Discover card in space!

My wife just told me to look at the discovercard.com web site and order a replacement card. They now offer over a hundred different designs instead of the dull gray that I've had for years. One of them, on the first page of choices, is a shuttle launch. My new one is on its way.
Of course Judy ordered the Sheltie picture that looked like Belker...

Well, you can't look at the designs unless you're a member, so I'll take your word for it. It's ALMOST (but not quite) enough to make me get a Discover card, though... <G>
David Erbas-White
Bob Kaplow wrote:
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Using a card with an image of space exploration that appeals to you results in that image hiding in your wallet 99.9% of the time.
When you pay with a card like that do you point at the image and proclaim to the waiter/cashier/gas station pump "Hey, look at my cool space related picture on my credit card"?
Why not use space related money? That way you can hand them actual money they can keep or pass to others with a space related image on it?
Apollo XI Dollar coins. Ask for circulated dollar coins at your bank. 20 to 35% of them will be Apollo XI and the rest will be the newer Sacagawea Golden Dollars. You can use the GDs in vending machines, since they don't care about you pointing at your money and proclaiming. http://home.earthlink.net/~smalldollars/dollar/page14.html
-Fred Shecter http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQfgtpZ1QQfrppZ25QQfsooZ1QQfsopZ1QQsassZshreadvector

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Cash. How quaint.
Seriously I rarely use cash for anything any more. partly becasue my "bank" is still DECs credit union, 1000 miles away. My only source for cash is ATMs. I've been onthe road for a week, without spending a bit of cash.
Gas? Plastic. Groceries? Plastic. Hobby stores? Plastic. Eat out? Plastic. Even fast food places now take plastic. Hotels? Plastic. Haircut (what's left) Plastic. Medical? Plastic. USPS? Plastic. Hardware stores? Plastic. Car service? Plastic. [Try renting a car with cash and no credit card] Electronics? Plastic. Several of my regular monthly bills go to plastic. Internet? Try using cash online :-)

So, how do the internet folks see your cool space related artwork on your plastic?
Do you like the evil fees that are passed along to you through higher prices when you use plastic?
I certainly pay bills online, but that replaced checks in the mail, not cash for physical transactions in person.
I'm only talking about physical transactions in person. Kash is King. And it's space related if you wish.

Fred Shecter wrote:
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?? most places I go to (restaurants, etc) charge one price. And Discover gives me a rebate on purchases. So not only do I get a small rebate but I can keep the funds in my fee-less credit union account longer and earn a big 1% APR :-p

Use of cards results in higher prices because they charge merchants for the service.
It's like paying with paypal for everything. When people list items on eBay they set starting prices or reserves with the eBay and the PayPal fees in mind. Some even offer lower prices and prohibit the use of PayPal.
In the real world, the credit card fees are currently absorbed into the increased prices you gladly pay.
20 or so years ago, you could find many lower priced retailers who refused to accept credit cards because of the fees. ARCO gas stations were much lower priced in So Cal when they did this and before they were merged with BP.
So with Discover, you are enticed to use the card with the teeny rebate of the higher prices you are now forced to pay for everything. The card folks are getting a MUCH better rebate than you are.
Think of taxes and tax refunds. Is the government "giving" you money when you get a refund, or are you simply lending them the money all year with zero interest?
This still does not address the issue of pointing at the picture on the card and shouting "HEY LOOK AT MY SPACE SHUTTLE ON MY CARD". The machine at the gas station usually does not react (unless it's related to a component on the STS, in which case it might kvell).
-Fred Shecter

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I'll get to flash it at all the vendors at NARAM as I spend all my rebate bucks. I tried to use it to buy my car, so I'd get the rebate, but the dealer wouldn't go for it :-)

If the car dealer accepted the card, they would charge you 3% more for the car. Now, they can do this by raising the car price or lowering your trade in value or F-ing you on the options. I don't need to divide a sheet of paper with a vertical and horizontal line to demonstrate, do I?
What do I have to do to put you in this price inflating credit card today?

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I pay the same price in a store if I use cash, check, or plastic. And Discover (and other cards) gives me a rebate on my purchases.

I've already explained this and I suspect you know that you are already paying the higher prices because they rolled that into the price of everything to recover the cost of paying Discover to get their money.

Fred Shecter wrote:
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And using the card or not doesn't change the price I pay. So I might as well get the tiny rebate.
And when I encounter a store that doesn't accept Discover (because they do charge higher fees) I let them know I prefer stores that accept Discover and I may choose to shop some place else. I know of at least one store that started accepting it after other customers made the same comment. To balance, I know of a small restaraunt that discontinued it in spite of customer comments.
FWIW, if a store offered me a 3% discount for cash/check I would probably use it for some things. Credit card purchases provide some protection, particularly for mail/Internet orders.
As far as the cool picture on the card, I agree there isn't much point. But then we don't pay extra for fancy checks either. But if it makes Bob feel better about his Discover card, it works. That's the whole point of "custom" cards and checks. To entice you to have and use them.

writes:
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Cash discounts or credit surcharges are illegal in many states, and usually a violation of the cards merchant terms.
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Well, is there any reason I should stick with the plain gray card I currently have instead of getting the one with a shuttle launch on it?

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back in the late 90s, an E-card(some name close) Visa was one of the first credit cards with web administration of the accounts and epayments.
you could upload your own pictures and get a custom card.
Yes, a censor would prevent you from having a card with Microsofts MCSE logo on it.
Mine had EarthRise on it, it was nice.
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You know Bob, you are blessed with a great wife, and she puts up with you to boot !!!
Cranny Dane