Debit cards are handy

[Syrinx]

It's a convenience. I appreciate that.

And I use a debit card most everyday.

Then sometimes, I remember that corporations, and probably the government, are keeping a complete record of everything I buy.

That's kind of creepy.

Use your cards only to get cash. If you don't have a free ATM, buy a candy bar or something, and get cash back.

[Egnever]

1. Why?

What difference does it make if they can see what you buy?

[Syrinx]

2. maybe it's just me

But I think it's fucked up that elites are recording our every move. :shrug:

Marketing gone medieval.

[Demit]

7. You have thousands of posts here at DU. They create a record too.

Are you worried about that? Everything's a tradeout. You want the convenience the card gives you, you trade giving banks information about what you purchase. You want the freedom to speak on DU, you trade putting information out there that anyone could use. Life is not without consequence. Nothing medieval about it.

[pipi_k]

16. They may be "recording" it, but...

they sure aren't paying much attention!


I use my debit card almost exclusively at stores...hardly ever carry cash. You know how, after a few purchases, you get these coupon printouts from the cash register?

I have yet to get any that are for stuff I actually buy.

[gmoney]

35. you'll only get coupons for competitive or "complementary" products

If you buy Stouffer's Lasagna at regular price, they won't give you a coupon for that. Why should they? You just paid full price.

But they might give you a coupon for another brand, or garlic bread, or antacids.

[gmoney]

36. BUT you should go to your bank website and disable the debit card overdraft

The law changed so that banks can no longer allow you to use a debit card to spend more than you have in your account (or available in your overdraft protection) UNLESS YOU AUTHORIZE IT. However, they're now going to try to sell you on how it's a valuable benefit for emergency cash or whatever. So they can charge you $35 a transaction, plus 30% interest on the money. Your debit card now defaults to NOT authorizing the overdrafts, which is good. But you may want to log on and actively disable this "feature" of the card.

A friend's husband keeps doing this. They have $3 in the account, he'll use the debit card to pay for a $5 pack of smokes, and they get dinged with a $35 fee, plus interest. He's done this repeatedly. Not good with money, this one.

[pipi_k]

39. Here's what I do instead...

whenever I transfer money from savings to checking, I transfer more than I need to and record that I've transferred less. For example, if I transfer $325 I record that I transferred $300.

I'm typically at least $200 over what my checkbook says I have in that account, and one time I had over $500 I wasn't even acknowledging was in my account. I typically transfer two to three times a month, and I do that each time.

So far I've never gone below having at least $200 more than I thought I did.

Might not work for anyone else, but it works for me. :)

[pipi_k]

38. They're so out of the loop

they give me coupons for stuff that's not even remotely associated with anything I've ever bought.

And even if I did pay full price for something, why can't they give me a bunch of cash register coupons for the same item for next time, when I might end up buying more because I'll figure I've just saved money on this item with a coupon?

They're not real smart sometimes.

[RandomThoughts]

3. Just buy the data section and change the records.

Shrug.

[Syrinx]

4. sorry. i don't udnerstand.

[RandomThoughts]

5. A comment on ownership of data like that.

And how those that own that data can manipulate it to create what they want it to mean. And even use it to further there own interest.

An argument that says such data should not be in the private sector, nor secret, especially when used in a minority report fashion to find trends that make some people potential thinkers or challengers.


Lets say you are not buying things based on the latest commercial, say you contribute to certain causes, it is theoretically possible to use that info to hamper or cause some difficulty, so it can be nefarious.


And if people think the info is accurate, then it can be used to even smear people when it might not be real.



I am making points about data stores, I think such records need some 0,1 modifications till they are useless.



I used by, not buy. changed it.

[hobbit709]

6. All they'll get from me is that I get gas with it once a month

Maybe once every three months I might use it to buy something. 99% of my purchasing is in cash.

[Uben]

8. I use mine ten times a month

That was the requirement when I opened the account to receive 4.06 percent interest on up to $25K. And, I am religious about getting my ten uses. I use the card for anything I buy under $10. I keep a cash stash for everything else. I use one credit card for gas and purchases and pay it off every month. I don't pay fees!

[liberal N proud]

9. Big brother is watching you

Tracking your every move, counting your every action. The city even knows how much water you use in you home. And the electric company knows how much electricity you use.

Your internet provider knows everywhere you have been on the net and if you have digital cable, they know what you watch.


Que the theme from Twilight Zone.

Big brother is watching.

[MadHound]

10. I use cash for a number of reasons,

Yeah, there's the whole commercial database deal, which I don't like. But also, using debit cards can seriously get your account fucked up as many merchants put a hold on more money than the price of the product you're buying. Not to mention that your debit card is just as subject to third party abuse as any credit card.

But yeah, anonymity is a good thing as well.

[d_r]

11. you know

if big brother really wants to know that we go to the grocery store about once a week and buy whatever meat is on sale and whatever veggies are on sale and some mac and cheese, I'm really not that bothered about it. Thanks for caring, big bro.

[customerserviceguy]

12. The technology already exists

to track your purchases through your frequent shopper card, and send a targeted advertisement to your digital TV to hawk Brand B of toilet paper, when you are projected to run out of the Brand A that you bought last month.

If I were one of the weak-minded people who were influenced by advertising bullshit, then I might worry about such things.

[Cid_B]

14. Just to be clear....

You are claiming advertising has no effect on you or just that specific type?

[customerserviceguy]

22. I'd have to say it makes very, very little impact on me

Maybe I get amused by a few Budweiser commercials during the Super Bowl, but not nearly motivated enough to give up my craft brewed beer for that swill. I really think I'm immune to all of it, essentially.

[Liberal In Texas]

13. If you are worried about them keeping a record of what you buy, you ought to be

really appalled that they're keeping a record of every email, post at DU, phone call, text message, Twitter, etc. that you make.

Read James Bamford's books. They're eyeopeners.

[pipi_k]

17. And that's the truth!!!

People should try googling (or use any other search engine) their own names, just to see what comes up.

In some cases, a person's name, address, and an actual MAP of their home's location will appear. And that's just the free information. For a small sum, people can find out a whole lot more really scary stuff.

Anonymity in this day and age is a joke, unless one has absolutely NO records of their existence.

[bridgit]

21. On your advise I googled my full name, apparently...

I'm involved with the U.S. Department of Justice, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, as well the Sociology Department of Morehouse College which, also apparently: I own! :bounce: I'm sure there are others cause there's 9,850 pages but I have to go to work :(

[Codeine]

24. I'm evidently a very successful baseball pitcher.

Hot damn!

[pipi_k]

31. Yeah, it can get pretty amusing googling your own name...

I've found lots of people with my name doing some pretty strange things...

:7

[Odin2005]

40. My blog and my various mesage board posts come up.

[bridgit]

15. That's fine, and I'm glad for my simple life cause the Gov can track me buying green tea & cat sand

for all I care - I guess it depends on what you purchase with it. I know its pissing CCCo's off when more people use ATM cards than CC's cause they lose access to all their tedious little fees that amount to $1 $2 $5+ on this end but amount to 100's upon 100's of millions of dollars on theirs. If they think we need to be weaned off *our* bad habits then let them lead the way by dumping theirs too - people should either use cash, or an ATM card wherever possible if for no other reason than it pisses CCCo's off and I am good with that

[madokie]

18. Debit cards for cash only here

and thats good advice.

[Dappleganger]

19. *puts on tin foil*

[Yavin4]

20. Using Cash Gets Expensive

When you withdraw from ATMs that are not your bank's ATMs, then you have to pay fees to that ATM as well as your bank. My bank charges me $3.50 for using other ATMs, and that other ATM charges me $1.50. So, to take out a $20, I'm actually taking out $25, with $5 going to fees.

[BreweryYardRat]

26. Go to a pharmacy. CVS, Walgreens, whatever. Get a pack of gum or a candy bar.

Get cash back. Simple, and cheaper than coughing up fees.

[Codeine]

27. But then the government will know you like GUM!

Or CHOCOLATE! :scared:

[Yavin4]

28. My Bank charges for Cash Back Fees

They get you coming and a going.

[Freddie Stubbs]

29. Sounds like you need to find a better bank or a credit union

[ProdigalJunkMail]

30. no shit... fees for getting your money... what a racket! n/t

[IndianaGreen]

23. and GPS in your car and cell phone also allows Uncle Sam to track you

One has to live like the Unabomber if one wants to avoid being tracked at all.

[Codeine]

25. Fuck! Obama knows I like Smoked Tofurky,

Trader Joe's Tuscan White Bean Hummus, and DR Black Beauty Medium bass strings. :scared:

[uppityperson]

32. Having the possibility be there is creepy.

I don't think they do keep a record, but they can. Regarding those stupid grocery store cards, sign up using bogus info but with the right zip code (that is what one place told me to do). Ever since a firefighter was arrested (falsely) for arson based on someone buying lighter fluid one summer and using his Safeway card, I don't use my real name. I found out you can sometimes get really good deals by using (your area code) 555-1212. I got 30 cents per gallon off my gas once, since many people use that phone number.

[deaniac21]

33. Incredibly stupid advice.

[Gormy Cuss]

34. Incredibly rude and naive response.

Data mining is a huge business and the debit card user doesn't get anything but convenience.

[deaniac21]

37. I'm a 35 year IT professional. I think I know what I'm talking about.

If you have any brains it's very easy to protect yourself.

[Odin2005]

41. It's the fastest way for me to buy stuff online without using PayPal or a credit card.

Both of which I don't like.