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The Dengler Domain: Money

Lots of people in this day and age rack up large bills using their credit or debit cards. This is not good for any involved party, and this is why I want to go back in time to use only cash and checks. It would a very interesting and different experience to live in this type of world.

For example, carrying only cash would cause me to be aware of how much I can spend upon entering an establishment. With a credit card, anything is possible. Solely possessing cash would force me to only spend what I had in my wallet. This is a great way to enforce a day to day budget. This would improve spending habits because a credit or debit card is too easy to swipe and deal with the issue later.

With the need for more cash, trips to the bank would increase. For me, I last stepped foot in a bank for personal purposes over almost a year ago. I use the ATM once a month, but without a credit card, I visit a bank ten times my ATM rate. The amount of time driving to, walking in, walking out, driving back from a bank would a lot in a world without credit or debit cards. Life would be drastically different and fitting this errand into a hectic life would be a big change.

Currently, I only write checks for paying rent. I cannot imagine paying with checks everywhere and then worrying if the check has or has not been cashed. Switching from the instant cash factor from credit or debit cards to only checks would be hard. If a person was not smart, writing too many checks could hurt more than being trigger happy with a card. Receiving more checks than I currently do, which is zero, would be scary. I would need to rely on the good word people and hope checks do not bounce, and my trips to an ATM or bank would increase in this scenario. A credit or debit card takes the money right away, or they indicate if there is none which is a positive. Checks do not possess this trait, and for this reason, I understand why checks are not as popular.

While using only cash is not a scary life decision, relying on checks instead of a credit or debit card would be much worse. Living in a time when checks were a large part of financial dealings would not be enjoyable. I am cool with cash because I can see it. In the end, all these different financial instruments have pros and cons so use whatever pleases the heart. At least I know one thing, I’m never accepting the $15 million from the African prince who found my email. That never ends well.

Email Sean with your thoughts and ideas for future columns at: sean.h.dengler@gmail.com

The Dengler Domain: Money

Lots of people in this day and age rack up large bills using their credit or debit cards. This is not good for any involved party, and this is why I want to go back in time to use only cash and checks. It would a very interesting and different experience to live in this type of world.

For example, carrying only cash would cause me to be aware of how much I can spend upon entering an establishment. With a credit card, anything is possible. Solely possessing cash would force me to only spend what I had in my wallet. This is a great way to enforce a day to day budget. This would improve spending habits because a credit or debit card is too easy to swipe and deal with the issue later.

With the need for more cash, trips to the bank would increase. For me, I last stepped foot in a bank for personal purposes over almost a year ago. I use the ATM once a month, but without a credit card, I visit a bank ten times my ATM rate. The amount of time driving to, walking in, walking out, driving back from a bank would a lot in a world without credit or debit cards. Life would be drastically different and fitting this errand into a hectic life would be a big change.

Currently, I only write checks for paying rent. I cannot imagine paying with checks everywhere and then worrying if the check has or has not been cashed. Switching from the instant cash factor from credit or debit cards to only checks would be hard. If a person was not smart, writing too many checks could hurt more than being trigger happy with a card. Receiving more checks than I currently do, which is zero, would be scary. I would need to rely on the good word people and hope checks do not bounce, and my trips to an ATM or bank would increase in this scenario. A credit or debit card takes the money right away, or they indicate if there is none which is a positive. Checks do not possess this trait, and for this reason, I understand why checks are not as popular.

While using only cash is not a scary life decision, relying on checks instead of a credit or debit card would be much worse. Living in a time when checks were a large part of financial dealings would not be enjoyable. I am cool with cash because I can see it. In the end, all these different financial instruments have pros and cons so use whatever pleases the heart. At least I know one thing, I’m never accepting the $15 million from the African prince who found my email. That never ends well.