When you go to the grocery store and it’s time to check out, how do you most often pay? Do you typically use cash? Your debit card? Your credit card? We’re betting not many of you pay by check, but maybe you’ll prove us wrong.
Perhaps it depends on how many groceries you’re buying and how much you spend, but answer this with the way you most often pay. Thanks!
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Why pay cash or debit when credit cards offer cash back ? As long as the bill is paid in full monthly then it is another way of saving money.
Precisely my reason for using a credit card for most expenditures.
Yes, exactly!
Exactly. Been doing it for years. Why would anyone give away free money?
Yes totally agree, I’ve never had to pay any interest on unpaid balance as I always pay on time for over 40 years. I like getting 5% back for gas at the pumps too!
Snoopy
I have my cards linked to Google Pay. Just choose the card I want and swipe my phone across the sensor. Done.
If the computer hiccups and moves the decimal point even one to the right on your debit card you’re out money and have to fight to get it back on the credit card you at least have 30 days to dispute
Sounds a lot like ” Chicken Little ” to me Seann.
I’m not too worried about computers moving decimals, but have two people I know that used Debit cards where skimmers had apparently been put in the card readers and the thieves emptied the accounts the cards were attached to. In the end the banks restored their accounts but it took time which impacted bill paying and was a living financial hell for them for more than a month.
Dave, you are fortunate that your sky has not fallen yet. Seann, my 30 days has now drawn out to be 3 months – so far. I’m about to forget it and change banks and their credit card. I’ve talked to the brick wall so long that I find myself talking to myself. I have finally met Alice and the Mad Hatter.
Credit card always, I like getting the points! We have our bank automatically pay the balance in full every month. Paid for our flights to Germany this fall!
I’m like Leonard, I get cash back on my credit card, so that is all I use to pay for everything.
Greenbacks only. No big surprises at eom. I’ve noticed more and more places are adding a surcharge for credit purchases.
A few places now will not accept cash, so I guess it’s best to be prepared either way.
I pay attention to what I’m charging so there are no eom surprises. I’ve never seen a surcharge at the grocery store. That was the poll subject.
Credit card. Cash back rewards. Keep a zero balance on the credit card. Cash for a few quick items.
Ditto….
Credit card for larger dollar amounts. The way prices have increased, I was considering robbing a bank first. 🙂
That’s where the money is….
Not any more. They carry less cash these days – some branches the teller is hidden in the back. Grocery store would be a better bet.
Found out the other day that the bank could not even cash a $5,000 check. They said that they don’t keep much cash on hand anymore. You may have to go to the Denver or Philadelphia mint to rob.
What about food stamps or other type of assistance?
I know ‘cash back’ or other reward systems are something of a scam (the seller simply increases item price to recoup the fees charged by the banking system to offer this ‘discount’ to its card holders). And yet, for us, using the credit card is an easy way to accumulate the data to keep close tabs on our cash flow via the online access. The account is settled in full, usually just before the end of the statement period; which keeps our credit score higher than showing a non-delinquent balance a day later when the statement is issued. And in our case, we also gather airline miles to cover quick trips to visit our far-flung family.
Believe the “cash back” is borne by the card issuer. The merchant bears the cost of the fee charged for offering the use of the card at their establishment. I always hear around 3%, but sure it is negotiated. Those costs would be passed on in the product/services prices.
A lifelong friend who retired as the manager of our local US Bank branch told me to not use a debit card. If it lost or stolen, a thief has access to ALL your accounts and can empty them. Credit cards give you protection, just pay them off every month.
Yep. Debit cards can be a real danger to use. Avoid using them if you can.
Credit card gives points which in our case equals cash. We just are sure to pay them off every month.
Dittto!!
We pay for groceries and everything we can with our Costco Citibank Visa card, which we pay off monthly. We generally receive $500-700 of cash back annually. Since we have to pay for our purchases anyway using the cc is a win for us.
👍 Same here. Usually a little over a grand back at the end of the year.
I marked debit card, but we just received our Costco Citibank card, sounds like it will be a winner.
Credit Cash back rewards help and depending where coupons from stores and manufacturers it’s even more money back in the pocket. Carry very little cash while traveling. I haven’t run into any place not accepting cash.
As others mention, we use a cash back credit card (2% back, paid off completely monthly) and a Costco credit card for other appropriate purchases at the higher rate back.
Use AMEX card that gives me 6% back on groceries. Primarily shop at Safeway which has 10 cents off gallon of gas for every $100 spent. Many ways to earn multiple rewards sometimes 2x, 3x points or 30 cents off per gallon if you spend a defined amount ($70 to $100). So with all of those, quite the savings. Rewards can only be used at Safeway Gas stations. Other gas stations use Costco Visa, 4% on gas, 3% restaurants, 2% Costco. All paid off every monthly on auto pay.
Like so many..we too use a cash back credit card paid in full each month. Another benefit of doing this is running a report at the end of the year in excel by spending categories to see just where our money went. However, I would never recommend a credit card to anyone with out disciplines as the plan can go south real quick.
Southwest Airlines c/c, gets us 1 point per $1 spent anywhere on anything. Then pay off Bal each month. Have used points to gift plane tickets, merchandise & food gift cards, etc.
We have a special account just for groceries. Plan a monthly budget and deposit monthly to keep the starting budget amount at chosen level.
we pay via credit card for virtually everything. but the card is always paid off in full every month.
Moved to the Midwest and our bank does not have a branch here or ATM. So when grocery shopping, we use our debit card to get cash back. Otherwise we use our credit card for everything. Always pay it off monthly. I’m 75 and never had a credit card finance charge and never will. Life is good.
We try to charge everything possible to our mileage plan credit card. We travel free to Europe about every four years. Of course, this a good value only if you pay off your card in full each month. Otherwise I think they would be expensive miles.
I do the same thing with my ‘cashback’ credit card. I pay in full every month. Monthly bill is a few thousand per month but the cash-back keeps adding up. Every few years the bank pays my monthly bill in full. Thank you very much!
Went to the credit union the other day for a loan. We needed a dozen eggs.
Must be some of those golden eggs that I heard about when I was a kid (many, many decades ago!). 😆 Have a good night, Kelly. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
With the price of eggs, someone has gold in their pocket, but it sure ain’t me. The grocer told me that the price is so high because of shortages. The chickens remembered the Bird Flu outbreak and that we killed a bunch of them and when they heard that we have a Covid outbreak, they have stayed far away from us and went on strike. Thus, we are only getting strike breaker eggs. Dairy and beef cows have evidently caught on because of the Mad Cow outbreak they experienced .It appears we may be up against the Avian – Bovine Union. Payback Time!
Oh, man. As if we didn’t have enough problems to deal with. Now even the animals are revolting! Sheesh! And with all the genetic engineering stuff going on, our great-grandkids will be hearing stories about the cow that laid the golden egg. 😆 Take care, Kelly. And watch out for all those animals on the picket lines. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
Good one Diane. I was going to see if I could keep you up all night, but I have run out of juice and conspiracy theories. Have a good evening.
Yep, still working. Just found your reply, Kelly, but you’re probably asleep by now. Sweet dreams (about cows and golden eggs). 😆 –Diane at RVtravel.com
DW worked at an experimental chicken farm in Al back in the early 90’s, she quit when she saw all the disgusting 4 legged chickens walking around. Talk about experimenting with genetics.
Scary stuff. Have a great day, Bob. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
I write checks. I like to know exactly how much money I have in my checking account at all times. Looks like I’m totally old school here.
Maybe it’s our name. I, too, am a “Diane M” and I, too, prefer to write checks. 😆 Have a good night, Diane. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
Just be careful when writing a check in public. The woman in front of me at Walmart wrote a check for her purchases. I could easily see her name, address, and phone number in plain view. Perfect for ID stealing or worse.
I use credit cards for the perks offered, and pay the bill in full each month. Sometimes one can get as much a 5% back, not to mention grocery store credit cards will send vouchers, 10 or 20 bucks here and there to spend in their stores based on the dollar amount of purchases, plus points accrue monthly for fuel discounts. It all adds up.
I pay for my groceries the same way I pay for everything else, with a credit card that gets paid off in full every month.