# Suppose Someone Wanted to Pay You Some Money: How Could they Do that? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 22, 2024, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suppose-someone-wanted-to-pay-you-some-money-how-could-they-do-that/996513 "2024-01-22T21:03:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2024, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suppose-someone-wanted-to-pay-you-some-money-how-could-they-do-that/996513/21 "2024-01-22T22:16:53Z")
IBAN transfer, as mentioned a couple times upthread. All the banks here have dedicated apps and bank account numbers are not confidential. Easy peasy. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2024, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suppose-someone-wanted-to-pay-you-some-money-how-could-they-do-that/996513/22 "2024-01-22T22:18:34Z")
Cash , check ,Venmo or Zelle. I never take payments from people I don’t know , so that’s not an issue . I do think I had to do something to start using Zelle. It’s in my bank’s app but I think I had to enroll my email address/phone number ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2024, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suppose-someone-wanted-to-pay-you-some-money-how-could-they-do-that/996513/23 "2024-01-22T22:20:29Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > ow. I can’t see what relevance a debit card has to the ability to zelle into your checking account. It might not be a debit card tied to a bank account - could be a payroll debit card. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2024, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suppose-someone-wanted-to-pay-you-some-money-how-could-they-do-that/996513/24 "2024-01-22T22:25:02Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Wow. I can’t see what relevance a debit card has to the ability to zelle into your checking account. Something sounds garbled. The short version is that my credit union doesn’t have Zelle integrated into their website/app (They use a different payment system for sending people money). In theory one can still manually sign up to use Zelle, but their sign up process requires providing a debit card number (not the checking account number) and that card needs to be ‘fast funds enabled’ (I just got the correct term from Zelle’s FAQ). Mine apparently does not support that feature, and since that’s the only checking account I have I had no way to receive the funds. From their FAQ: > **[I’m receiving an error message that my card is ineligible. Why?](https://www.zellepay.com/index.ph%70/faq/im-receiving-error-message-my-card-ineligible-why)** > > I’m receiving an error message that my card is ineligible. Why? ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2024, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suppose-someone-wanted-to-pay-you-some-money-how-could-they-do-that/996513/25 "2024-01-22T22:25:50Z")
@WildaBeast; thanks for the explanation. Very interesting. Today I learned. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2024, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suppose-someone-wanted-to-pay-you-some-money-how-could-they-do-that/996513/26 "2024-01-22T22:27:24Z")
My daughters and I bank at the same credit union and are set up to be able to instantly transfer money to each other’s accounts. We can’t see what’s in each other’s accounts and we can’t take money out of each other’s accounts. Otherwise, Zelle, or a personal check if I know the person. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2024, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suppose-someone-wanted-to-pay-you-some-money-how-could-they-do-that/996513/27 "2024-01-22T22:30:26Z")
Almost everyone personal pays me Zelle these days. I have Venmo, too, but prefer Zelle. And businesses still pay me (as an independent contractor) in checks for the most part. Some smaller businesses will do Zelle, but large clients are all checks. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2024, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suppose-someone-wanted-to-pay-you-some-money-how-could-they-do-that/996513/28 "2024-01-22T22:31:31Z")
Cash, check, money order, PayPal if you insist though I almost never use it, or barter if you offer something I need. (I took part of a field rent payment in dressed-out chickens last fall.) At market, FMNP coupons if you’ve got those. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2024, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suppose-someone-wanted-to-pay-you-some-money-how-could-they-do-that/996513/29 "2024-01-22T22:32:09Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > FMNP ?? What are those? ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2024, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suppose-someone-wanted-to-pay-you-some-money-how-could-they-do-that/996513/30 "2024-01-22T22:35:30Z")
Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program coupons. Available to people getting WIC and to low-income people over 65 (I think it’s 65); good for fruits, vegetables, and edible herbs. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2024, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suppose-someone-wanted-to-pay-you-some-money-how-could-they-do-that/996513/31 "2024-01-22T22:39:33Z")
I’ll admit I was surprised yesterday. I was in a brick-and-mortar bookstore and they told me they don’t accept cash as payment. Don’t businesses pay a surcharge on credit card sales? Shouldn’t a business prefer cash sales from a financial standpoint? Let alone the loss of potential sales from customers who don’t want to use a credit card. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2024, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suppose-someone-wanted-to-pay-you-some-money-how-could-they-do-that/996513/32 "2024-01-22T22:42:03Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Don’t businesses pay a surcharge on credit card sales? Shouldn’t a business prefer cash sales from a financial standpoint? It’s a lot _more_ expensive for most businesses to deal with cash. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2024, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suppose-someone-wanted-to-pay-you-some-money-how-could-they-do-that/996513/33 "2024-01-22T22:43:11Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > It’s a lot _more_ expensive for most businesses to deal with cash. Why? … ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2024, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suppose-someone-wanted-to-pay-you-some-money-how-could-they-do-that/996513/34 "2024-01-22T22:47:05Z")
If you’re Japanese over a certain age\*, cash is still king. I don’t know what those young people are doing, probably all hip with the electronic stuff, like here. For me, Paypal if you’re buying something from me at a distance (otherwise cash); I also accept checks, Zelle, or electronic transfer \*My idiot Japanese sisters-in-law sent my husband a Christmas card, from Japan, with Japanese cash in it. It never arrived. Color me unsurprised. They probably used one of those gold-decorated envelopes that screams “money inside!” ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2024, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suppose-someone-wanted-to-pay-you-some-money-how-could-they-do-that/996513/35 "2024-01-22T22:47:07Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I’ll admit I was surprised yesterday. I was in a brick-and-mortar bookstore and they told me they don’t accept cash as payment. > > Don’t businesses pay a surcharge on credit card sales? Shouldn’t a business prefer cash sales from a financial standpoint? Let alone the loss of potential sales from customers who don’t want to use a credit card. > [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > > [@Riemann](#): > > > > It’s a lot _more_ expensive for most businesses to deal with cash. > > Why? Here’s a whole recent thread on the cash vs credit tradeoffs for both consumers and businesses: > [@Paying cash instead of CC-is it spreading?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paying-cash-instead-of-cc-is-it-spreading/993862): > > Has anyone noticed an increase in the number of places offering a discount for cash payment? Around here, South Louisiana, it certainly seems to be spreading to more and more stores. Mostly restaurants, but not entirely. The large chains aren’t doing it, but lots of smaller stores are offering a lower price (the going rate seems to be around 3%) for cash. As the CC bills keep getting higher, the cash discount becomes more and more significant. Just curious, has anyone seen a trend in your area … ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2024, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suppose-someone-wanted-to-pay-you-some-money-how-could-they-do-that/996513/36 "2024-01-23T01:08:45Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > A couple months ago a friend and I went traveling together for a week. We divided up who would pay for what (e.g. you get hotels & rental car, I’ll get meals and entertainment) to roughly even out the load, then we settled up the net at the end via Zelle. Quick, painless, and nearly foolproof. Can recommend. As mentioned upthread, in Canada we can do transfers pretty much instantly. I’ve seen adverts for a new aspect, where the bright young things eating out together can split the bill electronically at the table, so the couple pays for two, the singletons pay their own, and so on. Also saw it being touted before Christmas to allow the grown kids to make a big purchase for mom and dad’s Christmas present, and each one chips in their share electronically to the kid who is handling the purchase. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2024, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suppose-someone-wanted-to-pay-you-some-money-how-could-they-do-that/996513/37 "2024-01-23T01:18:54Z")
Cash, check, Zelle, Venmo, or PayPal. I do still get a paper check from time to time (including from my father), but I can easily deposit those using my bank’s phone app. ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2024, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suppose-someone-wanted-to-pay-you-some-money-how-could-they-do-that/996513/38 "2024-01-23T01:20:55Z")
I use paypal or cashapp. ---
**Author:** ![Noelq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noelq/32/16438_2.png) [@Noelq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noelq)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2024, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suppose-someone-wanted-to-pay-you-some-money-how-could-they-do-that/996513/39 "2024-01-23T01:26:18Z")
So far, Paypal is the leader with my older friends, Zelle with the younger crowd, venmo infrequently, then cash. I don’t recall ever writing a check to a friend/family member in the past 20-30 years. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2024, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suppose-someone-wanted-to-pay-you-some-money-how-could-they-do-that/996513/40 "2024-01-23T01:33:57Z")
Cash, check, Zelle, or PayPal. Zelle much preferred, as it’s the fastest and (I think) most secure. But not everyone has it set up. PayPal least preferred, since it takes much longer to get the money into my bank account. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suppose-someone-wanted-to-pay-you-some-money-how-could-they-do-that/996513.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suppose-someone-wanted-to-pay-you-some-money-how-could-they-do-that/996513.md?page=3)