Dishwasher followup Featured

We could all probably do the job, but we pay the serviceman for his knowledge and ready access to parts.

Exactly. And his ability to get down on the floor that at 80, I don't have so much any more.

Same here. We have the knowledge and the tools but not the ability.

I have no problem getting down on to the floor. The problem is getting up! (Also 80).

LOL I have two replacement knees!! When I get down on the floor they do not touch the floor!! PAIN is off the charts!! Getting back up the same applies!! Although it is getting more difficult!! I Rout Rout Rout for all those that can still get things done!! All have a better day!! (79) Les

Do you know how much was "work" and how much the components? These things are still much cheaper on my corner of the world, often the replacements boards are too expensive, not the workmanship.

Around here just to show up is usually $100.

Labor was $99 Part and tax $204 Credit card total $303. Cash price $280.

Ah, ok, so labour was not that exorbitant. The part was expensive. But now I am curious about some other thing: they charge differently with credit card than with cash?

Seriously? If you pay with a credit card, they pay about 3% fee, and there is a record of the transaction. As a business, you report it, pay various taxes on the income, both business and personal.

Hello darkness my old friend, I got up too fast again - - - -

Just over a year after rather major spinal surgery I'm still a LITTLE carefull about getting down and up. Had strict BLT restrictions for about half a year (Bend, Lift, Twist) but pretty well back to "normal" with most pain gone - doing 10 and 20 mile rides on the bicycle when the weather is good. be 74 in June, so still a rather young fellow on this group - - -

Well, I know that the cost for the merchant is different, but it is forbidden to charge differently. It is usually written in the contract with the bank.

Small contractors will often accept a discounted payment for cash, which they need not report as income. That's illegal, of course, but it's a problem only if they get caught.

This discussion has disclosed to me that the guy that recently installed a new garage door opener probably stole from his company. He would only accept the credit card with 4% increase. Would not accept a check but would take cash. I paid cash but now suspect he over charged and stole from his company as if I had paid by check it would have been to his company.

I have not seen that type of trick here. The price is the same in cash or with plastic. The plastic companies get very angry otherwise, and someone will tell them (because they have to pay more).

What indeed happens instead is not paying the VAT, and that means the transaction has to be done in cash and without a fully legal invoice. In this case it is the government who is seem as scammed, and everybody likes to cheat on the government.

Which is a reason some countries seek to prohibit cash transactions. Here cash transactions are limited to less than 1000€.

You won't usually find it in a big retail store or the like. If you had someone come out to do a plumbing job, different story. Pay cash, no receipt, no record of anything.

OTOH, I did get discounts at a couple of shops in Italy when I offered cash.

I could have walked in with a bag of cash to pay for my car. A check was more convenient. The dealership wouldn't take plastic for such a large transaction.

When calculating your true discount, don't forget to subtract the fee or fees you probably paid when converting your dollars into euros. The bank that sponsors the debit card I use at overseas ATMs that are in the my bank's network and the credit card I use for point of sales purchases in foreign countries doesn't charge any transaction fees but VISA passes on the interlink fee, currently 1.10%. In my experience, paying for the purchase of goods or services in a foreign country with my credit card, and specifying that I want the transaction to take place using the local currency, not dollars, is equal to what I would pay in dollars if I had withdrawn that local currency at an overseas ATM. However, you'll get scalped if you tell the merchant to enable the payment in dollars because of much higher conversion fees paid by the merchant.

However, beware of added transaction fees if you use an out of network bank's ATM or even worse, a commercial ATM not belonging to a bank. That's true for debit card cash withdrawals in the U.S. as well as in other countries.

Used to be - but I don't think it is anymore - at least it is not enforced.

A lot of "small" businesses also do a lot "under the table" - where no income is reported and no taxes paid or collected. Can't do that with the credit card.

The "cash price" is the "under the table price"

People often asked me for my "cash price" and I had to tell them there was no difference (I didn't take creditcards - it was cash or cheque or bank transfer)