I personally use credit cards 99.9% of the time. I spent 3.77 at Kinko's and used my cc. I prefer to pay by credit card for everything for a number of reasons. I wasn't saying that I wouldn't use a credit card, just that many small businesses prefer cash or check over credit cards because of the fees they have to pay. In fact, some places will allow you to pay credit card, but add a surcharge. For example, we are moving, and the movers are a local small company. They take credit cards, but charge a surcharge. Since I don't want to pay the surcharge, I will pay cash. This is not very common, but happens. It is very expensive for small businesses to take credit cards, but they do it so that they don't lose sales. If they do take credit cards, they usually increase the selling price of the goods or services to make up for paying the fees. Of course this increase in selling costs generally affect those paying cash as well as credit cards.
I'm 69 years old, but the "to-hell-with-everything-else attitude" is all mine! I grew up during the depression and a world war. Those were damned tough times, and those of us who were around then learned to find it strange for anyone to turn down even the smallest amout of money, no matter how big a pain in the butt it was to get it or how much work we had to do. I'm sure that dealing with credit card transactions for small amounts is a pain for those in busiess, but it is money, and every small amount contributes to the profits. It's not the "give-me-what-I-want-and-I-want-it-now-no-matter-who-it-hurts-just-give-it-to-me-NOW attitude that's easy to find in many teens and twentysomethings. It's more the fact that my divorce lawyer and I worked damned hard for the money I have, so if someone doesn't want to deal with my small purchase, someone else will. Still, I've never used Carte Blanche to purchase a beer and a pack of Twinkies. I normally either pay cash or write a check for the small stuff. Nonetheless, I appreciate my options.
Don't know why, but that has always pissed me off. Visa and mastercard are allowed to charge merchants 3%, but visa and mc won't allow the merchants to charge a 3% surcharge to cover their expenses for accepting the cards. That just ain't right.
YOU CAN'T RIP OFF CREDIT CARD CUSTOMERS AN EXTRA 3%...They will just take their business elsewhere!!! WHATS BETTER, 97% OF A SALE, OR 100% OF NOTHING???
