Comments on: Is it Fair for One Person to Pay With a Credit Card for Dinner? http://moneyning.com/credit-cards/is-it-fair-for-one-person-to-pay-with-a-credit-card-for-dinner/ A personal finance blog where we share insights on carefully saving money, investing, frugal living, coupons, promo codes because the little things matter in achieving financial freedom! Fri, 19 Mar 2010 18:17:07 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Meaghan http://moneyning.com/credit-cards/is-it-fair-for-one-person-to-pay-with-a-credit-card-for-dinner/comment-page-1/#comment-18350 Meaghan Thu, 20 Aug 2009 14:00:37 +0000 http://moneyning.com/?p=3504#comment-18350 this is such a tricky situation. My friends and I tend to take turns paying. Of course it is not always the same, but I believe it comes close over time. this is such a tricky situation. My friends and I tend to take turns paying. Of course it is not always the same, but I believe it comes close over time.

]]> By: Caroline http://moneyning.com/credit-cards/is-it-fair-for-one-person-to-pay-with-a-credit-card-for-dinner/comment-page-1/#comment-18216 Caroline Mon, 17 Aug 2009 18:12:20 +0000 http://moneyning.com/?p=3504#comment-18216 I used to prefer to pay the full bill with my credit card to earn some miles and my friends didn't mind. Somehow though I came to realize that after they had put some money on the table, and maybe a couple of dollars of tip I would most likely come out short having to cover up for their poor tipping/counting. Since then I prefer to bring cash in all amounts when I go out for dinners and have more control. I used to prefer to pay the full bill with my credit card to earn some miles and my friends didn’t mind. Somehow though I came to realize that after they had put some money on the table, and maybe a couple of dollars of tip I would most likely come out short having to cover up for their poor tipping/counting. Since then I prefer to bring cash in all amounts when I go out for dinners and have more control.

]]> By: MoneyNing http://moneyning.com/credit-cards/is-it-fair-for-one-person-to-pay-with-a-credit-card-for-dinner/comment-page-1/#comment-18195 MoneyNing Mon, 17 Aug 2009 02:43:31 +0000 http://moneyning.com/?p=3504#comment-18195 I was referring more to the 1% that the person using the credit card would be paying, but the restaurant would have to pay about 2-3% in transaction fees. It's great of you to pay cash in smaller merchants because yes, their margins are much smaller. On a separate note, I think that the convenience brought on by credit cards make customers pay more often AND spend more each time. Therefore, it's hard to argue that credit card as a whole was bad for merchants. In this regard, merchants should take the 2-3% fees as just "cost of doing business". I was referring more to the 1% that the person using the credit card would be paying, but the restaurant would have to pay about 2-3% in transaction fees.

It’s great of you to pay cash in smaller merchants because yes, their margins are much smaller.

On a separate note, I think that the convenience brought on by credit cards make customers pay more often AND spend more each time. Therefore, it’s hard to argue that credit card as a whole was bad for merchants. In this regard, merchants should take the 2-3% fees as just “cost of doing business”.

]]> By: Aaron http://moneyning.com/credit-cards/is-it-fair-for-one-person-to-pay-with-a-credit-card-for-dinner/comment-page-1/#comment-18194 Aaron Mon, 17 Aug 2009 02:30:31 +0000 http://moneyning.com/?p=3504#comment-18194 Regarding the first solution of not allowing it, you mentioned that you would be giving the restaurant 1%; I'm assuming this is referring to the fee charged by credit card companies to the restaurant. If this is the case, then paying in cash is not giving the restaurant 1%, it's saving them 1%. I feel that is a difference worth noting. Although you can argue that the 1% the restaurant has to pay is worth the convenience or whatever benefit you have from using the credit card. I feel less guilty about this in large restaurants with high turnover, but as much as possible I try to pay in cash for small places with thin margins. Regarding the first solution of not allowing it, you mentioned that you would be giving the restaurant 1%; I’m assuming this is referring to the fee charged by credit card companies to the restaurant. If this is the case, then paying in cash is not giving the restaurant 1%, it’s saving them 1%. I feel that is a difference worth noting. Although you can argue that the 1% the restaurant has to pay is worth the convenience or whatever benefit you have from using the credit card. I feel less guilty about this in large restaurants with high turnover, but as much as possible I try to pay in cash for small places with thin margins.

]]> By: Mark Wolfinger http://moneyning.com/credit-cards/is-it-fair-for-one-person-to-pay-with-a-credit-card-for-dinner/comment-page-1/#comment-18055 Mark Wolfinger Wed, 12 Aug 2009 02:55:59 +0000 http://moneyning.com/?p=3504#comment-18055 I routinely offer a credit card from each person (or couple) at the table, with instructions to split the bill into halves or thirds. I would NOT do this with more than 3 credit cards. No problems, no complaints. If shares of the bill are very unequal, cash can be used to settle the differences - but the restaurant is not involved with that process. I routinely offer a credit card from each person (or couple) at the table, with instructions to split the bill into halves or thirds.

I would NOT do this with more than 3 credit cards.

No problems, no complaints. If shares of the bill are very unequal, cash can be used to settle the differences – but the restaurant is not involved with that process.

]]> By: MoneyNing http://moneyning.com/credit-cards/is-it-fair-for-one-person-to-pay-with-a-credit-card-for-dinner/comment-page-1/#comment-18052 MoneyNing Wed, 12 Aug 2009 00:13:20 +0000 http://moneyning.com/?p=3504#comment-18052 Great find. The link is a story about how physicists would deal with splitting bills. On a separate note: How many physicist would it take to change a light bulb? Great find. The link is a story about how physicists would deal with splitting bills.

On a separate note: How many physicist would it take to change a light bulb?

]]> By: Tim Wright http://moneyning.com/credit-cards/is-it-fair-for-one-person-to-pay-with-a-credit-card-for-dinner/comment-page-1/#comment-18051 Tim Wright Tue, 11 Aug 2009 23:45:22 +0000 http://moneyning.com/?p=3504#comment-18051 This is what the Onion says about this: http://www.theonion.com/content/node/52324 This is what the Onion says about this:
http://www.theonion.com/content/node/52324

]]> By: CJ Perry http://moneyning.com/credit-cards/is-it-fair-for-one-person-to-pay-with-a-credit-card-for-dinner/comment-page-1/#comment-18049 CJ Perry Tue, 11 Aug 2009 21:20:08 +0000 http://moneyning.com/?p=3504#comment-18049 But it's not YOUR job to police THEIR business. It's the IRS' job. As a friend, you could definitely warn them of the implications of doing such a thing but in reality it's completely their choice. You refusing to let them pay isn't going to stop them from doing illegal activity. If you are going to confront them, confront the root of the problem, not the symptoms. Then you can politely decline to let them pay if you choose for your own moral reasons and they will (should?) understand. That's my 2 cents. But it’s not YOUR job to police THEIR business. It’s the IRS’ job. As a friend, you could definitely warn them of the implications of doing such a thing but in reality it’s completely their choice. You refusing to let them pay isn’t going to stop them from doing illegal activity. If you are going to confront them, confront the root of the problem, not the symptoms. Then you can politely decline to let them pay if you choose for your own moral reasons and they will (should?) understand.

That’s my 2 cents.

]]> By: marci http://moneyning.com/credit-cards/is-it-fair-for-one-person-to-pay-with-a-credit-card-for-dinner/comment-page-1/#comment-18048 marci Tue, 11 Aug 2009 21:19:36 +0000 http://moneyning.com/?p=3504#comment-18048 I'm going to pay with cash for my meal. Whether the cash goes to a friend and they put the bill on their card, or whether the cash goes directly to the restaurant, matters not to me. I am going to pay cash for my meal, period. Or not go. It's not up to me to be the legality police - some people can legitimately deduct meals - it's not up to me to question them or their morals. I am paying cash for mine - and keeping myself legal is all I should be worried about. They have to live with their own conscience and I have to live with mine. I’m going to pay with cash for my meal. Whether the cash goes to a friend and they put the bill on their card, or whether the cash goes directly to the restaurant, matters not to me. I am going to pay cash for my meal, period. Or not go.

It’s not up to me to be the legality police – some people can legitimately deduct meals – it’s not up to me to question them or their morals. I am paying cash for mine – and keeping myself legal is all I should be worried about. They have to live with their own conscience and I have to live with mine.

]]> By: MoneyNing http://moneyning.com/credit-cards/is-it-fair-for-one-person-to-pay-with-a-credit-card-for-dinner/comment-page-1/#comment-18047 MoneyNing Tue, 11 Aug 2009 18:12:14 +0000 http://moneyning.com/?p=3504#comment-18047 If it becomes difficult, why don't you suggest splitting the bills or ask everyone to pay for his/her share? If they are true friends, they should understand the situation so there's no need to be embarrassed about suggesting it. If it becomes difficult, why don’t you suggest splitting the bills or ask everyone to pay for his/her share? If they are true friends, they should understand the situation so there’s no need to be embarrassed about suggesting it.

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