Credit card processing fees seem completely outrageous. 4% is a huge chunk of most merchants’ margins.
CC companies prohibit merchants from charging extra fees to use cards, though they allow discounts for paying cash.
My understanding was the fees average 2% with very few above 3%.
So, what is the gas station doing? Just offering a discount to pay cash? Why doesn’t everyone do that?
I’ve never signed up for one of those gas station loyalty reward memberships.
Prob because it isn’t worth the hassle and confusion for a 2% difference, which is what $0.22/gal amounts to. I suspect most people pay with cards regardless of the discount.
You’re paying ~$10/gallon on gas?
Looks like I overestimated, and iron is right that 2% is more typical. These fees are still a big cost for retailers and have been the subject of major recent antitrust litigation against credit card companies.
I don’t think this is the case anymore. There was a lawsuit against MasterCard and Visa about fees and surcharges, and as a result of the settlement, they can no longer prohibit them. There are some restrictions - such as can’t charge on debit and some states limit or prohibit, but the credit card companies can’t.
Places use discounts because people get mad about surcharges but not about discounts they don’t get.
Also made an oopsie
Have you considered going plant based?
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Is that not happening to plants also?
I’m really asking. I’ve got no idea. My wife has always bought all the groceries and she is not quite as frugal as I would be, so we keep the peace by my ignoring it completely.
I haven’t really noticed massive increases. I know meat is supposed to be out of control.
Almost all food is plant based, even the meat.
Commodity prices are up, tend to track together with energy.
Probably depends on the plant, but yes.
I think I need to bust this one out the next time I want to annoy a vegan.
That doesn’t happen that often though. They’re generally correct.
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I can’t find data but I refuse to believe plants are rising at the same rate as meat. Also, tofu is already cheap.
Yeah that’s not at all the experience I’m having. I stopped ordering in almost entirely (was doing it probably 3-5 times a week). I’m also eating less food, ditching brand names, and still paying about 20% more than I was total, which indicates significantly more than 20% inflation.
I don’t know if the numbers are being fudged or lagging, or if the index is failing to catch it for some nuanced reason, or if my region is getting hit worse… But the government saying it’s only 8% is an absolute joke to me.
Exactly.
We have cut back quite a bit on meat. I suggested going meatless but my girlfriend didn’t want to go all the way on that. So for now we’re just cutting back, and if we feel more financial pressure we may have to go plant based.
She eats less meat than the average American as-is (no surprise, as she’s Brazilian), but she probably has it in two meals a day - just in small portions.
How is that no surprise? That is a huge surprise. The Brazilian diet is pretty meat-heavy (assuming not really poor).
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