Cashless society... you in?

[AlanH]

So going cashless means that every taxable penny will be taxed, eliminating any potential for an underground economy...

That effects theft, drugs, used item sales, tips for service sector employees.

It also allows for better traceability for tax free donations...

I see no issues with that...

[Static]

Never....privacy issues.

[Queen K]

In a cashless society I am able to foresee a certain future for certain segments of society.

Our debit cards represent what we have in the bank now. That some faceless entity has determined that a limit is placed on our debit card per transaction is both troubling and comforting at the same time. What if I really do want to pay for a used vehicle with one swipe of my debit card? $11,000 is right here, no financing, no running to the bank for a bank draft. But we can all identify with the person who has their pin number stolen and so, for our safety and monies safety, it is a good thing that can't happen.

It for our own Good!

What of the vulnerable segments of society? Those on Welfare/disability/EI?

Would their spending be analyzed by a bureaucrat in a sterile office? A money parent?

"Hello Carl? Smith calling, how are you today? I recieved a message this morning that you attempted to buy more alcohol last night beyond your predetermined limit. The Ministry has set these limits for your safety Carl. It says right here, <rustling shift in the background> that your disability includes diabetes and we've agreed that although one or two beer are instrinsic to your personage, we simply must adhere to said limit. Oh, you didn't know the cards send us information in regards to attempted purchases? Its in the fine print Carl."

I'm raising a spector of Big Brother that at first you all may agree to, afterall, it is taxpayers money here. However, beware!

[Queen K]

Ha! I just thought of another one.

A Welfare recieptant who gets a print out of all her grocery purchases from the Ministry. She thought she was doing ok, but they've highlighted the three items deemed unacceptable for taxpayers money. Today she gets a warning but next time her cash card will automatically shut down if those items appear again, and right at the till. She will have to remove those items from the groceries if she wants her card to work at the till.

I'm just envisioning a cashless nightmare.

[Captain Awesome]

A Welfare recieptant who gets a print out of all her grocery purchases from the Ministry. She thought she was doing ok, but they've highlighted the three items deemed unacceptable for taxpayers money. Today she gets a warning but next time her cash card will automatically shut down if those items appear again, and right at the till. She will have to remove those items from the groceries if she wants her card to work at the till.

I think they'll skip that step completely. Instead of sending a check to welfare people, they'll be providing all items to them. You know, clothes, food, meds, etc. Landlord will be paid directly. You go to the store on a certain day and they give you a basket of food to last you another week. This way less money for them to spend on drugs and what not.

[Advocate]

Would the barter system revive more if a cashless society takes place?

Barter system alive and well in my life. I use it a lot and it saves me lots of money and taxes.

BTW, do you think those yard sales and church bazaars send in their taxes due at the end of their sales? A cashless society would ensure they did. I didn't even know we were required by law to pay taxes on garage sale income, selling items that we have already paid the taxes on.

[Captain Awesome]

Would the barter system revive more if a cashless society takes place?

Barter system alive and well in my life. I use it a lot and it saves me lots of money and taxes.

Oh, please tell us.

[Advocate]

A Welfare recieptant who gets a print out of all her grocery purchases from the Ministry. She thought she was doing ok, but they've highlighted the three items deemed unacceptable for taxpayers money. Today she gets a warning but next time her cash card will automatically shut down if those items appear again, and right at the till. She will have to remove those items from the groceries if she wants her card to work at the till.

I think they'll skip that step completely. Instead of sending a check to welfare people, they'll be providing all items to them. You know, clothes, food, meds, etc. Landlord will be paid directly. You go to the store on a certain day and they give you a basket of food to last you another week. This way less money for them to spend on drugs and what not.

The welfare system allows $375 per month for rent, which IS paid directly to the landlords.
It also allows $235 per month for food purchases. If that money is spent on drugs, there is no food money and the food bank can be utilized.

[Advocate]

Would the barter system revive more if a cashless society takes place?

Barter system alive and well in my life. I use it a lot and it saves me lots of money and taxes.

Oh, please tell us.

What would you like to know?

[Captain Awesome]

Barter system alive and well in my life. I use it a lot and it saves me lots of money and taxes.

Oh, please tell us.

What would you like to know?

What do you barter for? What service/product do you provide in return? Why does it save you money/taxes?

[Advocate]

Barter system alive and well in my life. I use it a lot and it saves me lots of money and taxes.

Oh, please tell us.

What would you like to know?

What do you barter for? What service/product do you provide in return? Why does it save you money/taxes?

There are many I have done in the past and I have two contracts now.
Rather than tell you what I do, I'll give you some general ideas on how to barter for goods and services. You do not pay taxes on any income, as your income is received in the goods or services. Your contra partner also pays no taxes on income for the service they provide to you in return for their service.

You can barter with goods or services yourself.

Some services you can offer are:

Advertising, cleaning, window washing, laundry, lawn cutting, garden work, junk removal, deliveries, construction,plumbing, driving, floral arrangements, child minding, etc. I set up a childminding barter system in our neighbourhood years ago that worked well, trading time for time. You can trade with pretty much any service provider who needs help and doesn't want to pay for it.

Here is a book that can describe in more detail:
http://www.beyondpeak.com/barter-beyondpeak.html

http://www.ehow.com/how_2218968_Barter- ... lapse.html

A list of good items to save for barter include:
https://www.kitcomm.com/archive/index.php?t-25402.html


1) Food and Clean Water
2) Shelter
3) Weapons
4) Fuel
5) Essentials
6) Gold
7) Silver
8) Clothes/Shoes
9) Medicine
10) Spirits/Alcohol/Recreational Drugs


and more good insight for those interested in bartering:

http://www.psymbolic.com/unlock.html?ke ... el_so_good

[Queen K]

Tobacco and related illnesses. Another reason for the powers behind a cashless society to control you. It would work similar to an Insurance policy and pre-existing conditions. As in, if you have been diagnosed with a tobacco related illness, then your ability to buy tobacco products would be curtailed. A code with a tobacco-type DNA id on it would be implanted into your card and begin restricting you from adding to societies costs for treating your tobacco related illness.

And no, it is not advisable for someone to start buying them for you. Because that person's buying record would be clouded for their own safety and standard of living. A person wouldn't want to accrue a history of buying tobacco and related items to protect themselves from those in a position to judge them through what they purchase.

[Nebula]

Orwell? Is that you George?

[mtnman1]

Would the barter system revive more if a cashless society takes place?

Barter system alive and well in my life. I use it a lot and it saves me lots of money and taxes.

BTW, do you think those yard sales and church bazaars send in their taxes due at the end of their sales? A cashless society would ensure they did. I didn't even know we were required by law to pay taxes on garage sale income, selling items that we have already paid the taxes on.

Do you think waitreses claim all of thier tips as taxable income?

[Bagotricks]

A cashless society will never happen.

Why?

We have all heard the term "politicians are crooks". While some litterally get charged with crimes, others are just assumed to do back room deals and give out shady greased handshakes. How can your bribe someone when every cent will be electronically recorded and gone over with a magnifing glass by Revenue Canada?

The black market is part of society. Without that black market, society would cease to function. From under the table contruction jobs to tipping a waitress a few bucks, all that income would have to be reported and taxed. Things would grind to a hault.

Society has to be able to have the ability to have material goods which can be used to trade with others in order to aquire the things a person needs in life. Right now we have paper money, and if you dont have paper money...we still have gold. You can walk into any bank or currency exchange store and buy or sell gold. With a complete electronic system, all that would be history, and if you follow your history...when does the government try to remove a citizens ability to "count on his own" savings. It used to be illegal to privately own gold in the US in the 30's. This was done, in theroy, to stop the black market.

This opinion doesnt even take into account the trillions and trillons of dollars that are locked away in peoples home safes, saftey deposit boxes, offshore accounts or shoved in a matress somewhere, mostly obtained in the grey areas of the economy. There is still Nazi gold out there for crying out loud. All that money would have to be claimed. You think the modern day "rockefeller" families are going to give up their funds to be audited and counted when they dont even know forsure "where" all that money came from? I think not.