Georgiades mulls mandatory use of plastic money at kebab shops, surgeries etc

[Lofos-Jan]

I agree it's the smaller GP's that take only cash (although I will admit to paying cash to a doctor at the General a few years ago). But this will in no way stop cash from being paid still unless they have the full will of the people to stop these practices.

Jeanne

[cyprusgrump]

This stinks of desperation...

When the tax lost to cash only souvlaki sales worries the government you know things aren't quite as rosy in the finances department as they would like to make us believe...

[ApusApus]

HIC, not shown in the Georgiades comment, was that he was highlighting these examples as part of his defence against the European Commission's country report which said "the Cypriot economy would overheat unless the govt slashes spending & raises taxes". He claims that the govt was clamping down on tax evasion instead in order to increase revenues! The latter being an easier option to sell to the electorate of course!


Shane

[geoffreys]

They've been forecasting the demise of cash for as long as I can remember. I remember about 20-30 years ago they experimented for a time with a cashless society in Swindon. Nothing came of it and nothing ever will. I use credit cards as much as the next person, but cash is just so quick and easy for relatively small purchases.

I think you are right.
For me personally I don't care either way as long as we have enough dosh to live on!
They can have plastic or money from me as required!

Geoff.

[Polemi Dave]

JCC have a card processing cartel in Cyprus. Traders pay for the machine rental and a percentage of every transaction. Smaller traders pay a lot more than big business. In the UK traders can shop round - not here, they got you. Doctors will just put the extra on your bill and call it card processing charge - why not airlines do.

[Kili01]

It might help the Govt to assess the tax owed by some doctors if payment was by card only. I have always thought that the idea of having to,pay them cash and watch it being stuffed into a drawer was wrong. But a lot of doctors specialists included expect cash in hand.
How this can be enforced and them being forced to use a card machine though given the privacy inside a doctors office is something else!

Dee

[trevnhil]

I don't want credit so I don't have a card.

It's not about wanting credit (though I'll happily take that as well) but so many transactions these days are impossible at best, or inconvenient to say the least, without a credit card: buying airline tickets online, purchasing accommodation abroad online, placing orders with Amazon, car hire online...and so on. And if emergencies crop up, for example expensive medical treatment or travel abroad, credit cards can get you out of jail in an instant. I cherish my cards and would be lost without them.

Although you have mentioned needing a Credit card for all the above.... A Debit card will do as well.
We have not had a Credit card for over 12 years now..

Trev..

[geoffreys]

I don't want credit so I don't have a card.

It's not about wanting credit (though I'll happily take that as well) but so many transactions these days are impossible at best, or inconvenient to say the least, without a credit card: buying airline tickets online, purchasing accommodation abroad online, placing orders with Amazon, car hire online...and so on. And if emergencies crop up, for example expensive medical treatment or travel abroad, credit cards can get you out of jail in an instant. I cherish my cards and would be lost without them.

Although you have mentioned needing a Credit card for all the above.... A Debit card will do as well.
We have not had a Credit card for over 12 years now..

Trev..

"plastics" are very much a matter of convenience; we have a debit card on our Cyprus address and a credit card on our UK
'address', both on our HSBC UK account. This facilitates some on-line purchases as some suppliers insist on cards with
a UK address, e.g. airlines, or a Cyprus address, e.g. Cyprus airline/s.
Money (cash) or cards - academic if you are broke and max'd out!
Geoff.

[mike strand2]

One way to force plastic card use would be to severely restrict the flow of cash. €10 a day from ATM & in the bank. Problem solved!

[Dominic]

I don't want credit so I don't have a card.

It's not about wanting credit (though I'll happily take that as well) but so many transactions these days are impossible at best, or inconvenient to say the least, without a credit card: buying airline tickets online, purchasing accommodation abroad online, placing orders with Amazon, car hire online...and so on. And if emergencies crop up, for example expensive medical treatment or travel abroad, credit cards can get you out of jail in an instant. I cherish my cards and would be lost without them.

Although you have mentioned needing a Credit card for all the above.... A Debit card will do as well.
We have not had a Credit card for over 12 years now..

Trev..

Provided you instruct the CC company to clear the balance each month, rather than take minimum, then a credit card is great. It essentially becomes a debit card with protection.

[mike strand2]

Any bank, institution or government which sought to deny people access to their cash would soon find retaliatory action being taken against them. People would simply not bank cash they receive and would instead hoard it at home, ready for that rainy day when they might need it. A process hardly in anyone's best interests. Cash would simply become more of a black market commodity than it already is.

And how would employers who pay wages or suppliers in cash manage?

Many people choose not to own - or are not eligible to own - plastic cards...how would they cope?

Problem not solved methinks, rather not thought through.

Disagree - There would be very little cash to hoard. Government sets up bank for those people who banks won't accept People would be forced to use plastic, it wouldn't be an option!. Already in the UK Big Issue sellers are able to accept plastic. There would be no wages in cash or suppliers paid in cash!

Think outside the box. Call me The Donald if you like

[tonee]

Hi re credit cards.I had a dispute with Ryanair,they owed me money and they were not budging.In the end I went through Visa disputes(having paid with credit card).Hey presto,they paid up!