Text 30582, 84 rader
Skriven 2009-03-31 19:43:44 av Robert Bashe (2:2448/44)
  Kommentar till text 30520 av Roy Witt (1:397/22)
Ärende: Changes
===============
Roy Witt wrote to Robert Bashe on Monday March 30 2009 at 16:24:

RB>> But I'm aware of the horror Americans feel about carring more than
RB>> $10-20 around.

RW> If they do, it's because they realize that it's not enough to buy the
RW> family dinner at a fancy restaurant tonight.

RB>> I was surprised to hear that from my sister one time, particularly
RB>> surprised when you consider how little that is nowadays.

RW> It must be her environment that scares her, not the cash. Cash is
RW> actually not frightening at all Bob.

I didn't understand that either, but mybe I'm falsely equating my sister's
attitude with Americans in general. She lives and works in Cincinnati, and I
still remember the time she came home one day and told us that some nut had
walked into an office a mile or so from hers and shot 5-6 people willy-nilly.
Must be some rough territory where she lives.

RB>> Europeans don't have the same horror, and I often have several
RB>> hundred Euros in my billfold when I go shopping. But most people
RB>> don't pay bills with credit cards here, either.

RW> I carry that much and more here. Never know when a deal comes along
RW> where money talks and bullshit walks. [checking] I've got over $1200
RW> in my wallet this afternoon.

;-) At the moment, I have only around EUR 150 in mine, but I have to get a
prescription filled tomorrow.

RW> I still pay my bills with checks, including my credit card (No 's') I
RW> like the paper trail.

And I consider checks slow, cumbersome and a gold mine for the US Postal
Service. They'd probably go out of business if the USA adopted the direct
account-to-account transfer system we have in the EU.

I use electronic banking software here (with a RSA public key encryption and a
direct link to the bank's server), and it's very easy to keep up with payments
- much easier than by hand, balancing checkbooks. I never have to leave my
chair before the computer to transfer funds from one account to another or to
any account in the EU - and there's no cost for the service either. Checks do
exist in Germany, but are only very rarely used.

Incidently, "electronic bill paying" in the US means that the bank will send a
paper check to your payee through the mail, not that they will do a direct
account-to-account transfer. This is a big pain when I have to send my sister
money. I was goggle-eyed the first time I saw this and was asked for a street
address instead of the account number and bank I wanted to transfer to.

All bills here come with the bank account number, owner of the account and the
bank ID (8-digit number), plus an ID number for the bill. You just transfer the
sum to the account owner with the indicated account at the indicated bank,
giving the bill ID number and other details if you wish, and the bill is paid.
Legally, such bank transfers inside Germany must be completed within three
business days. It may take a couple of days more for EU transfers outside
Germany.

And of course, there's never a "lost check".

RB>> Of course, it's almost unknown to be robbed at gunpoint on an open
RB>> street here.

RW> That's very doubtful.

To be robbed at gunpoint? But it's true.

RB>> Maybe that's the difference.

RW> Again, doubtful. It's a rare occasion to be robbed at gunpoint on an
RW> open street in Texas. A would be assailant never knows who's carrying
RW> these days and crooks don't take the chance to find out the hard way.
RW> Of course, in those 'won't issue' states, carrying isn't an option and
RW> probably why your sister is afraid of her environment.

Texas, with it's liberal gun laws (concealed weapons), is probably different
than Ohio, where my sister lives. The size of your city would probably also be
important - bigger cities tend to have more crime.

Cheers, Bob

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