Logistics for Longer Cruises

[DarrenM]

I only need to pay Income tax, and that is calculated by the state. Any other tax is included in the price of purchase.

[ducklite]

3 minutes ago, DarrenM said:

I only need to pay Income tax, and that is calculated by the state. Any other tax is included in the price of purchase.

So you don't own a home?  A vehicle tag or driving license?  What about your television license?

[Hlitner]

44 minutes ago, wowzz said:

Again, I guess it is a cultural difference between the US and the UK. All the local tradesmen just give me their bank details and I just do an electronic transfer. It costs them money plus inconvenience to cash a cheque, so prefer the electronic method. Government agencies also prefer bank transfers, as do charities.

Our countries are more alike then not :).  But you are correct, that electronic transfers has not become the norm in the US.  Credit/Debit card use is the primary method, used in the USA, for most transactions such as with local tradesman.  In the past 10-15 years, most of our public utilities and many insurance companies have started to encourage the use of electronic funds transfers.  Like in your country, this is a less costly method then using credit cards or checks.  Our Federal government also encourages the use of electronic fund transfers for the payment and/or tax refunds.  But many of our population is still uncomfortable with electronic transfers since there has been a lack of education on the system, why its very safe, etc.  We also have a very strong Federal Law that protects all users of credit cards which, in a great sense, encourages the use of credit cards.  But when that law was enacted in 1968, there was no mention of electronic transfers as that procedure was not even available to consumers in those days.

 

We in the USA like to think that we are the most advanced nation in many areas, but the truth is that we lag woefully behind in actually implementing new (and better) things.  We were among the last of the major Western nations to adopt High Definition TV,  our country has never really had anything like teletext (common in Western Europe), we lagged behind Europe with the use of cell phones, we do not use Chip/Pin,  etc.  Even the basic procedure of using wireless credit card readers (like you have in all your restaurants) is not common in the USA.  Even basic technology like electric induction stoves are rare in the USA where we still embrace electric stove technology that is more then 50 years old!  Go figure.  And our train system (or lack thereof) is abysmal....when compared to what you have in Europe.

 

Hank

[ducklite]

The only US restaurants I've seen wireless credit card readers in is some of the higher end places we dine at.  Most of them are owned by Darden (Capitol Gill and Seasons 52 offhand.)

[wowzz]

6 minutes ago, ducklite said:

The only US restaurants I've seen wireless credit card readers in is some of the higher end places we dine at.  Most of them are owned by Darden (Capitol Gill and Seasons 52 offhand.)

Strange isn't it? Our local pub uses a handheld terminal, and even enterprising buskers have them now!

[wowzz]

16 minutes ago, ducklite said:

So you don't own a home?  A vehicle tag or driving license?  What about your television license?

Darren has also missed out Council Tax as well, plus water rates, gas, electricity etc.

Edited October 9, 2019 by wowzz

[ducklite]

Just now, wowzz said:

Strange isn't it? Our local pub uses a handheld terminal, and even enterprising buskers have them now!

We found that many pubs in the UK used them.  I much prefer that to giving my card to a person and having it go out of my sight.

[ducklite]

Just now, wowzz said:

Darren has also missed out Council Tax as well.

Would that be "rates?"  I think that is the same as property tax in the States, assessed to all homeowners and landlords based on the value of the home each year.

[wowzz]

2 minutes ago, ducklite said:

Would that be "rates?"  I think that is the same as property tax in the States, assessed to all homeowners and landlords based on the value of the home each year.

Yes, it was known as the "rates". More simplified these days, with property being placed into various bands, depending on their value.

[clo]

1 hour ago, ducklite said:

Typically I go in each week and zero out anything charged to our cards-

Every week?  Wow.  I respect you so have to ask why every week.

[clo]

21 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

electric induction stoves are rare in the USA

I've had one for a few years now and truly wouldn't trade it for the most expensive gas and a bonus of $1k!

 

Re banking for a one-off thing we sometimes do online bill pay where our end is done online but the recipient gets a check in the mail.

[ducklite]

1 minute ago, clo said:

Every week?  Wow.  I respect you so have to ask why every week.

I just don't like to carry debt and the few cents of interest I lose having it in my checking account until the due date wouldn't buy me a cuppa at the end of the year.  It's just my personal thing.  🙂

[Hlitner]

8 minutes ago, clo said:

I've had one for a few years now and truly wouldn't trade it for the most expensive gas and a bonus of $1k!

 

Re banking for a one-off thing we sometimes do online bill pay where our end is done online but the recipient gets a check in the mail.

We have a similar Billpayer system with our credit union.   They will use electronic transfers when its possible and send checks when necessary.  I love Billpayer since it saves me the hassles or writing out checks...not to mention saving the postage.  It has been many years since I have paid a routine bill via check or snail mail :).  But the use of direct electronic transfers where the merchant directly debits your own bank account is still a pretty new thing in the USA.   I routinely use electronic bank transfers between my various accounts (or the accounts of family members) and it is a very handy thing when we take long trips.  With Internet or a Phone connection I can handle nearly all of our financial affairs from anywhere in the world.  Since we have T-Mobile (which works in over 140 countries) life is good and easy :).

 

Hank

[DarrenM]

26 minutes ago, wowzz said:

Darren has also missed out Council Tax as well, plus water rates, gas, electricity etc.

 

 

A right bunch of pedants on here.🤣

 

I accept council tax is a tax. Paid direct debit like all other regular monthly bills.

 

 

 

[clo]

1 hour ago, JennyB1977 said:

@clo You are able to pay your IRS tax balance via Credit or Debit card. There are almost always fees involved.

I think I knew that but we don't pay fees ever if there's an alternative.  But thanks for pointing it out for others.

[clo]

44 minutes ago, ducklite said:

I just don't like to carry debt and the few cents of interest I lose having it in my checking account until the due date wouldn't buy me a cuppa at the end of the year.  It's just my personal thing.  🙂

Do you ever read The Points Guy.  There are people there who do that in an attempt to better their credit score minutely.  We haven't had a true savings account in a long time due to those %s.  We have it readily available elsewhere.  And I respect you "personal thing."  We all have some.

[clo]

35 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

not to mention saving the postage.

I describe Bob as "my frugal Scotsman" and I believe it was when a first class stamp hit 38 cents that he dove into online banking 🙂

Cath

[ducklite]

43 minutes ago, clo said:

Do you ever read The Points Guy.  There are people there who do that in an attempt to better their credit score minutely.  We haven't had a true savings account in a long time due to those %s.  We have it readily available elsewhere.  And I respect you "personal thing."  We all have some.

Even if I waited until the end of the month it wouldn't matter, because any balance due would still be under 1% of credit utilization, maybe 3% if I bought expensive plane tickets or paid in full for a cruise.

[clo]

Just now, ducklite said:

Even if I waited until the end of the month it wouldn't matter, because any balance due would still be under 1% of credit utilization, maybe 3% if I bought expensive plane tickets or paid in full for a cruise.

Oh, us too.  I remember one of our daughters post-grad school actually complained to us that USAA kept raising her credit limit.  We assured her that was a good thing.  Oh, and of course, she paid in full every month.

[CPT Trips]

6 hours ago, ducklite said:

The only US restaurants I've seen wireless credit card readers in is some of the higher end places we dine at.  Most of them are owned by Darden (Capitol Gill and Seasons 52 offhand.)

 

Hmmm. Lately I see an increase in use of small credit card readers linked wirelessly to cell phones. My PT uses one and at two recent festivals many of the craft vendors had them. Also very common on food trucks around here.    

[ducklite]

28 minutes ago, CPT Trips said:

 

Hmmm. Lately I see an increase in use of small credit card readers linked wirelessly to cell phones. My PT uses one and at two recent festivals many of the craft vendors had them. Also very common on food trucks around here.    

I wouldn't want a server to swipe my card on a square on their personal phone.  

[wowzz]

25 minutes ago, ducklite said:

I wouldn't want a server to swipe my card on a square on their personal phone.  

I think you are just being a little paranoid.  It is so much safer than just giving your card to someone who then disappears into a back room with it. 

Also, in the unlikely event of anything untoward happening, it is extremely easy to block your cc payment. 

 

[Elaine5715]

10 hours ago, wowzz said:

Again, I guess it is a cultural difference between the US and the UK. All the local tradesmen just give me their bank details and I just do an electronic transfer. It costs them money plus inconvenience to cash a cheque, so prefer the electronic method. Government agencies also prefer bank transfers, as do charities.

No charities don't.  They incur the fees whereas with checks or cash, they don't

[clo]

3 hours ago, CPT Trips said:

 

Hmmm. Lately I see an increase in use of small credit card readers linked wirelessly to cell phones. My PT uses one and at two recent festivals many of the craft vendors had them. Also very common on food trucks around here.    

We had it at Target today!  They're just starting it and getting ready for the holidays.

[CPT Trips]

5 hours ago, ducklite said:

I wouldn't want a server to swipe my card on a square on their personal phone.  

 

It's a company phone, not a personal phone. Your card isn't swiped, the device reads the chip. You sign a receipt on the screen and get a copy of it electronically.