Minimum purchase when using credit cards – Not OK!!

[GenHillOne]

Am I just not going to these businesses? I use my debit card ALL the time and POS transactions (with Wells Fargo) have no fee from them. I’ve never noticed or been told that I’m getting an additional charge. I just starting looking more carefully at hidden costs thanks to Suze Orman – BTW… can still download new book (Women & Money) until 8pm Central on Oprah.com – whole book, seriously (oh, edit, for free). So I’ve mostly just scanned it at this point, but it did make me scrutinize some of my fees, so this minimum idea has me wondering.

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[JimmyG]

I’m addicted to my credit card. Seriously, I use it for 99.9% of everything I buy.

Yet I recognize a private business can do what they like with regards to CC acceptance policies, and if I want to buy something and they charge a fee, or they only take cash, I remove the secret stash of greenbacks I keep for just those times.

Seriously, it’s not like you’re forced to buy something from businesses that don’t do things you disagree with. Don’t patronize them, shop elsewhere and tell them why if it’s that important to you.

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[JoB]

jimmy G.. that’s exactly what i do…

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[Anonymous]

Hey Vincent, not sure why you chose to comment about me the way you did. Thanks for the feedback but it’s kind of hypocritical. I guess we both have something to work on. I mean, look at your sentence formation and words you cannot spell correctly. People like you are why I will probably never go to one of those meet ups at BPP.

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[JoB]

wsblover

beleve it or not, even the crankiest poster turns into mr or ms nice guy at the meet-ups…. likable as h..l :))))

even me, when i have enough energy to talk.

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[Anonymous]

wsblover – You know, vincent has never showed up at a get-together (at least, that we know of)!

You should give the rest of us a chance. We’ve always had a great time!!!

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[beachdrivegirl]

You are right NR about Vincent so far..although I have been a poor show @ the last couple of showings However, maybe i am just crazy but I am at a point where I feel like i “know” most posters and will say whatever I say here to their face. it is good to have friends you disagree with…it does make you a better person.

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[Anonymous]

BDG – Thanks for that.

And you have been sorely missed at the get-togethers!

Would be even more fun with you there.

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[Trisket]

This forum has certainly given me insight into the “online personality” of many folks. I’m not interested in the frustration of getting to know thier “offline personality”.

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[Magpie]

Ah, this is why I love living in the good ol’ USA..we can complain about everything from both sides, get personal anonymously, make spelling errors and still be corrected by our third grade teacher in the embodiment of someone we may know or may not know or may care or not care to know. All of this and still have a choice whether we use or take cash , credit or debit cards or checks. What an amazing country we live in. I believe in stream of consciousness blogging, so I am probably not as concerned about my grammar as some of you might be….

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[JoB]

trisket..

the offline personalities of those who post are so much richer than the online…

if you saw the twinkle in the eye as one verbally jabs another.. you would know that they meant no harm.

i wish you could see my twinkle now as i think of those i spar with most and have really enjoyed meeting…

you don’t have to meet us if you don’t want… but don’t write the experience off without trying it…

i think you would be pleasantly surprised.

magpie…

what? we make spellign and gramatical ettors?

i don’t notive in my drive to get the the point and get me workd in:)

now.. you might think that an intentional joke.. but the truth is that this is what most of my posts look like till i go back and edit them.. sometimes more than once:)

LOL… it’s such a big world and there are so many more things to get our panties in a bunch about than how someone writes…

thanks for giving us all such a great tag…

we are stream of consciousness bloggers…

i like that.

i think it implies we are present:)

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[Anonymous]

Trisket – I think is says a lot about people who post on this forum and then show up to meet everyone else in person.

I’ve never felt “frustration” meeting a single person on this forum in person.

We *do* always have a great time. But I can completely understand you not wanting to show up.

Just know, if you decide to, you would be warmly welcomed!

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[miws]

I personally hold the credit card companies entirely responsible for imposing these fees upon the merchants that accept their cards, and in many cases, are asked, or perhaps even expected to promote the card as well, ie: a counter display with cc promotions and apps. It’s as if the merchant, and thereby the patron, is being punished for accepting the card that is being promoted.

.

It’s obviously legal, but, I think it’s highly unethical.

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As has been mentioned already, it can be tough on the smaller, local merchants. Especially where there is a very slim profit margin involved. It’s kind of a cathch-22, with a given merchant wanting to accept the card, to compete with a same or similar business in the same neighborhood, especially if the competitor is a big box store that can more easily absorb the added costs.

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The little guy possibly loses business to the big box, if he chooses to not accept credit cards, and patrons, or potential patrons insist on using a credit/debit card, or will go to the big box, or elsewhere. But, if a small purchase is made of an item that has a low profit margin, the little guy risks making even less of a profit, or possibly no profit at all.

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I think many, or even most, of us here prefer to do business with the local, smaller businesses when possible. I would urge everyone to give this issue some thought,and either pay the fee, without complaint to the local merchant, if a fee is involved, or if the local merchant decides to not accept cc’s, then make sure you have the cash, or some other accepted method of payment. It may cost more, or be less convenient, but I think it is worth it to help keep these local merchants afloat, in an already tough business climate.

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Mike

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