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The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.
byPowercntrl ( 458442 ) writes:
Is there really any reason we can't just make pennies out of plastic instead? Personally, I haven't used cash in ages anyway so I'm really neither here nor there on running out of pennies, but it seems like if the problem is just that they cost too much to manufacture, make them out of something cheaper.
byserviscope_minor ( 664417 ) writes:
Or just scrap them as a denomination. I'm in the UK where pennies are worth fractionally more. It is now worth considerably less in real terms than the 1/2 p coin when that was scrapped. I, personally in favour of scrapping copper coinage completely. Round the tally to the closest 5 and be done with it.
byAmiMoJo ( 196126 ) writes:
I don't even regularly carry cash anymore. Phone generates a random credit card number for anonymity when shopping, that's good enough.
byViol8 ( 599362 ) writes:
"Phone generates a random credit card number for anonymity when shopping"
Huh? How can you pay with some random card number? And no payment method is anonymous , you simply move who knows from the shop to apple/google and your bank still knows you spent money either way.
Also I don't understand people who pay with a phone when contactless bank cards are simpler to use and faster. Just smacks of showing off.
byAmiMoJo ( 196126 ) writes:
When you pay with Google Pay, and I think Apple Pay as well, instead of giving them your real credit card number it generates a single use one. The bank knows to tie it to your account, but the retailer can't use it to match up with other transactions.
My phone is faster than my bank card. I don't have to open my wallet, and the card sometimes requires a PIN for security, where as the phone always uses fingerprint unlock so never fails to approve first time. Plus it's in my pocket for easy access, and I have
byfafalone ( 633739 ) writes:
Some stores ask for the PIN when I use Google pay from my phone. Most don't. But e.g. CVS does even for purchases under $5.
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byAmiMoJo ( 196126 ) writes:
That must be a US thing because it doesn't seem to happen in the UK or Japan.
The only issue I've had is that one chain of cafes (Tully's) has machines that just don't work with my phone so I have to use the card.
byomnichad ( 1198475 ) writes:
I wonder if their card is a debit card. In the US, only debit cards have PINs assigned. Transaction fees are lower on debit transactions vs credit cards. If you don't enter your PIN it is processed through the credit card network instead of the bank debit network and the fees are higher. Since Europe usually has a PIN for all the cards, there's a more consistent payment flow.
I should mention that bank debit cards in the US are almost always co-branded as Visa or Mastercard. This allows them to work any
byAmiMoJo ( 196126 ) writes:
Ah, that's interesting. In Europe the EU told them to stop taking the piss with credit card fees so there isn't any advantage to using debit card.
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