purchases - i got my money credited to my account pending investigation quicker than with a credit card that was swiped. (All were corrected - but the credit card can have FICO number consequences if you are not careful with following up). When it comes down to it the only real difference is points vs no points. Which to many people don't amount to a hill of nothing. However, unless you pay your credit cards off in full each month the money you spent using credit is more expensive than that debited from your bank account. And when it comes down to spending money that you do have versus spending money that you don't have - a debit card wins hands down.
This tripe has been peddled out for years now as expert advice even tho facts have overtaken it. And credit card companies are not stupid - they make way, way more from your interest payments than they lose giving out points (interest is actually the majority source of their revenue, not merchant/transaction fees). Credit card money is expensive. Even more so for those that charge an annual fee.
i had no problem in the one instance i had fraud on a debit card but i would still not use a debit card over a credit credit .
nothing is a problem with a debit card compared to a credit card -that is until there is a problem that is not instantly resolved with debit cards .
just wait until an event is put under investigation by a debit card issuer and they decide against you .
it happens and there are horror stories in all the forums where these things are discussed . not every debit card fraud is open and closed immediately or rule in your favor .especially when pins are involved . the exposure is far greater with debit cards . i see zero reason for using one over a credit card , ever , unless you can't manage your own finances .
you can argue it all you want but i see little reason to ever expose my checking account vs simply using someone else's money by using a credit card .
i worked for many years in one of the worst areas in nyc . i never got mugged ,. but would i risk living there ? not on a bet .
Last edited by mathjak107; 08-30-2017 at 03:59 AM..
Typically in rural areas is where I see people at the grocery store using checks. Some of these same types of people still drive to local places to pay their electric bill using checks, etc. I rarely see check-writing otherwise these days. I've used electronic payments online for years now and only write out a check a few times a year.
My wife is old-fashioned and she still insists on writing checks at the supermarket and sending bills in via snail mail. Wondering how prevalent this is.
I always get mad when people hold up the line with their check books. Just imagine how long we would be standing there if everyone would do that. What a waste of my time. I wish they would reject checks in supermarkets.
Same with rent checks - so stupid.
Everyone has the newest models of trucks and tvs but then still use checks? I don't get it.
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