When you look at this issue of "plastic at the pump" it brings up the issue of how Americans are using money today. Americans are drowning in debt. Credit has become too easy to get and way too inexpensive relative to past costs to borrow. Things people used to pay cash for years ago are no longer cash transactions. It doesn't help that many vendors no longer accept checks because too many of them bounce, because people have no money because they have spent it all on debt payments and have no clue how to control their spending.

Is it just my bias, or is the average debt level per person in the U.S. sickeningly huge?

 

I posted a few weeks ago on another messageboard about how the surest way to save the US economy is to dramatically raise interest rates. Only then will you reign in the level of debt that both individuals, corporate entities, and governments can reach.

 

Sickeningly huge.

 

BP? Tell that too the dead works in Texas City, tell that to the people that had to leave there houses last month AGAIN after a second explosion, tell that to the people that live near the Chocolate Bayou plant in Alvin again another explosion! Progressive??? you got to be kidding!Kevin

 

They are PRogressive, with an emphasis on the PR. They changed their name to Beyond Petroleum.

 

What with the recent spike in "driveoffs" (one attendant was killed trying to corral a deadbeat driver, IIRC), I wouldn't be surprised to see many stations (especially those in high-crime areas) go to credit card/debit card purchases only -- no cash accepted. Easier to manage & police than a "pay in advance" policy.

 

Good point!

Early Gas Station Automation in the 1970's
A company in Dallas attempted to start an automated gas station. Drivers would feed gas pumps one-dollar bills and receive that much gas. Problem was the pumps could not tell the difference between real money and the photocopied ones.

 

I try to double-dip by getting best local gas price at COSTCO, then pay with AMEX and get rewards points ... also receive convenient AMEX year-end statement that groups automobile expenses in one place. This will be good to go back and compare with previous years, as well as have record of gas purchase when my wife forgets to log it.

 

I also pay with credit at the pumps. For a lot of the same reasons as a lot of you! Quickness: don't have to go inside. Record keeping: gas on a bill at the end of a month will tell me exactly how much money I've spent at the pump.

I generally go to Chevrons (sometimes Quiktrips) due to the "top-tier" gas. And since I have a Chevron gas card, at the end of the month I can see exactly how much fuel has cost me and I can compare to what I paid for fuel in the previous months. If I pay with cash, I lose track of how much fuel went into the tank.

 

I use a credit card, exclusively, for gas purposes. Pay it off every month, no questions aske. I get an automatic 3 percent rebate.