Jump to content

Thin end of the wedge


red750

Recommended Posts

Here is a link to the report. It is protected by a paywall, but is viewable if you have a second browser wiith JavaScript disabled. Copy the link and paste it into the second browser.

 

https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/the-billionaire-vs-the-banks-the-fight-over-the-death-of-cash-20240328-p5fg08.html?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook#Echobox=1711603488

  • Informative 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 4 weeks later...

Here's an example of a disadvantage of a cashless society.

 

I picked up my mail today and there was a letter from Telstra. Inside was a cheque for $25 or so. No explanation, just a reference number on the paperwork. No details to use to contact and ask what it was for.

 

Well, $25 in my pocket is $25 that I didn't have yesterday. But here's the problem: my finances are through a Credit Union in Sydney. To access the money, I have to take the cheque to a branch and deposit it over the counter. I wasn't planning to go down to Sydney, but I have just been asked to do an audit, and I have to have a meeting with my kids to settle on a headstone for my wife and my grave. 

 

I don't know how I would be able to deposit the cheque if I wasn't in Sydney. As it is, I'm going to have to juggle my time to get to the branch while it is open.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Some banks will stop accepting cheques soon, as well.

 

Unless you have the bank account details of anyone you may have to send money to, such as a birthday/Christmas gift to, such as an interstate relative, you'll have to send gift cards, and Australia Post is likely to lose them (have them pinched).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

46 minutes ago, facthunter said:

Can't you cross it and mail it?  Nev

Luckily I can deposit it myself when I go to Sydney. I suppose I coud have mailed it to my son and got him to deposit it, but that would have been an inconvenience for his as he isn't near a branch during the day.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Jerry_Atrick said:

I am guessing you are with Telstra.. Why wouldn't they just credit your account unless you specifically requested a refund - which I guess you hadn't 

No, I had no idea that I was eligible for any refund. This cheque simply arrived.

 

Why not simply credit my account? Probably because I'm on plans for my phone and internet and the payments are direct debit, and paid month in advance. So I don't have the type of account that deals with credits and debits.

 

My point in this post was not the getting of a refund, but to highlight the difficulty of dealing with a physical item such as a cheque if all you other transactions are digital. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

The cashless parking meter gets up my nose. The councils claim the cashless parking meters are more reliable long-term, don't get vandalised, don't get coin jams, and are well-accepted by motorists.

 

However, the bottom line to me is more money for councils due to less parking inspectors needed (some systems sense overstaying and automatically send out infringement notices), and a major reduction in costs due to not having to handle coins.

 

If the councils were fair, they would lower the parking costs due to their new and fabulous meter technology. But I find the parking fees are still the same, and I now have to pay a CC fee, and have no option of avoiding that CC fee. I trust someone starts up a class action against this kind of robbery.

  • Agree 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have just started using a parking app on my phone and it is brilliant.   You only pay for the parking you use. On my trip into town I used buy around $6 of parking just in case I took longer than planned. Now when I park the app detects the meter and I dial up the amount of parking on my phone that I think I might need.  If I decide I need longer then I can remotely add time but more importantly, if I get back to my car early I can just press the "stop parking button and I am only charged for the actual time I use. What used to cost me $6 now usually costs me about $1.50

 

 

 

 

 

  • Agree 2
  • Informative 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

There are very few places where I have to pay for parking, and these are parking stations run by companies like Wilson Parking. Major shopping centres like Eastland and Knox City scan your numberplate as you enter. They have a free period, usually a couple of hours. Head out of the park and the boom gate opens. Box Hill Central requires you to take a ticket on the way in, and pay at a pay station to open the boom gate to leave. It's the parking at hospitals that I find annoying. Knox private gives you half an hour free then charges. Who gets in for a specialist appointment and out again in half an hour? Box Hill Hospital has no free time. A quick visit to my mate cost me $10.

 

Brentford Square and Forest Hill Chase carparks are free.

  • Informative 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I do it the cheap way .

Go find a street to park in within walking distance. 

I have a few times , knocked on the house door to ask for their permission. 

One woman insisted I park my car & empty boat-trailer 

On her front lawn for the weekend .

I payed with a couple of fish .

She wouldn't take a $5 note .

For looking after my rig while I sailed the local waters 

spacesailor

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...