[AnimalMuppet]

I want it so that I don't have the hassle.

You want to buy a bottle of coke from a vending machine? Most of them don't have card readers.

You want to tip the valet/bellman/maid? Most of them don't have card readers; even if they do, it's still inconvenient to make them dig it out.

Feeling compassionate toward the beggar on the corner? Think he's got a card reader?

Want to pay the babysitter? Does she carry a card reader?

Then there's the other side of risk. Ever had your identity stolen? (I have, though not from a dodgy card reader.) And if you think chip and pin is going to make that impossible, I expect that the crooks will find a way.

[Mz]

Feeling compassionate toward the beggar on the corner? Think he's got a card reader?

I don't panhandle, but I am homeless. In fact, I have a PayPal account. IIRC, I could get a card reader from them if I wanted it (though, in practice, I might need a better phone than I currently have to make that work).

Although I am posting this merely because it strikes me as humorous, it isn't crazy to think beggars may soon have card readers, at least some of them.

I carry small amounts of cash (in part to print e-gift cards at the library) and do as much as possible via debit card/paypal/online payments/etc.

[fweespeech]

> You want to buy a bottle of coke from a vending machine? Most of them don't have card readers.

I never have that urge tbh.

> You want to tip the valet/bellman/maid? Most of them don't have card readers; even if they do, it's still inconvenient to make them dig it out.

Yeah, when I'm on vacation I'll run to the bank and get some $5 bills for that sort of thing. Hence "regularly" was the word I used. I'm not on that sort of vacation 51 out of 52 weeks a year.

> Feeling compassionate toward the beggar on the corner? Think he's got a card reader?

I donate directly to large charities that I know provide food, etc. to people. I honestly don't see beggars on street corners [largely because the local police are assholes].

> Want to pay the babysitter? Does she carry a card reader?

Actually yeah. She does.

> Then there's the other side of risk. Ever had your identity stolen? (I have, though not from a dodgy card reader.) And if you think chip and pin is going to make that impossible, I expect that the crooks will find a way.

Yes. If you meant actually identity theft [e.g. social, driver license] so they can masquerade as you...a lack of credit card provides no protection. The insurance companies you use, your employer, your bank, and dozens [if not hundreds] of "big data" companies have this info as well.

If you somehow believe a lack of a credit card will magically secure you against this risk, you are very much mistaken.

Stolen credit cards, honestly, are much less of a problem than stolen cash. I can get the money back from a stolen credit card.