Consider this scenario.
You're in a posh hotel cafe hanging out with your friends. You call the waiter to get your bill. He comes back -- 260 pesos for a cup of extra thick hot chocolate served in fine china. You hand out your Visa.
Admit it. In that kind of setting, it's sexier to pay with plastic instead of some paper with a dead president on it.
If that was me, though, I would have paid with cash, be it as crisp as chicharon or as soggy as old pechay. Less trouble for me.
Here are four reasons why I prefer cash over card.
(By cash, I mean cash I earned and not loaned. By "paying in cash", I mean purchases in malls, markets, bargain shops, etc., and does not include huge things like cars, houses, and other things you normally pay for on installment.)
1. I lose the tendency to overspend by limiting my purchases with what I have in my wallet. This is especially useful when grocery shopping. I mean, we all do have that urge to get things not in the list, but with just the right amount of cash in the pocket and some will, I don't. Besides, it will be too much of a hassle to find the nearest ATM machine (of my bank, take note, to avoid transaction charges) just to buy those stuff not needed.
2. Unplanned purchases are avoided. I won't be able to buy those yummy-looking pumps if I only have "taxi money" in my wallet, will I?
3. I can "feel" my purchases. Yes, card purchases are quite "numbing". You won't feel how much you have spent on something until the time you see the monthly bill. More often than not, when you see it, it hurts. Especially if you have not kept track.
4. Discipline. Yes, discipline. With just having enough, I am are forced to discipline myself regarding my spending habits.
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Note: I do use my card on some things like airplane tickets and hotel rooms. However, I avoid using it on things I don't need and I pay on time.
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1 comment:
hay naku, edskidoo...i only learned paying for almost anything using my credit or debit card when i moved to another continent. the most justifiable reason? the area i'm living in isn't really safe so it's better for me to carry plastic than paper with a dead president on it. good thing is, i finally developed the habit of keeping track of all my expenses, both online and on paper.
i would rather pay in cash when i go bar hopping. that way, you don't drink too much and the bar doesn't overcharge you. besides, you can always use your charm to ask for free drinks, at the expense of talking to your so-called benefactor. hahahaha! just kidding, but seriously, it happens.
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