I actually chided my spouse when I saw a credit card payment for something like $7.58. For this you can use cash, I said. Why force the merchant to pay fees on such a low amount?

Obviously, for more expensive purchases, we do use credit cards..

Sometimes I ask a merchant whether they prefer a check or a debit card, and they always prefer the card. This way, I suppose, they know that the funds are there..

Funny thing: recently there were revelations that the post office scan some mail items. And I could not help but chuckle: with fewer and fewer people using the postal service, how much info can be possibly gathered?